Subgenre Sampler

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Last Showgirl, The (2025): Dir. Gia Coppola
Feat. Pamela Anderson, Kiernan Shipka, Jamie Lee Curtis…; A middle–aged Pamela Anderson glitters in more ways than one in this moving portrait of seasoned Las Vegas showgirl in career crisis, directed…
Queer (2025): Dir. Luca Guadagnino
Feat. Daniel Craig; Daniel Craig is drop dead brilliant as the alter ego of William S. Burroughs in this drama based on the author’s 1985 novella about an American…
Anora (2024): Dir. Sean Baker
Feat. Mikey Madison, Mark Eydelshteyn, Yuriy Borisov; Writer–director Sean Baker (Tangerine, The Florida Project, Red Rocket) returns with his most lauded comedy–drama yet – winner of…
Apprentice, The (2024): Dir. Ali Abbasi
Feat. Sebastian Stan, Jeremy Strong, Martin Donovan…; A riveting drama that charts the apprenticeship of Donald Trump as a young huckster in the 1970s and 80s who is mentored in business chicanery by the…
Back to Black (2024): Dir. Sam Taylor-Johnson
Feat. Marisa Abela, Jack O'Connell, Eddie Marsan…; A musical biopic that commemorates the extraordinary talent and tragic demise of the award–winning singer/songwriter, Amy Winehouse. From…
Better Man (2024): Dir. Michael Gracey
Feat. Robbie Williams, Steve Pemberton, Alison Steadman; An outlandish musical biopic about Robbie Williams who enjoyed early success with ‘Take That’ and greater heights as a solo performer (Angels,…
Bikeriders, The (2024): Dir. Jeff Nichols
Feat. Tom Hardy, Austin Butler, Jodie Comer…; After being inextricably whisked away by 60's rebel heartthrob (Butler), A young woman becomes the groupie of Midwestern biker club "the Vandals".…
Bob Marley: One Love (2024): Dir. Reinaldo Marcus Green
Feat. Kingsley Ben-Adir, Lashana Lynch, Tosin Cole…; Director Reinaldo Marcus Green (King Richard) directs this stirring biopic of Bob Marley, the Jamaican music icon whose genius brought reggae to the…
Brutalist, The (2024): Dir. Brady Corbet
Feat. Adrien Brody, Felicity Jones, Guy Pearce…; Lauded 3.5–hour epic starring Adrien Brody as a holocaust survivor who travels to the USA, where he succeeds as an architect but struggles with…
Challengers (2024): Dir. Luca Guadagnino
Feat. Zendaya , Mike Faist, Josh OConnor; Gen–Z it–girl Zendaya plays a celebrity tennis idol in this hip love–triangle drama. Shamelessly stylish camerawork, flashy…
Convert, The (2024): Dir. Lee Tamahori
Feat. Guy Pearce, Jacqueline McKenzie, Te Kohe Tuhaka…; A British lay preacher finds himself caught in the middle of a bloody war between Maori tribes in this vivid colonialist epic from dir. Lee Tamahori.
Didi (2024): Feat. Joan Chen; A semi–autobiographical film about a Taiwanese American teenage outcast growing up, falling in love, and acting–out during the eccentric…
Different Man, A (2024): Dir. Aaron Schimberg
Feat. Sebastian Stan, Renate Reinsve, Adam Pearson; An unforgettable drama about a disfigured aspiring actor who undergoes a radical medical procedure to drastically transform his appearance. The…
Ka Whawhai Tonu (Struggle Without End) (2024): Dir. Mike Jonathan
Feat. Paku Fernandez, Hinerangi Harawira-Nicholas, Temuera Morrison…; A deeply felt and impressively rendered action–drama centred on two rangitahi caught in a crucial conflict between Maori and colonial soldiers…
Kneecap (2024): Dir. Rich Peppiatt
Feat. Liam Óg Ó Hannaidh, Naoise Ó Cairealláin, JJ Ó Dochartaigh; An adrenalized, dramatized version of the true story of 'Kneecap', a hip–hop trio from West Belfast. The lads do a terrific job of playing…
Memoir of a Snail (2024): Dir. Adam Elliot; Another sublime stop–motion animated feature from Adam Elliot (Mary & Max) that chronicles the life of an outsider in poignant and hilarious…
Mountain, The (2024): Dir. Rachel House
Feat. Elizabeth Atkinson, Reuben Francis, Terence Daniel…; A young girl, raised outside of her Maori culture, is determined to fulfil her mission of connecting with her mountain in the hope they can heal her…
My Everything (Mon Inséparable) (2024): Dir. Anne-Sophie Bailly
Feat. Laure Calamy; Laure Calamy gives another knock–out dramatic performance in Mon Inséparable (French title), a stirring portrait of a loving mother and her…
Out of Season (2024): Dir. Stéphane Brizé
Feat. Guillaume Canet, Alba Rohrwacher; A richly layered French romantic drama starring Guillaume Canet (playing a famous actor much like himself) and Alba Rohrwacher as former lovers who…
Penguin Lessons, The (2024): Dir. Peter Cattaneo
Feat. Steve Coogan, Jonathan Pryce; Steve Coogan stars in this poignant dramedy from director Peter Cattaneo (The Full Monty) as an Englishman who experiences a personal and political…
Room Next Door, The (2024): Dir. Pedro Almodovar
Feat. Julianne Moore, Tilda Swinton, John Turturro…; A chamber drama starring Swinton and Moore as Close friends who are reunited after of being out of touch for years. Meeting again in an extreme but…
Salt Path, The (2024): Dir. Marianne Elliott
Feat. Gillian Anderson, Jason Isaacs; Gillian Anderson and Jason Isaacs play down their seasoned star status as an ordinary long–married couple who cope with the trauma of losing…
Sing Sing (2024): Dir. Greg Kwedar
Feat. Colman Domingo, Clarence Maclin, Paul Raci; There’s little song but plenty of creative expression in Sing Sing, a unique, sensitive drama set in an actual correctional facility in New York…
Substance, The (2024): Dir. Coralie Fargeat
Feat. Demi Moore, Margaret Qualley, Dennis Quaid; A body horror about toxic beauty standards from French film–maker Coralie Fargeat, who has done her horror homework in setting up a gnarly mad…
Tina (2024): Dir. Miki Magasiva
Feat. Anapela Polataivao, Nicole Whippy, Beulah Koale…; Anapela Polataivao is superb in this local smash–hit tearjerker set in the wake of the Christchurch earthquake. She plays Mareta, a sassy but…
We Were Dangerous (2024): Dir. Josephine Stewart-Te Whiu
Feat. Erana James, Nathalie Morris, Manaia Hall…; A striking Kiwi fable about three teenage girls who plot to escape an oppressive school for delinquents on an isolated island in the 1950s, it's the…
Widow Clicquot (2024): Dir. Thomas Napper
Feat. Haley Bennett, Sam Riley, Tom Sturridge; After her husband’s untimely death, Barbe–Nicole Ponsardin Clicquot flouts convention by assuming the reins of the fledgling wine business…
Àma Gloria (Ama Gloria) (2023): Feat. Louise Mauroy-Panzani, Ilça Moreno Zego; Centred by an extraordinary child performance, this is an exquisite French drama bathed in the milk of human kindness in the face of…
Anatomy of a Fall (2023): Dir. Justine Triet
Feat. Sandra Huller, Swann Arlaud, Jehnny Beth…; An extraordinary, multi–layered dramatic thriller from France that deservingly won the Palm D'or at Cannes. For the past year, Sandra, a…
Bad 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…
Carmen (2023): Dir. Benjamin Millepied
Feat. Melissa Barrera, Paul Mescal, Rossy de Palma…; Melissa Barrera (In The Heights) and Paul Mescal (Normal People, Aftersun) star as strangers who become shackled to each other's fates after a tragic…
Cat Person (2023): 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…
Crown, The - Season 6 (TV Series) (2023): Feat. Imelda Staunton, Jonathan Pryce, Lesley Manville…; The Final Series of the critically acclaimed Netflix show covers the years 1997–2005, including the death of Princess Diana, wedding of Charles…
Divertimento (2023): Dir. Marie-Castille Mention-Schaar
Feat. Oulaya Amamra, Lina El Arabi, Niels Arestrup; A biopic of Zahia Ziouani, one of the few worldwide renowned female conductors. Classical symphonic music is everything for 17–year–old…
Dream Scenario (2023): Dir. Kristoffer Borgli
Feat. Nicolas Cage, Julianne Nicholson, Dylan Gelula…; Nicolas Cage plays a hapless family man and professor who becomes an unwitting celebrity when he starts appearing in the dreams of the general…
Freud's Last Session (2023): Dir. Matthew Brown
Feat. Anthony Hopkins, Matthew Goode; Set on the eve of WWII and towards the end of his life, Freud’s Last Session sees Freud (Hopkins) invite iconic author C.S. Lewis for a…
Goodbye Julia (2023): An outstanding drama from Sudan about two women – a retired Muslim singer and a Southern Sudanese widow – who forge an unusual friendship…
Holdovers, The (2023): 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…
How To Have Sex (2023): Dir. Molly Manning Walker
Feat. Mia McKenna-Bruce, Lara Peake, Samuel Bottomley…; A vibrant and sometimes confronting portrait of youth binge culture that clings like day–glo lycra to three British teenage girls at a Greek…
Iron Claw, The (2023): Dir. Sean Durkin
Feat. Zac Efron, Harris Dickinson, Maura Tierney…; The true story of the inseparable Von Erich brothers, who made history in the intensely competitive world of 1980's pro–wrestling. Under the…
La Chimera (2023): Dir. Alice Rohrwacher; Another delight from dir. Alice Rohrwacher that completes a trilogy (after The Wonders and Happy as Lazzaro) about Italy's relationship with its…
Let the River Flow (2023): Dir. Ole Giaever
Feat. Ella Marie Haetta Isaksen, Ivar Beddari, Gard Emil; A superbly–crafted and moving indigenous rights drama about a young teacher whose repressed Sami heritage is awakened by a protest group who…
May December (2023): Dir. Todd Haynes
Feat. Natalie Portman, Julianne Moore, Charles Melton; Julianne Moore and Natalie Portman make a formidable double–act in this fascinating, multi–layered drama about an actress doing field…
Memory (2023): Dir. Michel Franco
Feat. Jessica Chastain, Peter Sarsgaard, Josh Charles…; A complex and intimate drama for adults that explores the relationship between a New Yorker with early onset dementia and a social worker and solo…
Monster (Kaibutsu) (2023): Dir. Kore-eda Hirokazu
Feat. Sakura Ando, Eita Nagayama, Soya Kurokawa; Director Hirokazu Kore–eda returns home with his first Japanese film since the Palm d'Or–winning "Shoplifters" (2018) with this…
One Life (2023): Dir. James Hawes
Feat. Anthony Hopkins, Helena Bonham Carter, Johnny Flynn…; the true story of a London broker Nicholas Winton; who secretly organised the rail transport of hundreds of Jewish children from Nazi occupied Europe…
Oppenheimer (2023): Dir. Christopher Nolan
Feat. Cillian Murphy, Emily Blunt, Matt Damon…; Christopher Nolan's grand biopic of J. Robert Oppenheimer (Cillian Murphy), the American Physicist credited with being the "father of the atomic…
Origin (2023): Dir. Ava DuVernay
Feat. Aunjanue Ellis, Blair Underwood, Vera Farmiga…; Written and directed by Ava DuVernay (Selma), this ambitious docu–drama chronicles the efforts of Pulitzer Prize–winning journalist…
Past Lives (2023): Dir. Celine Song
Feat. Greta Lee, Teo Yoo, John Magaro…; Two childhood sweethearts are torn apart after one family emigrates from South Korea in this heart–rending and exquisite film that tells an…
Perfect Days (2023): Dir. Wim Wenders
Feat. Koji Yakusho; The irrepressibly handsome Kôji Yakusho stars as a solitary man who cleans public lavatories for a living but seems to have a rich inner life…
Priscilla (2023): Dir. Sofia Coppola
Feat. Cailee Spaeny, Jacob Elordi, Ari Cohen…; Sofia Coppola's delicate and understated adaptation of Priscilla Presley's 1985 memoir about the stifling reality of being Mrs. Elvis Presley. Aussie…
Radical (2023): Dir. Christopher Zalla
Feat. Eugenio Derbez; A quality, engaging drama based on the true story of a teacher in a neglected Mexican border town that tries a radical new method to unlock his…
Reality (2023): Dir. Tina Satter
Feat. Sydney Sweeney, Josh Hamilton, Marchánt Davis; A potent chamber drama that re–enacts true events surrounding a government security breach related to Russian interference in the 2016 US…
Scrapper (2023): Dir. Charlotte Regan
Feat. Harris Dickinson, Lola Campbell; A cheeky charmer set in East London that refreshingly leans away from the miseries of working–class life, inspired as it was by Taika Waititi's…
Shayda (2023): Feat. Zar Amir Ebrahimi, Selina Zahednia, Osamah Sami; This Australian drama filmed mostly in the Persian language is made something special by two magnetic actresses. Iranian émigré Zar Amir Ebrahimi…
Significant Other (TV Mini-Series) (2023): Dir. David Sant
Feat. Katherine Parkinson, Youssef Kerkour, Ben Bailey Smith; Manchester–set comedy drama starring Katherine Parkinson and Youssef Kerkour as two 40–something neighbours, who begin a tentative…
Son, The (2023): Dir. Florian Zeller
Feat. Hugh Jackman, Laura Dern, Vanessa Kirby…; A teenage son moves out on his single mother to live with his father. The part time dad tries to make the best of the situation. But juggling his new…
There's Still Tomorrow (2023): Dir. Paola Cortellesi
Feat. Paola Cortellesi, Valerio Mastandrea, Vinicio Marchioni; An audacious, bittersweet comedy–drama that swept the Italian Oscars and broke domestic box–office records. Directed, co–written…
Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry, The (2023): Dir. Hettie MacDonald
Feat. Jim Broadbent, Penelope Wilton, Earl Cave…; Jim Broadbent stars as Harold, an ordinary man who has passed through life living on the side lines, until he goes to post a letter one day... and…
Uproar (2023): 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…
1923 (TV Series) (2022): Dir. Guy Ferland
Feat. Helen Mirren, Harrison Ford, Jerome Flynn…; Prequel series to YELLOWSTONE continues the grandeur and grimness of the earlier show, and stars Helen Mirren and Harrison Ford as stoic frontier…
Aftersun (2022): Dir. Charlotte Wells
Feat. Paul Mescal, Frankie Corio; This quietly devastating story of a father and daughter that share holiday time in the 90's assembles its remembered and video–recorded…
Allelujah (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…
Amsterdam (2022): Dir. David O. Russell
Feat. Christian Bale, Margot Robbie, John David Washington…; David O. Russell directs this comedy–thriller based on the 1933 conspiracy to overthrow Franklin D. Roosevelt's government, starring Christian…
Anne: The Mini-Series (Anne: One Mother's Story) (2022): Feat. Maxine Peake; A 4 part miniseries detailing the true story of Anne Williams; who lost her son in the 1989 Hillsborough stadium fire. Unsatisfied with the hasty…
Annie's Fire (Annie Colère) (2022): Dir. Blandine Lenoir
Feat. Laure Calamy, Pascale Arbillot, Josiane Balasko…; Laure Calamy again proves she's one of the most likeable actresses in French cinema as a working mother who finds her people among those offering…
Babylon (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…
Banshees of Inisherin, The (2022): Dir. Martin McDonagh
Feat. Colin Farrell, Brendan Gleeson; Two lifelong friends find themselves at an impasse when one abruptly ends their relationship, with alarming consequences for both of them.
Between Two Worlds (2022): Dir. Emmanuel Carrere
Feat. Juliette Binoche, Helene Lambert, Louise Pociecka; Juliette Binoche plays a well–known author who goes to live in northern France to research her new book on the subject of job insecurity.…
Blaze (2022): Dir. Del Kathryn Barton
Feat. Julia Savage, Simon Baker, Yael Stone; A powerful, imaginative Australian drama from Archibald–winning artist Del Kathryn Barton about a twelve–year–old girl conflicted…
Blue Caftan, The (2022): Dir. Maryam Touzani
Feat. Lubna Azabal, Saleh Bakri, Ayoub Missioui; A rare peek into Moroccan culture, and the dying craft of hand–made caftans that are painstakingly embroidered with a needle and thread. And…
Blue Jean (2022): Dir. Georgia Oakley
Feat. Rosy McEwen, Kerrie Hayes, Stacy Abalogun…; The story of a closeted lesbian P.E. teacher in Thatcher’s Britain that feels like it could have (and should have) been made in the early 1980's,…
Bones And All (2022): Dir. Luca Guadagnino
Feat. Taylor Russell, Timothée Chalamet, Mark Rylance…; A captivating, sincere horror–romance from the director of CALL ME BY YOUR NAME, based on the novel by Camille DeAngelis. Set in the late…
Both Sides Of The Blade (Avec amour et acharnement) (2022): Dir. Claire Denis
Feat. Juliette Binoche, Vincent Lindon, Grégoire Colin; Jean and Sara have been living together for 10 years. When they first met, Sara was living with François, Jean’s best friend and an admirer from…
Broker (2022): Dir. Kore-eda Hirokazu
Feat. Kang-ho Song, Doona Bae; Master Japanese filmmaker Hirokazu Kore–eda turns to South Korea for the first time for this drama starring Cannes–winning actor Song…
Close (2022): Dir. Lukas Dhont
Feat. Eden Dambrine, Léa Drucker, Kevin Janssens; Another closely–observed Belgian drama that, along with "Playground", explores a traumatic rite–of–passage. Here the protagonists…
Crown, The - Season 5 (TV Series) (2022): Feat. Imelda Staunton, Jonathan Pryce, Lesley Manville…; The fifth lavish part of the reign of Elizabeth II takes place in the early to mid 1990's. It covers the recession of British global influence, the…
Downton Abbey: A New Era (2022): Dir. Paul Aaron, Simon Curtis
Feat. Hugh Bonneville, Maggie Smith, Tuppence Middleton…; A celebrated cinematic return of Julian Fellowes' beloved creation that reunites the cast to embark on a grand journey to the South of France in 1928…
Elvis (2022): Dir. Baz Luhrmann
Feat. Austin Butler, Tom Hanks, Richard Roxburgh; Baz Lurhmann is back with his first feature film since “The Great Gatsby” (2013) exploring the life and music of Elvis Presley in his own…
Emily (2022): Dir. Frances O’Connor
Feat. Emma Mackey, Oliver Jackson-Cohen, Adrian Dunbar…; Actress Frances O’Connor makes her directorial debut with her own screenplay about the imagined life of one of the world’s most famous authors,…
EO (2022): Dir. Jerzy Skolimowski; Veteran Polish director Jerzy Skolimowski returns with this Cannes Jury Prize–winner — a unique, visually expressive and sometimes bleak…
Fabelmans, The (2022): Dir. Steven Spielberg
Feat. Gabriel LaBelle, Michelle Williams, Paul Dano…; A semi–autobiography based on legendary director Steven Spielberg’s own childhood, and co–written by Pulitzer Prize–winning…
First Lady, The (Mini-Series) (2022): Dir. Susanne Bier
Feat. Viola Davis, Michelle Pfeiffer, Gillian Anderson…; Anthology drama series that depicts the lives of three First Ladies of the USA: Michelle Obama, Eleanor Roosevelt and Betty Ford, who are played…
Godland (2022): Dir. Hlynur Pálmason
Feat. Elliott Crosset Hove, Ingvar Eggert Sigurðsson; A masterly work of slow cinema from Iceland, inspired by 19th–Century period photography in both narrative and style, and the contemporary…
I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance With Somebody) (2022): Dir. Kasi Lemmons
Feat. Naomi Ackie, Stanley Tucci, Ashton Sanders…
Living (2022): Dir. Oliver Hermanus
Feat. Bill Nighy, Aimee Lou Wood, Alex Sharp…; An exquisite period drama that brings out the best in Kurosawa’s 1952 classic ‘Ikiru’, not least through Bill Nighy’s performance as a…
Man 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, The (2022): 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 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.…
My Old School (2022): Dir. Jono McLeod
Feat. Alan Cumming; Filmmaker Jono McLeod returns to his old school in 1993 Glasgow for a nostalgic look at the unbelievable yet true story of his former classmate,…
One Fine Morning (Un Beau Matin) (2022): Dir. Mia Hansen-Love
Feat. Léa Seydoux, Pascal Greggory, Melvil Poupaud…; Lea Seydoux is French movie star royalty but she keeps it real in this sublime film from Mia Hansen–Løve (Bergman Island), one of Europe’s…
Playground (2022): Dir. Laura Wandel
Feat. Maya Vanderbeque, Günter Duret; 7–year–old Nora and her big brother Abel are back to school. When Nora witnesses Abel being bullied by other kids, she rushes to protect…
Prison 77 (2022): Dir. Alberto Rodriguez
Feat. Miguel Herrán, Javier Gutiérrez, Fernando Tejero; Spanish prison drama set in Barcelona's Modelo prison (and filmed in the real location), during Spain's transition to democracy in the 1970s. The…
Quiet Girl, The (An Cailín Ciúin) (2022): Dir. Colm Bairead
Feat. Catherine Clinch, Carrie Crowley, Andrew Bennett…; An exquisite rites–of–passage drama filmed mostly in the Irish/Gaelic language, it is the very definition of a literary pastoral that…
Saint Omer (2022): Dir. Alice Diop
Feat. Guslagie Malanda, Kayije Kagame; Inspired by real events, this devastating fictional drama from French–Senegalese director Alice Diop delivers a formally brilliant treatise on…
She Said (2022): Dir. Maria Schrader
Feat. Carey Mulligan, Zoe Kazan, Jennifer Ehle…; Carey Mulligan (Promising Young Woman) and Zoe Kazan (The Big Sick) star in this excellent dramatisation of the true story of New York Times…
Stitch In Time, A (2022): Dir. Sasha Hadden
Feat. Maggie Blinco, Hoa Xuande, Glenn Shorrock; A heart–warming story about former dressmaker Liebe (Maggie Blinco), who reinvents herself after befriending a young Chinese fashion designer.…
Tár (Tar) (2022): Dir. Todd Field
Feat. Cate Blanchett, Nina Hoss, Noémie Merlant…; A striking and rigorously intelligent drama from the director of IN THE BEDROOM that interrogates the process, pressures and politics in the…
The Teachers' Lounge (Des Lehrerzimmer) (2022): Dir. Ilker Catak
Feat. Leonie Benesch; A bracing drama about an idealistic maths teacher caught in the pressure–cooker environment of a contemporary German high school. Leonie…
Triangle of Sadness (2022): 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 Greece (2022): 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…
Whale, The (2022): Dir. Darren Aronofsky
Feat. Brendan Fraser, Hong Chau, Sadie Sink…; Darren Aronofsky directs Brendan Fraser's Oscar–winning turn as a severely obese English teacher trying to reconnect with his estranged…
Where Is Anne Frank? (2022): Dir. Ari Folman; A new film from the director of adult animated tales “Waltz With Bashir” and “The Congress” that follows the journey of Kitty, the imaginary…
Whina (2022): Dir. James Napier Robertson, Paula Jones
Feat. Miriama McDowell, Rena Owen, Tioreore Ngatai-Melbourne…; A biopic of the trailblazing female Maori leader, Dame Whina Cooper, whose extraordinary life saw her break gender boundaries, champion innovation,…
Woman King, The (2022): Dir. Gina Prince-Bythewood
Feat. Viola Davis, John Boyega; Inspired by true events, this is the remarkable, action–packed story about the all–female unit of warriors who protected the African…
Annette (2021): Dir. Leos Carax
Feat. Adam Driver, Marion Cotillard, Simon Helberg…; A magnificent musical–drama which marks the English language debut of French director Leos Carax (HOLY MOTORS). Adam Driver gives another…
Another World (2021): Dir. Stéphane Brizé
Feat. Vincent Lindon, Sandrine Kiberlain, Anthony Bajon; Vincent Lindon plays a factory boss going through a painful divorce while managing a painful downsize at his company which has been taken over by a…
Belfast (2021): Dir. Kenneth Branagh
Feat. Caitriona Balfe, Judi Dench, Jamie Dornan…; Richly evocative cine–memoir from director Kenneth Branagh, depicting a young boy's childhood in late 60's Belfast, Northern Ireland. Set…
Benedetta (2021): Dir. Paul Verhoeven
Feat. Virginie Efira, Lambert Wilson, Olivier Rabourdin…; Typically provocative yet playful psychodrama from Dutch director Paul Verhoeven, starring Virginie Efira as Benedetta Carlini, a novice nun in the…
Big Hit, The (Un Triomphe) (2021): Dir. Emmanuel Courcol
Feat. Kad Merad, David Ayala, Lamine Cissokho; Inspired by remarkable true events, this French Film Festival favourite follows a dedicated out–of–work actor (indelibly played by the…
Blue Bayou (2021): Dir. Justin Chon
Feat. Justin Chon, Alicia Vikander, Mark OBrien…; Deeply affecting drama about the impact of America's inhumane citizenship laws on a Korean–American adoptee and tattoo artist, who unexpectedly…
C'Mon C'Mon (2021): 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…
Cousins (2021): Dir. Ainsley Gardiner, Briar Grace-Smith
Feat. Tanea Heke, Ana Scotney, Te Raukura Gray…; Powerful Kiwi drama from the directors of WARU, following the intertwining lives of three Maori women who are cousins. While one of them is…
Delicious (2021): Dir. Eric Besnard
Feat. Gregory Gadebois, Isabelle Carré, Benjamin Lavernhe…; Sumptuous historical drama set in the world of haute cuisine in 18th century France. As the Revolution dawns, a talented cook who has been sacked…
Dream Horse (2021): Dir. Euros Lyn
Feat. Toni Collette, Damian Lewis, Owen Teale…; Another feel–good movie about an unlikely race horse, this one is elevated enormously by the always excellent Toni Colette, who plays Jan…
Drive My Car (2021): Dir. Ryusuke Hamaguchi
Feat. Hidetoshi Nishijima, Masaki Okada, Toko Miura…; This winner of the Best International Feature at the 2022 Academy Awards is a slow–burn, methodical drama about a grieving stage actor and…
Eiffel (2021): Dir. Martin Bourboulon
Feat. Romain Duris, Emma Mackey, Pierre Deladonchamps…; Handsomely mounted biopic set in the 1880's, telling the story of Parisian civil engineer Gustave Eiffel (Romain Duris) and his design of the Eiffel…
Fabian - Going to the Dogs (2021): Dir. Dominik Graf
Feat. Tom Schilling, Saskia Rosendahl, Aljoscha Stadelmann…; A witty and inventive portrayal of Weimar–era Germany, based on Erich Kästner's 1931 novel Fabian: The Story of a Moralist. In 1930's…
Forgiven, The (2021): Dir. John Michael McDonagh
Feat. Ralph Fiennes, Jessica Chastain, Christopher Abbott…; Speeding through the Moroccan desert to attend an old friend’s lavish weekend party, wealthy Londoners (Ralph Fiennes and Jessica Chastain) are…
French Dispatch, The (2021): 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 Exit (2021): 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…
Full Time (A Plien Temps) (2021): Dir. Eric Gravel
Feat. Laure Calamy, Genevieve Mnich, Anne Suarez; A cracker of a French drama that teeters on the edge of a thriller throughout because it’s all about the pressure cooker that is modern life.…
Gold (2021): Dir. Anthony Hayes
Feat. Zac Efron, Susie Porter, Anthony Hayes; Thriller set in a dystopian near–future where ex–teen heartthrob Zac Efron struggles to survive in an inhospitable Australian…
Hatching (2021): Dir. Hanna Bergholm
Feat. Siiri Solalinna, Sophia Heikkilä, Jani Volanen; Hanna Bergholm's feature debut has finally put Finland on the horror film map – an enchanting pubescent allegory about a 12–year–old…
House of Gucci (2021): Dir. Ridley Scott
Feat. Lady Gaga, Adam Driver, Jared Leto…; Lavish drama about the Gucci dynasty, with Lady Gaga (A STAR IS BORN) note–perfect as Patrizia Reggiani, the ambitious outsider who marries…
Humans, The (2021): Dir. Stephen Karam
Feat. Richard Jenkins, June Squibb, Steven Yeun…; A modern, fresh take on the thanksgiving drama in which director Stephen Karam adapts his own Tony award–winning play with cinematic…
In The Heights (2021): Dir. Jon Chu
Feat. Anthony Ramos, Corey Hawkins, Leslie Grace…; Dazzling musical drama from director Jon M. Chu (CRAZY RICH ASIANS) based on the Broadway musical of the same name by Hudes and Lin–Manuel…
Judas and The Black Messiah (2021): Dir. Shaka King
Feat. Daniel Kaluuya, LaKeith Stanfield, Jesse Plemons…; Incendiary biopic set in late–60's Chicago, following the infiltration of the Illinois chapter of the Black Panther Party by FBI informant…
Justice of Bunny King, The (2021): Dir. Gaysorn Thavat
Feat. Essie Davis, Thomasin Harcourt McKenzie, Amelie Baynes…; A single mother takes on the bureaucracy of NZ social services in this hard hitting drama, an impressive feature debut of director Gaysorn…
King Richard (2021): Dir. Reinaldo Marcus Green
Feat. Will Smith, Saniyya Sidney, Demi Singleton…; A quality biopic based on the incredible true story of Richard Williams, an undeterred father who was instrumental in raising Venus and Serena…
Lamb (2021): Dir. Valdimar Johannsson
Feat. Noomi Rapace, Hilmir Snaer Gudnason, Björn Hlynur Haraldsson…; An Icelandic folk horror of haunting, pastoral beauty with Noomi Rapace and Hilmir Snaer Gudnason playing a couple who live on a remote farm with…
Land (2021): Dir. Robin Wright
Feat. Robin Wright, Demian Bichir, Kim Dickens…; The impressive directorial debut of acclaimed actor Robin Wright, who stars as a woman who retreats to an isolated cabin in Wyoming in her search for…
Language 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 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…
Lost Illusions (2021): Dir. Xavier Giannoli
Feat. Benjamin Voisin, Xavier Dolan, Cecile De France…; An all–star cast dazzles in the spectacular adaptation of Balzac’s classic novel about a young idealist who learns that anything can be…
Mass (2021): Dir. Fran Kranz
Feat. Martha Plimpton, Jason Isaacs, Ann Dowd…; An emotionally devastating drama in which two sets of parents from both sides of a school shooting tragedy agree to meet and talk in an attempt to…
Mothering Sunday (2021): Dir. Eva Husson
Feat. Odessa Young, Josh O’Connor, Olivia Colman…; On a warm spring day in 1924, house maid and foundling Jane Fairchild (Odessa Young) finds herself alone on Mother’s Day. Her employers, Mr. and…
My 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…
Nightmare Alley (2021): Dir. Guillermo Del Toro
Feat. Bradley Cooper, Cate Blanchett, Toni Collette…; Dark and stormy neo–noir thriller from director Guillermo del Toro (THE SHAPE OF WATER) about a low–ranking carnie (Bradley Cooper) who…
Nitram (2021): Dir. Justin Kurzel
Feat. Caleb Landry Jones, Judy Davis, Essie Davis…; An intense yet clear–eyed psychological drama from accomplished director Justin Kurzel (TRUE HISTORY OF THE KELLY GANG) depicting the events…
No Man of God (2021): Dir. Amber Sealey
Feat. Elijah Wood, Luke Kirby, Aleksa Palladino…; Engrossing thriller based on the relationship between FBI analyst Bill Hagmaier and serial killer Ted Bundy. Set in Bundy's final years on death…
Operation Mincemeat (2021): Dir. John Madden
Feat. Colin Firth, Matthew MacFadyen, Kelly MacDonald…; Two intelligence officers use a corpse and false papers to outwit German troops in this well–appointed, old–school WWII drama based upon…
Paris, 13th District (Les Olympiades, Paris 13e) (2021): Dir. Jacques Audiard
Feat. Noémie Merlant, Makita Samba, Lucie Zhang…; Jacques Audiard’s film charts the interwoven relationships between four twenty–somethings, beautifully played by Lucie Zhang, Makita Samba,…
Passengers of the Night, The (Les passagers de la nuit) (2021): Dir. Mikhaël Hers
Feat. Charlotte Gainsbourg, Noée Abita, Emmanuelle Beart…; Left by her husband, Elisabeth finds herself alone, responsible for the day–to–day care of her two children. She picks up a job on a…
Petite Maman (2021): Dir. Céline Sciamma
Feat. Nina Meurisse, Joséphine Sanz, Gabrielle Sanz; Master filmmaker Céline Sciamma is back with a captivating coming of age story that explores childhood and a mother–daughter relationship that…
Pig (2021): Dir. Michael Sarnoski
Feat. Nicolas Cage, Alex Wolff, Adam Arkin…; A mesmerising drama with Nicolas Cage (somewhat) changing pace to play a bedraggled truffle hunter living in the remote Oregonian wilderness. When…
Poppy (2021): Dir. Linda Niccol
Feat. Libby Hunsdale, Ari Boyland, Seb Hunter…; Endearing Kiwi drama about an ambitious teenager who aspires to be a car mechanic despite the hurdles – which include her protective brother…
Respect (2021): Dir. Liesl Tommy
Feat. Jennifer Hudson, Forest Whitaker, Marlon Wayans…; Musical biopic starring Jennifer Hudson as singer Aretha Franklin in the first two decades of her life, culminating with the recording of her…
Smother (TV Series) (2021): Feat. Dervla Kirwan, Seána Kerslake, Niamh Walsh…; Riveting Irish TV thriller set on the wild and rugged coast of County Clare, where a matriarch (Dervla Kirwan) is determined to find out who killed…
Spencer (2021): Dir. Pablo Larrain
Feat. Kristen Stewart, Sally Hawkins, Jack Farthing…; Maestro director Pablo Larrain (Jackie, Ema) brings his expressionistic style to this elegant psycho–drama in which Kristen Stewart's Princess…
Stillwater (2021): Dir. Tom McCarthy
Feat. Matt Damon, Camille Cottin, Abigail Breslin…; Crime drama directed by Tom McCarthy (THE VISITOR), with Matt Damon playing an unemployed oil–rig worker from Stillwater, Oklahoma who travels…
Tale of Love and Desire, A (2021): Dir. Leyla Bouzid
Feat. Sami Outalbali, Zbeida Belhajamor; Ahmed, an 18–year old Frenchman of Algerian origin, meets Farah, a young Tunisian girl. He discovers a collection of sensual and erotic Arab…
Those Who Wish Me Dead (2021): Dir. Taylor Sheridan
Feat. Angelina Jolie, Finn Little, Nicholas Hoult…; Action thriller from director Taylor Sheridan, writer–director of WIND RIVER and writer of HELL OR HIGH WATER. Angelina Jolie plays a smoke…
Three Floors (Tre Piani) (2021): Dir. Nanni Moretti
Feat. Alba Rohrwacher, Riccardo Scamarcio, Nanni Moretti…; Nanni Moretti's all–star ensemble drama about three families who reside in the same apartment complex in Rome’s stylish Prati neighbourhood.
To Chiara (A Chiara) (2021): Dir. Jonas Carpignano
Feat. Swamy Rotolo, Claudio Rotolo, Giorgia Rotolo…; A rites–of–passage drama in the Italian neo–realist tradition that examines the impact of Mafia activity on those in the close…
West Side Story (2021): Dir. Steven Spielberg
Feat. Rachel Zegler, Ansel Elgort, Ariana DeBose…; Steven Spielberg's dazzling adaptation of the 1957 musical, an American fairy tale of doomed love and the rivalry between Puerto Rican and white…
Wheel of Fortune and Fantasy (Guzen to Sozo) (2021): Dir. Ryusuke Hamaguchi; An unexpected love triangle, a failed seduction trap and an encounter that results from a misunderstanding, the director of DRIVE MY CAR explores…
Worst Person in the World, The (2021): 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 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 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…
Adam (2020): Dir. Michael Uppendahl
Feat. Aaron Paul, Jeff Daniels, Tom Berenger…; Drama with Aaron Paul playing a hardworking mortgage broker whose life changes dramatically after a catastrophic accident leaves him a quadriplegic.…
Ammonite (2020): Dir. Francis Lee
Feat. Kate Winslet, Saoirse Ronan, Gemma Jones…; A speculative lesbian period drama from the director of the acclaimed gay male romance, GOD'S OWN COUNTRY. Kate Winslet plays British palaeontologist…
Another Round (Druk) (2020): 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…
Antebellum (2020): Dir. Gerard Bush, Christopher Renz
Feat. Janelle Monáe, Eric Lange, Jena Malone…; A provocative psychological horror in which a modern day African American writer finds herself trapped in a 19th Century Southern slave plantation. A…
Antoinette 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…
Ava (2020): Dir. Tate Taylor
Feat. Jessica Chastain, John Malkovich, Common …; Jessica Chastain delivers another full force performance in this otherwise by–the–numbers crime thriller, playing a Bostonian…
Beginning (Dasatskisi) (2020): Dir. Déa Kulumbegashvili
Feat. Ia Sukhitashvili, Rati Oneli; A devout women of the Jehovah's Witness faith undergoes a profound personal crisis in this triumphant cinematic achievement for Georgian…
Belgravia (TV Series) (2020): Feat. Philip Glenister, Tamsin Greig, Emily Reid…; TV period drama based on the novel of the same name by Julian Fellowes (DOWNTON ABBEY), set in Belgravia, the affluent district of London, in 1815.…
Capone (2020): Dir. Josh Trank
Feat. Tom Hardy, Linda Cardellini, Jack Lowden…; Tom Hardy plays the legendary Chicago gangster at the age of 47, after a decade in prison, where his untreated neurosyphilis is robbing him of…
County, 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…
Courier, The (Ironbark) (2020): Dir. Dominic Cooke
Feat. Benedict Cumberbatch, Jessie Buckley, Angus Wright…; Gripping Cold War spy thriller with Cumberbatch playing real life British businessman Greville Wynne, who was recruited by the SIS to deliver covert…
Craft: Legacy, The (2020): Dir. Zoe Lister Jones
Feat. Cailee Spaeny, Gideon Adlon, Lovie Simone…; Sequel to the 1996 film THE CRAFT, following four high school students who form a coven of witches. After the original's all–male creative…
Crown, The - Season 4 (TV Series) (2020): Feat. Emma Corrin, Gillian Anderson, Olivia Colman…; Season 4 of the sumptuous costume drama is considered by some to be the best yet, though also the one with the most controversy surrounding…
De Gaulle (2020): Dir. Gabriel Le Bomin
Feat. Lambert Wilson, Tim Hudson, Isabelle Carré…; Spectacularly mounted biographical drama depicting a crucial period in the life of French army officer Charles de Gaulle, a famous figure in modern…
Disclosure (2020): Dir. Michael Bentham
Feat. Geraldine Hakewill, Mark Leonard Winter, Matilda Ridgway; A gripping psychodrama from Australia, inspired by real life events, following parents attempting to deal with the situation of a 4–year old…
Dry, The (2020): Dir. Robert Connolly
Feat. Eric Bana, Genevieve O’Reilly, Keir O'Donnell…; Conventional though atmospheric outback thriller starring Eric Bana as a federal agent who returns to his drought–stricken home town after more…
Duke, The (2020): 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…
Everything Went Fine (2020): Dir. Francois Ozon
Feat. Sophie Marceau, Andre Dussollier, Géraldine Pailhas…; When André, 85, has a stroke, Emmanuelle hurries to her father’s bedside. Sick and half–paralyzed in his hospital bed, he asks Emmanuelle to…
Father, The (2020): Dir. Florian Zeller
Feat. Anthony Hopkins, Olivia Colman, Mark Gatiss…; Anthony Hopkins reaches another career peak in this brilliant conceived and executed drama about an aging man who is losing his sense of…
Freshman Year (S#!%house) (2020): 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…
Glorias, The (2020): Dir. Julie Taymor
Feat. Julianne Moore, Alicia Vikander, Janelle Monáe…; Audacious biopic based on the autobiography of journalist and feminist icon Gloria Steinem that begins with a Greyhound bus filled with Gloria…
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…
Greenland (2020): Dir. Ric Roman Waugh
Feat. Gerald Butler, Morena Baccarin, Roger Dale Floyd…; Bloated disaster movie with Gerald Butler playing a man struggling to keep his family alive as an incoming comet threatens to wipe out humanity. From…
Herself (2020): Dir. Phyllida Lloyd
Feat. Clare Dunne, Harriet Walter, Conleth Hill…; Drama from assured English directer Phyllida Lloyd (MAMMA MIA!, THE IRON LADY) about a young mother fighting to escape an abusive ex–partner…
High Note, The (Covers) (2020): Dir. Nisha Ganatra
Feat. Dakota Johnson, Kelvin Harrison Jr., Bill Pullman…; Rom–com set in the music industry, with Dakota Johnson playing an overworked personal assistant who longs for fame and recognition, and Tracee…
How 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…
It's a Sin (TV Mini-series) (2020): Dir. Peter Hoar
Feat. Olly Alexander, Omari Douglas, Callum Scott Howells…; Another rich and satisfying drama created and written by Russell T Davies (QUEER AS FOLK, DOCTOR WHO, YEARS & YEARS), this time set in London in 1981…
June 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…
Kajillionaire (2020): 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, The (2020): 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…
Let Him Go (2020): Dir. Thomas Bezucha
Feat. Diane Lane, Kevin Costner, Lesley Manville…; Gripping neo–western thriller following a retired sheriff and his wife from rural Montana, who are grieving over the death of their son when…
Limbo (2020): 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 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, 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 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…
Minari (2020): Dir. Lee Isaac Chung
Feat. Steven Yeun, Han Ye-ri, Alan Kim…; Winner of the Grand Jury and Audience Awards at Sundance, this delicately drawn, sweeping story follows a Korean–American family in search of…
Miss Fisher and the Crypt of Tears (2020): Dir. Tony Tilse
Feat. Essie Davis, Nathan Page; Film based on the acclaimed TV series MISS FISHER'S MURDER MYSTERIES, with Phryne Fisher (Essie Davis) returning as the Jazz age sleuth, unravelling…
Miss Scarlet and The Duke (TV Series) (2020): Feat. Kate Phillips, Danny Midwinter, Stuart Martin; Crime series set in Victorian London, where a penniless single woman decides to keep her father's detective agency running after his death, and hires…
Nest, The (TV Mini-series) (2020): Feat. Martin Compston, Sophie Rundle, Mirren Mack…; Suspenseful Scottish 5–part TV drama starring Martin Compston (LINE OF DUTY) and Sophie Rundle (PEAKY BLINDERS, BODYGUARD) as a wealthy couple…
Never 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…
Never Rarely Sometimes Always (2020): Dir. Eliza Hittman
Feat. Sidney Flanigan, Talia Ryder, Sharon Van Etten; The director of BEACH RATS directs impressive newcomers Sidney Flanigan and Talia Ryder as a pair of teenage girls from rural Pennsylvania who travel…
Nine Days (2020): Dir. Edson Oda
Feat. Winston Duke, Zazie Beetz, Benedict Wong…; The assured debut of writer–director Edson Oda is this existential drama about life, death and rebirth, unfolding in a parallel dimension where…
Nomadland (2020): Dir. Chloé Zhao
Feat. Frances McDormand, David Strathairn; Frances McDormand offers arguably her greatest performance yet (ahead of a cast of nomadic non–actors) as a woman who leaves her…
Pale Horse, The (2020): Dir. Leonora Lonsdale
Feat. Rufus Sewell, Sheila Atim, Georgina Campbell…; Two–part miniseries based on the 1961 Agatha Christie novel of the same name, involving all manner of malevolent goings on in the picturesque…
Penance (TV Mini-series) (2020): Feat. Julie Graham, Nico Mirallegro, Neil Morrissey…; 3–part TV miniseries which replaces the male gaze with that of a mother who, grieving for her son's death, struggles with maelstrom of emotions…
Penguin Bloom (2020): Dir. Glendyn Ivin
Feat. Naomi Watts, Andrew Lincoln, Jackie Weaver…; The luminous Naomi Watts leads this gracious Australian drama as the mother of three boys who take in an injured Magpie after she suffers a…
Plot Against America, The (TV Mini-series) (2020): Dir. Thomas Schlamme
Feat. Winona Ryder, Anthony Boyle, Zoe Kazan…; Created by David Simon (THE WIRE) and Ed Burns, this HBO mini–series adapts Philip Roth's 2004 prescient novel of the same name imagining an…
Promising Young Woman (2020): Dir. Emerald Fennell
Feat. Carey Mulligan, Bo Burnham, Alison Brie…; Carey Mulligan is sensational as the 'promising young woman' who contrives an elaborate scheme to avenge for a traumatizing past event in this…
Quo Vadis, Aida? (2020): Dir. Jasmila Zbanic
Feat. Jasna Djuricic, Johan Heldenbergh; A devastating, personal account of a nightmarish dilemma for a wife and mother working as a translator between the UN, the Serbian aggressors and…
Rams (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…
Resistance (2020): Dir. Jonathan Jakubowicz
Feat. Jesse Eisenberg, Clemence Poesy, Géza Röhrig…; Handsomely mounted biopic based on the life of Marcel Marceau. Jesse Eisenberg impresses as the mime artist who fought for the French Jewish…
Reunion (2020): Dir. Jake Mahaffy
Feat. Julia Ormond, Emma Draper, John Bach…; Beautifully–lensed NZ horror shot in a grand old mansion in Lower Hutt, following an academic studying black magic (Emma Draper, DAFFODILS) who…
Richard Jewell (2020): Dir. Clint Eastwood
Feat. Sam Rockwell, Kathy Bates, Jon Hamm…; A powerful biopic from the dependably compelling American story–teller Clint Eastwood, about Richard Jewell, the man who saved countless lives…
Rosa's Wedding (2020): 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, 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…
Savage (2020): Dir. Sam Kelly
Feat. Jake Ryan, John Tui, Chelsie Preston-Crayford; Powerful drama inspired by the history of NZ's gangs, following a young boy in three different stages of life from the 1960's to the 1980's, as he…
Secret Garden, The (2020): Dir. Marc Munden
Feat. Colin Firth, Julie Walters, Dixie Egerickx…; Update of Francis Hodgson Burnett's beloved classic about the spirited orphan girl who discovers a magical garden hidden at her strict Aunt and…
Shirley (2020): Dir. Josephine Decker
Feat. Elisabeth Moss, Odessa Young, Michael Stuhlbarg; Elisabeth Moss gives another inspired performance in this literary themed thriller, playing a renowned horror writer who is interrupted on the brink…
Show, 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…
Six Minutes to Midnight (2020): Dir. Andy Goddard
Feat. Eddie Izzard, Carla Juri, James D'Arcy…; A tense British period thriller loosely based on the true story of the disappearance of a school teacher at an elite girls' boarding school shortly…
Small Axe Anthology (Mangrove; Lovers Rock; Red, White, and Blue; Alex Wheatle; Education) (2020): Dir. Steve McQueen
Feat. Letitia Wright, John Boyega, Malachi Kirby…; An astounding accomplishment for British creator, director and co–writer Steve McQueen (12 YEARS A SLAVE), this anthology comprises five films…
Sounds, The (TV Mini-series) (2020): Dir. Peter Stebbings
Feat. Matt Whelen, Rachelle Lefevre, Matt Nable…; Kiwi mystery drama series from writer Sarah–Kate Lynch (800 WORDS), about a Canadian couple who move to the Pelorus Sound / Te Hoiere region in…
Supernova (2020): Dir. Harry Macqueen
Feat. Colin Firth, Stanley Tucci, Pippa Haywood…; A poignant modern love story with Colin Firth and Stanley Tucci playing a couple who have been in love for 20 years. After a wrenching diagnosis…
Tesla (2020): Dir. Michael Almereyda
Feat. Ethan Hawke, Eve Hewson, Ebon Moss-Bacharach…; Distinctive biopic about the life and work of visionary inventor Nikola Tesla (Ethan Hawke), including his uneasy relationship with fellow inventor,…
Ties, The (Lacci) (2020): Dir. Daniele Luchetti
Feat. Alba Rohrwacher, Luigi Lo Cascio, Laura Morante…; Naples, early 1980s. The once–happy union between Aldo and his wife Vanda is ruptured one evening when Aldo admits, unprompted, that he has…
Tigers (2020): Dir. Ronnie Sandahl
Feat. Erik Enge, Alfred Enoch, Johannes Bah Kuhnke…; Sports biopic telling the true story of Swedish football talent Martin Bengtsson, an 18–year–old whose dreams turned into nightmares when…
Trouble with Maggie Cole (TV Series) (2020): Dir. Ben Gregor
Feat. Dawn French; The village socialite (FRENCH) speaks to the local radio station with a brief rundown on the community events. When she inadvertently divulges some…
Wild Mountain Thyme (2020): 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…
Wildland (2020): Dir. Jeanette Nordahl
Feat. Sandra Guldberg Kampp, Sidse Babett Knudsen, Joachim Fjelstrup; Powerful coming–of–age Scandi–noir about a Danish teenager who becomes embroiled in the ruthless criminal life of her aunt and…
1917 (2019): Dir. Sam Mendes
Feat. Dean-Charles Chapman, George MacKay, Daniel Mays; Immersive epic war film from director Sam Mendes (JARHEAD) which evokes the impression of a continuous take to follow two British soldiers on a…
A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood (2019): Dir. Marielle Heller
Feat. Tom Hanks, Matthew Rhys, Chris Cooper; Gentle drama set in 1998 and based on the real life friendship between journalist Lloyd Vogel (Matthew Rhys) and TV host Fred Rogers (Tom Hanks), who…
A 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 Confession (TV Mini-Series) (2019): Feat. Martin Freeman, Imelda Staunton, Siobhan Finneran; British crime drama with Martin Freeman playing a Detective Superintendent willing to risk his career and reputation to catch the killer of a…
A 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 Hidden Life (2019): Dir. Terrence Malick
Feat. August Diehl, Matthias Schoenaerts, Valerie Pachner…; Historical drama of distinction from writer director Terrence Malick (THE THIN RED LINE), depicting the life of Franz Jägerstätter, an Austrian…
A 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…
A White, White Day (2019): Dir. Hlynur Pálmason
Feat. Ingvar Eggert Sigurðsson, Ida Mekkin Hlynsdottir, Hilmir Snaer Gudnason…; Aesthetically striking Icelandic drama which plunges the viewer deep into the psyche of a tortured former police officer who suspects a neighbour…
After Midnight (2019): Dir. Jeremy Gardner
Feat. Jeremy Gardner, Brea Grant; After his long–term girlfriend unexpectedly leaves him. a small town bar owner finds himself threatened by a mysterious unseen evil. A curious…
Aftermath, The (2019): Dir. James Kent
Feat. Keira Knightley, Jason Clarke, Alexander Skarsgard; Period melodrama of some distinction due to its strong cast, set in postwar Germany in 1945, where a British colonel and his wife move into a…
Animals (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…
Apartment 1BR (1BR) (2019): Dir. David Marmor
Feat. Nicole Brydon Bloom, Giles Matthey, Taylor Nichols…; Smartly scripted psychological thriller about an aspiring costumer designer in Los Angeles whose new neighbours belong to a creepy cult–like…
Assistant, The (2019): Dir. Kitty Green
Feat. Julia Garner, Matthew MacFadyen, Makenzie Leigh…; A searing, beautifully modulated indictment of toxic office culture in the wake of the #MeToo movement, that follows the daily routine of an intern…
Babyteeth (2019): 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,…
Bad Education (2019): Dir. Cory Finley
Feat. Hugh Jackman, Allison Janney, Geraldine Viswanathan…; The true story of a pair of school superintendents who stole millions of dollars from their wealthy public school district. The embezzlement was…
Bait (2019): Dir. Mark Jenkin
Feat. Edward Rowe, Simon Shepherd, Giles King…; A fisherman in a picturesque Cornish village finds his traditional way of life threatened by gentrification in this experimental but dramatically…
Baptiste (TV Series) (2019): Feat. Tcheky Karyo, Tom Hollander, Jessica Raine…; A TV spin–off of the acclaimed BBC crime drama THE MISSING, with the same writers and some of the same cast, which follows the character Julien…
Beats (2019): Dir. Brian Welsh
Feat. Laura Fraser, Lorn Macdonald, Cristian Ortega; Evocative Scottish period drama set in the 90's rave scene, following two teenagers who try to sneak into an illegal rave party in…
Beecham House (TV Series) (2019): Feat. Tom Bateman, Lesley Nicol, Grégory Fitoussi…; Lavish 6–part period drama set in Delhi on the cusp of the 19th century, and following a former soldier (Tom Bateman) who purchases the…
Bellbird (2019): 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…
Berlin, I Love You (2019): Dir. Peter Chelsom, Fernando Eimbcke, Claus Clausen
Feat. Helen Mirren, Keira Knightley, Mickey Rourke…; Anthology film continuing the "Cities of Love" franchise (PARIS, JE T'AIME, NEW YORK, I LOVE YOU) set in the German capital where ten sugary stories…
Best of Enemies, The (2019): Dir. Robin Bissell
Feat. Taraji P. Henson, Sam Rockwell; Civil rights activist Ann Atwater is the subject of this historical race relations drama which offers a perhaps more interesting alternative to the…
Big Little Lies - Season 2 (TV Mini-series) (2019): Dir. Andrea Arnold
Feat. Reese Witherspoon, Nicole Kidman, Shailene Woodley…; The second chapter of this acclaimed HBO series, this time from the director of FISHTANK and AMERICAN HONEY, throws a grief ridden…
Blackbird (2019): Dir. Roger Michell
Feat. Susan Sarandon, Kate Winslet, Mia Wasikowska…; An effective remake of the 2014 Danish drama SILENT HEART (2014), with Susan Sarandon playing a terminally ill mother who arranges to bring her…
Blinded By the Light (2019): Dir. Gurinder Chadha
Feat. Viveik Kalra, Kulvinder Ghir, Meera Ganatra; Set in 1987 during Thatcher–era Britain, a Pakistani Muslim navigates his teenage years and finds his voice through a love of Bruce Springsteen…
Bombshell (2019): Dir. Jay Roach
Feat. Charlize Theron, Nicole Kidman, Margot Robbie…; Charlize Theron leads an all–star cast in this scathing biographical drama based on real life events in which a group of female Fox network…
Brexit: The Uncivil War (TV Mini-series) (2019): Dir. Toby Haynes
Feat. Benedict Cumberbatch, Lee Boardman, John Heffernan…; Television drama depicting the lead–up to the 2016 referendum through the activities of the strategists behind the Vote Leave campaign, that…
Buoyancy (2019): Dir. Rodd Rathjen
Feat. Sarm Heng, Mony Ros, Thanawut Kasro; A 14–year old who works in the Cambodian rice fields with his family decides to escape illegally to Thailand, but finds instead that he has…
Burnt Orange Heresy, The (2019): Dir. Giuseppe Capotondi
Feat. Claes Bang, Elizabeth Debicki, Mick Jagger…; Sophisticated crime thriller set in the privileged world of fine art, where an art critic (Claes Bang, who played the unfortunate gallery curator in…
Calm With Horses (The Shadow of Violence) (2019): Dir. Nick Rowland
Feat. Cosmo Jarvis, Barry Keoghan, Ned Dennehy; Bleak and unflinching Irish crime drama following the fate of a troubled former boxer descending into a complex ecosystem of crime.
Catherine the Great (TV Mini-series) (2019): Dir. Philip Martin
Feat. Helen Mirren, Jason Clarke, Roy Kinnear…; A four–part miniseries starring Helen Mirren as Catherine the Great, loosely based on Russian Empress's later life cicra 1764 to her death in…
Chernobyl (TV Mini-Series) (2019): Dir. Johan Renck
Feat. Jared Harris, Emily Watson, Stellan Skarsgard…; Powerful dramatisation of the 1986 nuclear accident in Ukraine, one of the worst man–made catastrophes in history. Unfolds in 5…
Climb, The (2019): Dir. Michael Angelo Covino
Feat. Michael Angelo Covino, Kyle Marvin, Gayle Rankin…; In spite of the title and the poster image, this is not a cycling movie but a bruising bro–mantic comedy about the friendship of two pals over…
Come 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…
Corpus Christi (2019): Dir. Jan Komasa
Feat. Bartosz Bielenia, Aleksandra Konieczna, Eliza Rycembel…; A devastating, gripping drama based on the true story of a charismatic ex–convict who is mistaken to be a priest in a devout Polish village, a…
Crown, The - Season 3 (TV Series) (2019): Feat. Olivia Colman, Tobias Menzies, Helena Bonham Carter…; Third season of the sumptuous costume drama, with Olivia Colman replacing Claire Foy's Queen Elizabeth II, now in her 40's. Covers such events as the…
Daffodils (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…
Dark Waters (2019): Dir. Todd Haynes
Feat. Mark Ruffalo, Anne Hathaway, Tim Robbins…; Compelling slow burn legal drama masterfully directed by Todd Haynes (CAROL) set in West Virginia, where a corporate defence attorney takes on a…
Days of the Bagnold Summer (2019): 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…
Deep Water (Mini-series) (2019): Feat. Anna Friel, Sinead Keenan, Rosalind Eleazar; Hailed as Britain's answer to BIG LITTLE LIES, this modern day drama about three school–run mothers balancing work and family pressures is…
Dogs 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…
Downton Abbey: The Movie (2019): Dir. Michael Engler
Feat. Hugh Bonneville, Jim Carter, Maggie Smith…; Lavish spin–off film following on from events in the TV series, with the same writer and much of the same cast. The Crawley family are visited…
Ema (2019): Dir. Pablo Larrain
Feat. Mariana Di Girolamo, Gael Garcia Bernal, Santiago Cabrera…; A bold and distinctive film from director Pablo Larrain (NO), with newcomer Mariana Di Girolamo playing a young dancer who is coping with an adoption…
Emma (2019): 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…
Extraordinary, The (The Specials, Hors normes) (2019): Dir. Olivier Nakache, Eric Toledano
Feat. Vincent Cassel, Reda Kateb, Helene Vincent; From the French directing team behind THE INTOUCHABLES comes this astute dramatisation of the true story of Stephane Benhamou (played by Vincent…
Fanny Lye Deliver'd (The Delivered) (2019): Dir. Thomas Clay
Feat. Maxine Peake, Charles Dance, Freddie Fox; British period thriller set in 1657 on a Shropshire farm, where Fanny Lye (the magnificent Maxine Peake) is living a quiet, puritan life until the…
Farewell to the Night (L'adieu à la nuit) (2019): Dir. Andre Techine
Feat. Catherine Deneuve, Kacey Mottet Klein, Oulaya Amamra; Catherine Deneuve anchors this French drama about a horse farmer whose grandson comes to visit, revealing that he has been radicalised by Islamic…
Farewell, The (2019): 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 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.
First Cow (2019): Dir. Kelly Reichardt
Feat. John Magaro, Orion Lee, Toby Jones…; A western set in the Pacific Northwest from acclaimed director Kelly Reichardt (MEEK'S CUTOFF), patiently depicting the hardscrabble way of life of…
Fisherman's Friends (2019): 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…
Five Feet Apart (2019): Dir. Justin Baldoni
Feat. Haley Lu Richardson, Cole Sprouse, Moises Arias; Teen romance with two cystic fibrosis patients whose undeniable attraction threatens the rules and boundaries put in place to protect their health,…
Ford v Ferrari (Le Mans '66) (2019): Dir. James Mangold
Feat. Matt Damon, Christian Bale, Jon Bernthal…; Handsomely–mounted standard issue Hollywood biopic of how the Ford motor company entered the motor–racing game to try to topple Ferrari's…
Gentleman Jack (TV Mini-Series) (2019): Feat. Suranne Jones, Sophie Rundle; Gorgeous historical drama created by Sally Wainwright (HAPPY VALLEY, LAST TANGO IN HALIFAX) set in 1832 against the lush backdrop of Halifax, West…
Gloria Bell (2019): 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…
Goldfinch, The (2019): Dir. John Crowley
Feat. Ansel Elgort, Oakes Fegley, Aneurin Barnard…; Sensitive coming–of–age story of growth and redemption, adapted from the Pulitzer Prize winning novel of the same name. A 13–year…
Good Posture (2019): Dir. Dolly Wells
Feat. Grace Van Patten, Ebon Moss-Bacharach, Emily Mortimer…; Gentle and literate indie comedy following a charming but lazy young woman who suddenly decides to make a documentary about a family friend, a famed…
Greed (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…
Hearts and Bones (2019): Dir. Ben Lawrence
Feat. Hugo Weaving, Hayley McElhinney, Bolude Watson…; Restrained but powerful Australian drama with Hugo Weaving playing a traumatised war photojournalist who is preparing an exhibition in Sydney of his…
High Life (2019): Dir. Claire Denis
Feat. Robert Pattinson, Juliette Binoche, Andre Benjamin…; Legendary French director Claire Denis (Beau Travail) returns with her first English language film, a sci–fi horror set in deep space where a…
Honey Boy (2019): Dir. Alma Har’el
Feat. Shia LaBeouf, Lucas Hedges, Noah Jupe…; A fascinating and confronting drama based on a script that actor Shia LaBeouf wrote in rehab as a form of therapy, with the actor playing a…
Hope Gap (2019): Dir. William Nicholson
Feat. Annette Bening, Bill Nighy, Josh O’Connor…; Adapted from the director's own play The Retreat from Moscow, this British drama stars Annette Bening and Bill Nighy as a couple who are facing a…
Human Capital (2019): Dir. Marc Meyers
Feat. Liev Schreiber, Marisa Tomei, Maya Hawke…; Thoroughly engrossing drama about three upstate New York families whose lives are entangled by a hit–and–run accident. Filled with…
Hunting, The (TV Series) (2019): Feat. Asher Keddie, Richard Roxburgh, Sam Reid…; Miniseries set in a contemporary, multicultural Australia and following two high school teachers after the revelation that their students are sharing…
In the Name Of The Land (2019): Dir. Edouard Bergeon
Feat. Guillaume Canet, Veerle Baetens, Anthony Bajon…; Following the life of a stoic farmer across four decades, this bittersweet and deeply moving drama marks the directorial debut of French…
Inheritance (2019): Dir. Vaughn Stein
Feat. Lily Collins, Simon Pegg, Connie Nielsen…; Juicy gothic thriller from the director of TERMINAL, following the daughter of a wealthy patriarch whose secret inheritance threatens to tear the…
Irishman, The (2019): Dir. Martin Scorsese
Feat. Robert De Niro, Al Pacino, Joe Pesci…; Unwieldly but fascinating Scorsese crime drama, in which the director reunites with good fellas Robert De Niro and Joe Pesci to tell the…
Jo-Jo Rabbit (JoJo Rabbit) (2019): 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…
Joker (2019): Dir. Todd Phillips
Feat. Joaquin Phoenix, Robert De Niro, Zazie Beetz…; Brilliantly dark psychological thriller introducing Batman's arch nemesis as a traumatised loner who finds his voice in acts of violence. An achingly…
JT Leroy (Jeremiah Terminator LeRoy) (2019): Dir. Justin Kelly
Feat. Kristen Stewart, Laura Dern, Kelvin Harrison Jr.…; The most outrageous and fascinating literary hoax of recent times is dramatised in this adaptation of Savannah Knoop’s memoir Girl Boy Girl: How I…
Judy (2019): Dir. Rupert Goold
Feat. Renee Zellweger, Jessie Buckley, Finn Wittrock; Renee Zellweger's thoroughly committed and well–researched portrayal of Judy Garland elevates this biopic set in 1968 during the last year of…
Just Mercy (2019): Dir. Destin Cretton
Feat. Michael B. Jordan, Jamie Foxx, Brie Larson…; Powerful legal drama from director Destin Daniel Cretton (SHORT TERM 12), telling the true story of Walter McMillian (Jamie Foxx), the…
Kill Team, The (2019): Dir. Dan Krauss
Feat. Nat Wolff, Adam Long, Osy Ikhile…; War drama which fictionalises events from the documentary of the same name from 2013, following a morally conflicted US Specialist whose platoon are…
Kitchen, The (2019): Dir. Andrea Berloff
Feat. Melissa McCarthy, Tiffany Haddish, Elisabeth Moss…; After their mobster husbands get locked up in prison, three housewives decide to take over the family business. Set in Hell's Kitchen in 1978, and…
Last Black Man in San Francisco, The (2019): Dir. Joe Talbot
Feat. Jimmie Fails, Jonathan Majors, Tichina Arnold…; An impressionistic drama exploring the current American housing crisis from the perspective of a young black man attempting to reclaim his childhood…
Late 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…
Les Miserables (2019): Dir. Ladj Ly
Feat. Damien Bonnard, Alexis Manenti, Djebril Zonga…; This impressive feature debut from French director Ladj Ly is set in the French criminal underworld in aftermath of the 2018 FIFA World Cup, when…
Lighthouse, The (2019): Dir. Robert Eggers
Feat. Willem Dafoe, Robert Pattinson, Valeriia Karaman; A brilliantly salty psychological two–hander from Robert Eggers (THE WITCH), with Robert Pattinson and Willem Dafoe playing a pair of…
Little Women (2019): Dir. Greta Gerwig
Feat. Saoirse Ronan, Emma Watson, Florence Pugh…; The director of LADY BIRD turns her attention to a classic text in the coming–of–age genre, the oft–filmed story based on the novel…
Loudest Voice, The (TV Mini-series) (2019): Dir. Jeremy Podeswa, Kari Skogland, Stephen Frears
Feat. Russell Crowe, Sienna Miller, Annabelle Wallis…; A seven–part series revealing the final years of media consultant Roger Ailes as he devises his most potent political weapon, Fox News, over…
Luce (2019): Dir. Julius Onah
Feat. Naomi Watts, Octavia Spencer, Kelvin Harrison Jr.…; A tense and knotty social thriller based on a play of the same name by J.C. Lee, about a married American couple who have their idealised image of…
Mapplethorpe (2019): Dir. Ondi Timoner
Feat. Matt Smith, Marianne Rendon, John Benjamin Hickey; Biopic of photographer Robert Mapplethorpe, with Matt Smith portraying the brilliantly provocative photographer and gay icon.
Marriage Story (2019): Dir. Noah Baumbach
Feat. Scarlett Johansson, Adam Driver, Laura Dern…; A brutal, funny and at times almost unbearably insightful depiction of the divorce of an upper class stage director and actress (played brilliantly…
Martin Eden (2019): Dir. Pietro Marcello
Feat. Luca Marinelli, Carlo Cecchi, Jessica Cressy…; A dazzling adaptation of Jack London's semi–autobiographical 1909 novel about a sailor who abandons his working class roots to pursue an…
Miss Fisher's Modern Murder Mysteries (TV Mini-Series) (2019): Feat. Geraldine Hakewill, Joel Jackson, Catherine McClements…; Spin–off of the popular Australian TV series MISS FISHER'S MURDER MYSTERIES, set in Melbourne in the 1960's, and following a woman who aspires…
Monsoon (2019): Dir. Hong Khaou
Feat. Henry Golding, Parker Sawyers, David Tran…; A sensitive and detailed portrait of the emigrant experience, following a Vietnamese man who returns to Saigon after three decades living in…
MotherFatherSon (TV Mini-series) (2019): Feat. Richard Gere, Helen McCrory, Billy Howle…; BBC TV thriller of distinction, interweaving themes of politics, media and law enforcement as it follows three members of a fractured but powerful…
Mr. Jones (2019): Dir. Agnieszka Holland
Feat. James Norton, Vanessa Kirby, Peter Sarsgaard; Strikingly bold political thriller from eminent Polish director Agnieszka Holland (IN DARKNESS), loosely based on the true story of ambitious Welsh…
Mrs Lowry & Son (2019): Dir. Adrian Noble
Feat. Vanessa Redgrave, Timothy Spall; The life of the renowned British artist L. S. Lowry is the subject of this entertaining biopic, with Timothy Spall and Vanessa Redgrave superb as the…
Mystery of Henri Pick, The (Le mystère Henri Pick) (2019): 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…
Name Of The Rose, The (TV Mini-series) (2019): Dir. Giacomo Battiato
Feat. John Turturro, Rupert Everett; TV adaptation of Umberto Eco's novel 'The Name of the Rose', a murder mystery set in an Italian monastery in the 14th century.
New Pope, The (TV Series) (2019): Dir. Paolo Sorrentino
Feat. Jude Law, John Malkovich, Silvio Orlando…; The director of THE YOUNG POPE helms this follow–up series (originally conceived as a second season), with Jude Law and John Malkovich…
Nightingale, The (2019): Dir. Jennifer Kent
Feat. Baykali Ganambarr, Sam Claflin; Brazen Australian survival drama from the director of THE BABADOOK, set in 1825 in Van Dieman's Land (Tasmania), where a deeply traumatised Irish…
Of 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…
Official Secrets (2019): Dir. Gavin Hood
Feat. Keira Knightley, Matt Smith, Matthew Goode…; Engrossing drama based on the life of whistleblower Katharine Gun (Keira Knightley), the GCHQ emplyee who leaked a secret memo about an illegal NSA…
Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood) (2019): Dir. Quentin Tarantino
Feat. Leonardo DiCaprio, Brad Pitt, Margot Robbie…; Sprawling love–letter to the final years of Hollywood's golden age, following a faded television actor and his stunt double as they face the…
Pain and Glory (Dolor y gloria) (2019): Dir. Pedro Almodovar
Feat. Antonio Banderas, Leonardo Sbaraglia, Penelope Cruz…; A more restrained, but no less pretty and witty outing for septuagenarian director Pedro Almodóvar, which narrates evocative vignettes from the life…
Palm 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…
Paradise Hills (2019): Dir. Alice Waddington
Feat. Emma Roberts, Danielle Macdonald, Awkwafina …; A rebellious teen girl is sent to an apparently idyllic disciplinary school to learn how to be a "young lady" in this visually elegant sci–fi…
Peanut Butter Falcon, The (2019): Dir. Tyler Nilson, Michael Schwartz
Feat. Zack Gottsagen, Ann Owens, Dakota Johnson…; Charming, Mark Twain inspired odyssey following a young man with Down Syndrome who runs away from his nursing home to pursue a dream of going to…
Perfumes (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, The (2019): 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…
Portrait of a Lady on Fire (2019): Dir. Céline Sciamma
Feat. Noémie Merlant, Adele Haenel; Céline Sciamma (GIRLHOOD) directs this devastatingly good, exquisitely executed lesbian period drama. Set in France in the 18th century, where a…
Professor and the Madman, The (2019): Dir. P. B. Shemran
Feat. Mel Gibson, Sean Penn, Natalie Dormer…; Biographical drama set in London in 1879, where a professor (Mel Gibson) compiling the first Oxford England Dictionary receives a submission of over…
Proxima (2019): Dir. Alice Winocour
Feat. Eva Green, Matt Dillon, Lars Eidinger…; Eva Green plays a French astronaut enrolled in a demanding program at the European Space Agency in Cologne, struggling to maintain a relationship…
Queen & Slim (Queen and Slim) (2019): Dir. Melina Matsoukas
Feat. Daniel Kaluuya, Bokeem Woodbine, Chloe Sevigny…; An African American couple's first date is interrupted when they kill a cop in self–defence and go on the run to avoid prison. A brilliantly…
Radioactive (2019): Dir. Marjane Satrapi
Feat. Rosamund Pike, Sam Riley, Aneurin Barnard…; Biopic about Marie Curie, with Rosamund Pike playing the nobel–prize winning French physicist and chemist who pioneered research into…
Ride Like a Girl (2019): Dir. Rachel Griffiths
Feat. Teresa Palmer, Sam Neill, Sullivan Stapleton; Gritty and passionate racing drama based on the true story of jockey Michelle Payne, who fulfilled a life–long dream of winning the Melbourne…
Rocketman (2019): Dir. Dexter Fletcher
Feat. Taron Egerton, Jamie Bell, Richard Madden…; Musical biopic with Taron Egerton playing Elton John, capturing the flamboyant and troubled extremes of his life. Set in his early years when he was…
Room 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…
Rose Plays Julie (2019): Dir. Christine Molloy, Joe Lawlor
Feat. Ann Skelly, Orla Brady, Aidan Gillen; Bracing drama made by the interdisciplinary art collective Desperate Optimists, which follows an adopted Irish girl who tracks down her birth mother.…
Safe 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…
Sanditon (TV Series) (2019-2023): Feat. Rose Williams, Theo James, Anne Reid…; This historical drama series follows a young and naive heroine as she navigates the new seaside resort of Sanditon during the Regency era – a…
Seberg (2019): Dir. Benedict Andrews
Feat. Kristen Stewart, Jack O'Connell, Margaret Qualley…; Kristen Stewart is riveting as French New Wave actress Jean Seberg, in this drama set in the 1960's, when she passionately involved herself in the…
Skin (2019): Dir. Guy Nattiv
Feat. Jamie Bell, Danielle Macdonald, Daniel Henshall…; Bryon Widner (JAMIE BELL) was one of the FBI's most sought after white supremacists. Covered in racist tattoos from head to toe that he earned…
Sorry We Missed You (2019): Dir. Ken Loach
Feat. Kris Hitchen, Debbie Honeywood, Rhys Stone…; A struggling UK man with a family in debt decides to try self–employment by becoming a delivery driver. A powerful and nuanced drama about the…
Sound of Metal (2019): Dir. Darius Marder
Feat. Riz Ahmed, Olivia Cooke, Paul Raci…; Highly acclaimed, thought–provoking drama featuring a sensational performance by Riz Ahmed as a heavy–metal drummer whose life is thrown…
Souvenir, The (2019): Dir. Joanna Hogg
Feat. Honor Swinton Byrne, Tom Burke, Tilda Swinton; Brilliantly observed and fiercely unconventional drama from writer–director Joanna Hogg (EXHIBITION) introspectively exploring the life of a…
Spread Your Wings (Donne-moi des ailes) (2019): Dir. Nicolas Vanier
Feat. Jean-Paul Rouve, Mélanie Doutey, Louis Vazquez; A gorgeous boys' own eco–adventure from France, based on the true story of a visionary scientist and his 14–year–old son who bond…
Summer of Rockets (TV Mini-series) (2019): Dir. Stephen Poliakoff
Feat. Keeley Hawes, Linus Roache, Timothy Spall…; CONTRABAND TITLE. Not legally available for sale, rent or trade in New Zealand unless submitted for approval to the NZ Office of Film & Literature…
Summerland (2019): Dir. Jessica Swale
Feat. Gemma Arterton, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Lucas Bond…; A love–story set in the timeless and enchanting world of Summerland; sun–dappled days by the sea over one achingly beautiful summer.…
Tolkien (2019): Dir. Dome Karukoski
Feat. Nicholas Hoult, Lily Collins, Colm Meaney…; An accomplished dramatisation of the formative years of the orphaned author J.R.R. Tolkien (LORD OF THE RINGS) as he finds friendship, love and…
Traitors (TV Series) (2019): Feat. Emma Appleton, Luke Treadaway, Michael Stuhlbarg…; 6–part TV series set in London in 1945, where a young women is recruited by the American Office of Strategic Services to spy on her own…
Truth, The (2019): 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…
Vai (2019): Dir. Becs Arahanga, Amberley Jo Aumua, Matasila Freshwater
Feat. Evotia-Rose Araiti, Ro Mereani Adi Tuimatanisiga, Agnes Pele…; Eight connecting moments of seemingly different lives thread together Vai’s journey of empowerment through culture over her lifetime. Beautifully…
Valley of the Boom (TV Mini-series) (2019): Feat. Bradley Whitford, Steve Zahn, Lamorne Morris; Mixing scripted drama with documentary interviews, this entertaining mini–series looks at the explosive, game–changing birth of Silicon…
Virtues, The (TV Mini-series) (2019): Dir. Shane Meadows
Feat. Stephen Graham, Niamh Algar, Helen Behan…; 4–part drama co–written and directed by Shane Meadows, with talented actor Stephen Graham (who also starred in Meadows' acclaimed THIS IS…
Waves (2019): Dir. Trey Edward Schults
Feat. Kelvin Harrison Jr., Lucas Hedges, Taylor Russell…; An emotionally resonant character drama from accomplished director Trey Edward Shults (IT COMES AT NIGHT, KRISHA) following a suburban African…
We'll End Up Together (Nous finirons ensemble) (2019): Dir. Guillaume Canet
Feat. Francois Cluzet, Marion Cotillard, Gilles Lellouche…; From the writer/director of the LITTLE WHITE LIES comes another chic French take on the formula of THE BIG CHILL, with the entire cast returning to…
Weathering with You (2019): Dir. Makoto Shinkai; Touching Japanese animated romance doubling as an eco–fable, about a high school boy who befriends a girl who can manipulate the weather. From…
Wendy (2019): Dir. Benh Zeitlin
Feat. Devin France, Yashua Mack, Gage Naquin…; A visionary reimagining of the Peter Pan story from director Benh Zeitlin, with two children from different worlds fighting to hold onto their…
Where'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…
While at War (2019): Dir. Alejandro Amenabar
Feat. Karra Elejalde, Eduard Fernandez, Santi Prego; From Alejandro Amenabar, acclaimed director of THE SEA INSIDE, comes this drama set in Spain in 1936 on the cusp of the Spanish Civil…
Who You Think I Am (Celle que vous croyez) (2019): Dir. Safy Nebbou
Feat. Juliette Binoche, François Civil, Nicole Garcia…; Juliet Binoche is outstanding at the helm of this elegant psychological thriller, playing a French literature professor and middle–aged…
Wolf Hour, The (2019): Dir. Alistair Banks Griffin
Feat. Naomi Watts, Jennifer Ehle, Emory Cohen…; Psychological thriller set in New York in 1977, anchored by Naomi Watts playing a reclusive author who is targeted by an unseen tormentor as violence…
World On Fire (TV Series) (2019): Feat. Jonah Hauer-King, Julia Brown, Helen Hunt…; Ensemble drama set during the declaration and first year of WWII and following the intertwining stories of ordinary families who are affected. Season…
Years And Years (TV Series) (2019): Dir. Simon Cellan Jones, Lisa Mulcahy
Feat. Emma Thompson, Rory Kinnear, Russell Tovey; Six–part series created by Russell T. Davies, following the busy Lyons family from Manchester across 15 years, and starring Emma Thompson as a…
A Discovery of Witches (TV Series) (2018): Dir. Juan Carlos Medina
Feat. Teresa Palmer, Matthew Goode, Malin Buska…; A romantic thriller series adapted from Deborah Harkness' trilogy of novels that uncovers a secret underworld of vampires, witches and daemons hiding…
A Faithful Man (L'homme fidèle) (2018): Dir. Louis Garrel
Feat. Louis Garrel, Laetitia Casta, Lily-Rose Depp; Romantic farce with a whimsical, French new–wave sensibility directed by and starring Louis Garrel. A dashing journalist finds his life…
A Kid Like Jake (2018): Dir. Silas Howard
Feat. Claire Danes, Octavia Spencer, Jim Parsons…; Claire Danes and Jim Parsons play a Brooklyn couple who are forced to rethink their roles as parents and spouses when their four–year–old…
A 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…
A Private War (2018): Dir. Matthew Heineman
Feat. Rosamund Pike, Greg Wise, Alexandra Moen; Rosamund Pike is a stand out in this powerful thriller based on the true story of the fearless and celebrated war correspondent Marie Colvin. Having…
A Star is Born (2018): Feat. Lady Gaga, Bradley Cooper, Sam Elliott…; Bradley Cooper debuts impressively as director while sparking the right chemistry in front of the camera with real–life pop…
A Very English Scandal (TV Mini-series) (2018): Dir. Stephen Frears
Feat. Hugh Grant, Ben Whishaw; 3–part BBC miniseries set in the 60's and 70's depicting the evolution of the "Jeremy Thorpe Scandal", in which the leader of the Liberal Party…
A Vigilante (2018): Dir. Sarah Daggar-Nickson
Feat. Olivia Wilde, Morgan Spector, Kyle Catlett; A thoroughly committed performance from Olivia Wilde anchors this thriller about a domestic abuse survivor who makes it her mission to support other…
Adrift (2018): Dir. Baltasar Kormakur
Feat. Shailene Woodley, Sam Claflin; Romantic survival drama with Shailene Woodley as a courageous and whip smart sailor who steers straight into a completely unpredictable hurricane. In…
Agatha and the Truth of Murder (2018): Dir. Terry Loane
Feat. Ruth Bradley, Ralph Ineson, Pippa Haywood; Crime thriller imagining what happened to Agatha Christie during her 11–day disappearance in 1926. Stuck in a writer's rut, she finds herself…
All is True (2018): Dir. Kenneth Branagh
Feat. Kenneth Branagh, Judi Dench, Ian McKellen; Kenneth Branagh plays William Shakespeare in his final days in this impressively cast biopic, set following a tragic fire which burns down the Globe…
American Woman (2018): Dir. Jake Scott
Feat. Sienna Miller, Aaron Paul, Christina Hendricks…; Sienna Miller gets a rare chance to flex her acting chops as a single mother faced with raising her grandson after her daughter goes missing under…
Arctic (2018): Dir. Joe Penna
Feat. Mads Mikkelsen; Tense, resourceful survival drama shot in Iceland, with Mads Mikkelsen playing a man who is stranded in the remains of a crashed plane somewhere in…
Ashes in the Snow (2018): Dir. Marius A. Markevicius
Feat. Bel Powley, Jonah Hauer-King, Martin Wallström; Coming–of–age story set during WWII, when Stalin's Red Army has invaded Lithuania and a promising young artist is deported with her…
At Eternity's Gate (2018): Dir. Julian Schnabel
Feat. Willem Dafoe, Rupert Friend, Mads Mikkelsen…; Immersive, naturalistic portrait of Van Gogh during the time he lived in Arles and Auvers–sur–Oise, France. Directed by Julian Schnabel…
Beautiful Boy (2018): Dir. Felix Van Groeningen
Feat. Steve Carell, Timothée Chalamet, Maura Tierney…; The English language debut of distinctive Belgian director Felix Van Groeningen (BROKEN CIRCLE BREAKDOWN), based on the best–selling pair of…
Ben is Back (2018): Dir. Peter Hedges
Feat. Julia Roberts, Lucas Hedges, Courtney B. Vance…; Julia Roberts gives a moving performance as a mother who tries to help her 19–year–old addict son over a turbulent 24 hour period when he…
Birds of Passage (2018): Dir. Ciro Guerra, Cristina Gallego
Feat. Natalia Reyes, Carmina Martinez, Jose Acosta; Intelligent and engrossing narco–thriller set in Columbia in the 1960's, following an indigenous Wayuu man and his family as they turn to drug…
BlacKkKlansman (Black Klansman) (2018): 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…
Bletchley Circle, The: San Francisco (TV Mini-series) (2018): Feat. Julie Graham, Rachael Stirling, Crystal Balint…; Set during the thrilling social change of the mid–1950s, these new episodes see two characters from the original British series travel to…
Bohemian Rhapsody (2018): Dir. Bryan Singer
Feat. Rami Malek, Lucy Boynton, Ben Hardy…; A stonking, irrepressibly popular chronicle of Freddie Mercury and the band Queen's ascension to popular music royalty through the years leading up…
Book 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…
Broken (2018): Dir. Tarry Mortlock
Feat. Josh Calles, Ruby Grubb, Wayne Hapi; Logan, an ex–gang leader, is torn between revenge and reconciliation when his daughter Tori is murdered by an opposing gang. Set in an isolated…
Burning (2018): Dir. Chang-Dong Lee
Feat. Yoo Ah-in, Jeon Jong-seo, Steven Yeun; Beautifully crafted film following a young aspiring novelist who reconnects with a childhood neighbour, before events take an unexpectedly sinister…
By the Grace of God (Grâce à Dieu) (2018): Dir. Francois Ozon
Feat. Melvil Poupaud, Denis Ménochet, Swann Arlaud; Hard–hitting French–Belgian drama about three sexual abuse victims who attempt to the to justice the Catholic priest who was…
Can You Ever Forgive Me? (2018): Dir. Marielle Heller
Feat. Melissa McCarthy, Richard E. Grant; Melissa McCarthy delivers a fearless performance in this compelling drama based on the confessional memoir of Lee Israel, whose languishing career as…
Capharnaum (2018): Dir. Nadine Labaki
Feat. Zain Al Rafeea; A uniquely humanistic portrayal of tragic poverty in Beirut from the perspective of an extraordinarily gutsy 12 year old Lebanese boy. After…
Celeste (2018): Dir. Ben Hackworth
Feat. Radha Mitchell, Thomas Cocquerel, Nadine Garner; Picturesque Australian drama set in a crumbling estate deep within a lush tropical rain forest in North Queensland. Radha Mitchell plays the renowned…
Chaperone, The (2018): Dir. Michael Engler
Feat. Haley Lu Richardson, Miranda Otto, Elizabeth McGovern…; Biopic about the life of Hollywood's silent screen siren Louise Brooks, set during her precocious teenage years and told from the perspective of the…
Claire Darling (La dernière folie de Claire Darling) (2018): Dir. Julie Bertuccelli
Feat. Catherine Deneuve, Chiara Mastroianni, Alice Taglioni; Catherine Deneuve plays a reclusive millionaire who unexpectedly decides to get rid of all her belongings in a yard sale on the lawn of her mansion.…
Climax (2018): Dir. Gaspar Noe
Feat. Sofia Boutella, Kiddy Smile, Roman Guillermic; A dance movie like you're never seen, legendary provocateur Gaspar Noe helms this brilliant and intoxicating ensemble piece. Set in an abandoned…
Clovehitch Killer, The (2018): Dir. Duncan Skiles
Feat. Dylan McDermott, Charlie Plummer, Samantha Mathis; A tense, effectively slowburn horror–thriller from the writer of COP CAR that stars Charlie Plummer (so good in LEAN ON PETE) as the dutiful…
Cold War (2018): Dir. Pawel Pawlikowski
Feat. Joanna Kulig, Tomasz Kot; The director of 'Ida' (2013) follows up with a deeply romantic, immaculately composed tale of a Polish concert pianist and a charismatic singer who…
Colette (2018): Dir. Wash Westmoreland
Feat. Keira Knightley, Dominic West, Eleanor Tomlinson; A playful and spirited biopic about the extraordinary, uncompromising life of French novelist Colette (Keira Knightley). Set in Paris at the end of…
Crown, The - Season 2 (TV Series) (2018): Feat. Claire Foy, Vanessa Kirby, Matt Smith…; Self–assured second season of the sumptuous costume drama. The exceptional Claire Foy reprises her role as The Queen, now in her thirties, as…
Destination 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,…
Dilili in Paris (Dilili à Paris) (2018): Dir. Michel Ocelot; Delightful animated French film from director Michel Ocelot (KIRIKOU AND THE SORCERESS) following a young girl investigating a series of kidnappings…
Divine Order, The (2018): Dir. Petra Biondina Volpe
Feat. Marie Leuenberger; A passionate drama set in Switzerland, following a mother and housewife who campaigns for a referendum on the right of women to vote – in 1971…
Don't Worry, He Won't Get Far on Foot (2018): Dir. Gus Van Sant
Feat. Joaquin Phoenix, Jonah Hill, Rooney Mara…; Gus Van Sant wrote and directed this drama based on the memoir of John Callahan, a gifted cartoonist from Portland who struggled with alcoholism and…
Donbass (2018): Dir. Sergey Loznitsa
Feat. Tamara Yatsenko, Irina Zayarmiuk, Grigory Masliuk; A 13–part exploration of the conflict between Ukraine and the Russian–supported Donetsk People's Republic throughout the…
Eighth Grade (2018): Dir. Bo Burnham
Feat. Elsie Fisher, Josh Hamilton, Emily Robinson; Superb coming–of–age drama providing an unflinching glimpse into the experience of a 13–year–old girl striving to gain social…
Escape at Dannemora (TV Mini-series) (2018): Dir. Ben Stiller
Feat. Benicio Del Toro, Patricia Arquette, Paul Dano…; TV miniseries based on the 2015 Clinton Correctional Facility escape, where a prison employee (Patricia Arquette, who steals the show) becomes…
Every Day (2018): Dir. Michael Sucsy
Feat. Angourie Rice, Justice Smith, Debby Ryan…; Romantic drama based on the New York Times bestseller by David Levithan. A 16 year old girl called Rhiannon falls in love with a mysterious traveling…
Everybody Knows (Todos Lo Saben) (2018): Dir. Asghar Farhadi
Feat. Penelope Cruz, Javier Bardem, Ricardo Darín; Iranian maestro Asghar Farhadi assembles a powerhouse cast for this Spanish–language about a mother–of–two who returns from Buenos…
Extraordinary 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, The (2018): 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…
First Man (2018): Dir. Damien Chazelle
Feat. Ryan Gosling, Claire Foy, Jason Clarke…; Damien Chazelle (LA LA LAND) directs this remarkable biographical drama following the life of Neil Armstrong (Ryan Gosling) leading up to the 1969…
Front Runner, The (2018): Dir. Jason Reitman
Feat. Hugh Jackman, Vera Farmiga, J.K. Simmons…; Hugh Jackman leads a strong ensemble cast as charismatic Democrat Senator Gary Hart, whose 1988 U.S. presidential campaign was derailed when he was…
Girlfriends (TV Series) (2018): Dir. Kay Mellor
Feat. Phyllis Logan, Miranda Richardson, Zoe Wanamaker; British TV comedy following a trio of middle–aged woman who were friends in childhood, and who are coping with divorce, age discrimination,…
Girls of the Sun (Les filles du soleil) (2018): Dir. Eva Husson
Feat. Golshifteh Farahani; Powerful wartime film following a Kurdish female battalion who are fighting against ISIS extremists to take back control of their village. Stars…
Good Fight, The (TV Series) (2018): Feat. Christine Baranski, Rose Leslie, Erica Tazel…; Spin–off TV series to the phenomenally popular THE GOOD WIFE, and created by the same team, following the character Diane Lockhart (Christine…
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 Book (2018): 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…
Greta (2018): Dir. Neil Jordan
Feat. Isabelle Huppert, Chloe Grace Moretz, Maika Monroe…; Creepy psychological thriller from Neil Jordan with a reliably fantastic performance from Huppert as a lonely widow with a sinister agenda who…
Guernsey 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 as Lazzaro (2018): Dir. Alice Rohrwacher
Feat. Adriano Tardiolo, Nicoletta Braschi, Sergi Lopez…; It's summer at Inviolata, an isolated rural estate, where an extended family of tobacco farmers toil under the rule of a domineering marchesa, and…
Happy 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…
Happy Prince, The (2018): Dir. Rupert Everett
Feat. Rupert Everett, Colin Firth, Colin Morgan…; Rupert Everett directs and stars in this passionate evocation of Oscar Wilde's final years. After being imprisoned for his love affair with Lord…
Hate U Give, The (2018): Dir. George Tillman Jr.
Feat. Amandla Stenberg, Regina Hall, Russell Hornsby…; A powerful and thought provoking drama about the consequences of gun violence, police brutality and racism in America. Starr is a black teenager who…
Hearts 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…
Heiresses, The (2018): Dir. Marcelo Martinessi
Feat. Ana Brun, Margarita Irún, Anna Ivanova; Slow–burn drama from Paraguay about a privileged middle–aged lesbian couple whose new found financial hardship results in one being…
Her Smell (2018): Dir. Alex Ross Perry
Feat. Elisabeth Moss, Cara Delevingne, Dan Stevens…; A rock ’n’ roll animal concocted by indie auteur Alex Ross Perry that depicts the fallen glory of a rock musician who once graced the cover of…
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 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…
House of Cards - Season 6 (TV Series, US) (2018): Feat. Robin Wright, Diane Lane, Greg Kinnear; The highly–charged political melodrama continues after Kevin Spacey's controversial departure, with his screen wife Robin Wright taking the…
Hummingbird Project, The (2018): Dir. Kim Nguyen
Feat. Jesse Eisenberg, Salma Hayek, Alexander Skarsgard; Smart financial thriller with Eisenberg and Skarsgard playing cousins and high frequency traders who decide to make their fortune in a deal to build…
Humor 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…
I Think We're Alone Now (2018): Dir. Reed Morano
Feat. Peter Dinklage, Elle Fanning; An intriguing post–apocalyptic movie concerned with themes of grief and loss, following an introvert (Peter Dinklage) whose meticulously…
Ideal Palace, The (L'incroyable histoire du facteur Cheval) (2018): Dir. Nils Tavernier
Feat. Jacques Gamblin, Laetitia Casta, Florence Thomassin; Affectionate biographical drama based on the extraordinary real–life story of a simple French postman who spent 33 years building a magnificent…
If Beale Street Could Talk (2018): Dir. Barry Jenkins
Feat. Kiki Layne, Stephan James, Colman Domingo…; The acclaimed follow–up to MOONLIGHT from director Barry Jenkins is a passionate romantic drama based on the James Baldwin novel of the same…
In The Aisles (In den Gängen) (2018): Dir. Thomas Stuber
Feat. Franz Rogowski, Sandra Huller; A German wholesale supermarket is the setting for this gentle romantic drama following a reclusive blue–collar shelf stacker (Andreas Leupold,…
In Your Hands (Au bout des doigts) (2018): Dir. Ludovic Bernard
Feat. Lambert Wilson, Kristin Scott Thomas, Jules Benchetrit; A young delinquent with a talent for the piano captures the attention of the Director of the National Conservatory of Music in this feel–good…
Innocent (TV Mini-series) (2018): Feat. Lee Ingleby, Daniel Ryan, Adrian Rawlins; TV miniseries following a man who is released from prison after his conviction for the murder of his wife is overturned, and sets about rebuilding…
Instant 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…
Judy & Punch (Judy and Punch) (2018): Dir. Mirrah Foulkes
Feat. Mia Wasikowska, Damon Herriman; A gorgeously carnivalesque and blackly comic Australian period drama in which the traditional fairy tale of Punch and Judy is turned on its head. The…
Juliet, 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 Change (2018): 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…
Keeper, The (Trautmann) (2018): Dir. Markus Rosenmüller
Feat. David Kross, Freya Mavor; Biographical drama telling the story of Bert Trautmann, the German soldier who escapes a POW camp to become a footballing icon, marrying the daughter…
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…
Kindergarten Teacher, The (2018): Dir. Sara Colangelo
Feat. Maggie Gyllenhaal, Parker Sevak, Rosa Salazar…; English–language remake of the 2014 Israeli film of the same name about a jaded teacher, mother and aspiring poet who becomes obsessed with one…
King of Thieves (2018): Dir. James Marsh
Feat. Michael Caine, Charlie Cox, Michael Gambon…; British heist movie in the classic mould, bringing together an impressive cast to tell the true story of the Hatton Garden safe deposit burglary of…
Ladies 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…
Last Flag Flying (2018): Dir. Richard Linklater
Feat. Steve Carell, Bryan Cranston, Laurence Fishburne; Three former marines who served together in Vietnam reunite in present day 2003, after one of their sons is killed in the Iraq War. A bittersweet…
Leave No Trace (2018): Dir. Debra Granik
Feat. Thomasin Harcourt McKenzie, Ben Foster, Jeff Kober…; Local actress Thomasin Harcourt McKenzie is stunning in this haunting film from the director of WINTER'S BONE. Set in the Oregon forest, where she…
Les Miserables (TV Mini-series) (2018): Dir. Tom Shankland
Feat. Dominic West, Lily Collins, David Oyelowo…; Celebrated English–language television adaptation of the Victor Hugo French classic with the plum casting of Dominic West as former convict…
Little Women (2018): Dir. Clare Niederpruem
Feat. Lea Thompson, Allie Jennings, Sarah Davenport; A re–telling of Louisa May Alcott's classic novel translated into the present day, where four spirited sisters maintain their optimism despite…
Little Woods (2018): Dir. Nia DaCosta
Feat. Tessa Thompson, Lily James, Luke Kirby; Impressive debut from writer–director Nia DaCosta, detailing the struggles faced by a pair of sisters trying to make ends meet in an…
Lizzie (2018): Dir. Craig William Macneill
Feat. Chloe Sevigny, Kristen Stewart, Jamey Sheridan…; Biographical thriller with Chloe Sevigny excellent as Lizzie Borden, the woman who was accused and acquitted of the murders of her father and…
Looming Tower, The (TV Mini-Series) (2018): Feat. Jeff Daniels, Tahar Rahim, Bill Camp; Mini–series exploring the rivalry between the FBI and the CIA in the lead up to 9/11 and the war in Afghanistan. Based on Lawrence Wright's…
Loro (2018): Dir. Paolo Sorrentino
Feat. Toni Servillo, Elena Sofia Ricci, Riccardo Scamarcio…; The director of THE GREAT BEAUTY returns with another tale of Italian decadence and corruption, this time based on the life and times of the infamous…
Love, Simon (2018): Dir. Greg Berlanti
Feat. Nick Robinson, Josh Duhamel, Jennifer Garner; A high school love story taking the best of the genre cliches (yes, John Hughes) and translating them into a gay context – an unprecedented…
Man Who Killed Don Quixote, The (2018): Dir. Terry Gilliam
Feat. Adam Driver, Jonathan Pryce, Stellan Skarsgard…; Madcap fantasy adventure from director Terry Gilliam following a cynical advertising director (Adam Driver) who succumbs to outrageous delusions…
Man Who Killed Hitler and Then The Bigfoot, The (2018): Dir. Robert D. Krzykowski
Feat. Sam Elliott, Aidan Turner, Caitlin Fitzgerald…; An enjoyably crackpot premise is carried with striking sincerity and aplomb by Sam Elliott, who plays a legendary war vet recruited to hunt down…
Mary Magdalene (2018): Dir. Garth Davis
Feat. Rooney Mara, Joaquin Phoenix, Chiwetel Ejiofor…; The director of LION delivers this sombre biopic of the Saint and disciple of Jesus of Nazareth, who caused conflict with Jesus's other disciples in…
Mary Queen of Scots (2018): Dir. Josie Rourke
Feat. Saoirse Ronan, Margot Robbie, Jack Lowden…; Saoirse Ronan and Margot Robbie are well matched in this period thriller presenting a revisionist, but not overly contentious, account of the fiery…
Mary Shelley (2018): Dir. Haifaa Al-Mansour
Feat. Elle Fanning, Maisie Williams, Bel Powley…; A startling Elle Fanning enlivens this period melodrama about Mary Wollstonecraft Godwin's romantic relationship with the poet Percy Shelley, which…
Mercy, The (2018): Dir. James Marsh
Feat. Colin Firth, Rachel Weisz, David Thewlis…; James Marsh (MAN ON WIRE) directs this biographical drama telling the almost unbelievable story of amateur sailor Donald Crowhurst, who attempted to…
Mid 90s (2018): Dir. Jonah Hill
Feat. Sunny Suljic, Katherine Waterston, Lucas Hedges…; Evocative coming–of–age drama from actor–director Jonah Hill, following a 13–year old boy in 90's Los Angeles who falls in…
Miseducation of Cameron Post, The (2018): Dir. Desiree Akhavan
Feat. Chloe Grace Moretz, Jennifer Ehle, John Gallagher, Jr.…; Surprise winner of the U.S. Grand Jury prize at the 2018 Sundance Film Festival, this heart–breaking indie drama stars Chloe Grace Moretz as a…
Mother is Wrong (TV Mini-series) (Maman a tort) (2018): Feat. Anne Charrier, Pascal Elbé; French thriller following a detective who, despite being already consumed by a major robbery, takes on the chilling case of a child who tells her his…
Mrs. Wilson (TV Mini-series) (2018): Dir. Richard Laxton
Feat. Ruth Wilson, Iain Glen, Keeley Hawes…; Fascinating 60's period drama series starring and executive–produced by Ruth Wilson, who plays her real–life grandmother, a widow who…
Mule, The (2018): Dir. Clint Eastwood
Feat. Clint Eastwood, Bradley Cooper, Laurence Fishburne…; Clint Eastwood directs and acts in this compelling crime drama about an 80–year old WWII vet who, facing financial pressures, takes a job as a…
My Brilliant Friend (TV Mini-series) (L'amica geniale) (2018): Dir. Saverio Costanzo
Feat. Valentina Acca, Annarita Vitolo; Evocative Neapolitan drama adapted from the international best–selling novel by Elena Ferrante, following an elderly woman as she recounts her…
Mystery Road (TV Mini-series) (2018): Dir. Rachel Perkins
Feat. Aaron Pedersen, Judy Davis, Deborah Mailman…; Six–part miniseries based on the outback noir film of the same name, following indigenous detective Jay Swan as he investigates the…
Never Look Away (Werk ohne Autor) (2018): Dir. Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck
Feat. Tom Schilling, Sebastian Koch, Paula Beer; The director of THE LIVES OF OTHERS helms this drama spanning three eras of German history to tell the story of an artist who survives the Nazi…
Non-Fiction (Non Fiction) (2018): Dir. Olivier Assayas
Feat. Guillaume Canet, Juliette Binoche, Vincent Macaigne…; Buoyant drama set in the Parisian publishing world, with acclaimed director Olivier Assayas reuniting with actors Juliette Binoche and Guillaume…
Old 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…
Old Man & the Gun, The (The Old Man and the Gun) (2018): Dir. David Lowery
Feat. Robert Redford, Casey Affleck, Danny Glover…; Likely to be Redford's final role, playing the career criminal and prison escape artist Forrest Tucker, who escaped from San Quentin at the age of…
On the Basis of Sex (2018): Dir. Mimi Leder
Feat. Felicity Jones, Armie Hammer, Justin Theroux…; Following on from the recent documentary, RBG, the story of Ruth Bader Ginsburg is given the Hollywood biopic treatment here, detailing her…
Ophelia (2018): Dir. Claire McCarthy
Feat. Daisy Ridley, Naomi Watts, Clive Owen…; A beautifully appointed contemporary re–imagining of Shakespeare's Hamlet as told from perspective of Hamlet's forbidden lover.
Ordeal By Innocence (TV Mini-series) (2018): Dir. Sandra Goldbacher
Feat. Bill Nighy, Anthony Boyle, Anna Chancellor…; Three–part BBC drama based on the Agatha Christie novel of the same name. Set in 1954, where a wealthy philanthropist is murdered and her…
Patrick Melrose (TV Series) (2018): Feat. Benedict Cumberbatch, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Hugo Weaving; 5–part miniseries based on the acclaimed novels by Edward St. Aubyn in which Benedict Cumberbatch plays an aristocratic and outrageously funny…
Peterloo (2018): Dir. Mike Leigh
Feat. Rory Kinnear, Maxine Peake, Pearce Quigley; Elaborate historical drama directed by Mike Leigh (MR TURNER), portraying the infamous 1819 Peterloo Massacre, where British army forces attacked a…
Photograph (2018): Dir. Ritesh Batra
Feat. Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Sanya Malhotra; A charming romance from the director of THE LUNCHBOX set in Mumbai, where a struggling street photographer convinces a shy stranger to pose as his…
Picnic at Hanging Rock (TV Mini-series) (2018): Feat. Natalie Dormer, Lily Sullivan, Lola Bessis…; A second screen re–imagining of the iconic Australian novel of the same name by Joan Lindsay. On Valentines day in 1900, three school girls and…
Press (TV Series) (2018): Dir. Tom Vaughan
Feat. Charlotte Riley, Ben Chaplin; 6–part British TV drama following the staff of two contrasting and competing newspapers, one a lef–leaning broadsheet fighting to survive…
Puzzle (2018): Dir. Marc Turtletaub
Feat. Kelly MacDonald, Irrfan Khan; Set in the deceptively boring world of competitive jigsaw puzzling, with Kelly McDonald in a long–overdue leading role as a middle–class…
Red Joan (2018): Dir. Trevor Nunn
Feat. Sophie Cookson, Stephen Campbell Moore, Tom Hughes…; The story of Joan Stanley, who was exposed as the KGB's longest–serving British spy. Arrested in retirement by the MI5, the extraordinary…
Resident, The (TV Series) (2018): Feat. Matt Czuchry, Emily VanCamp, Manish Dayal…; Medical drama following the lives of the staff members at Chastain Park Memorial Hospital, and exploring the bureaucratic practices of the hospital…
Richard 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…
Roma (2018): Dir. Alfonso Cuaron
Feat. Yalitza Aparicio, Marina de Tavira; Another masterclass in storytelling from Mexican maestro Alfonso Cuarón, about a year in the life of a middle–class family's maid in Mexico…
Romper Stomper (TV Series) (2018): Dir. Geoffrey Wright, James Napier Robertson, Daina Reid
Feat. David Wenham, Dan Wyllie, Lachy Hulme…; Created as a sequel to the cult Australian film about a neo–Nazi gang terrorising Melbourne's Vietnamese community. Set 25 years after these…
Rory's Way (The Etruscan Smile) (2018): Dir. Mihal Brezis, Oded Binnun
Feat. Brian Cox, Thora Birch, JJ Feild…; A rugged old Scotsman (a winning performance from Brian Cox) reluctantly leaves his isolated Hebridean island to seek medical treatment in San…
Rosie (2018): Dir. Paddy Breathnach
Feat. Sarah Greene, Moe Dunford, Ellie OHalloran…; Irish drama with actress Sarah Greene in a powerhouse performance playing a mother struggling to cope when the rental property she lived in with her…
Ruben Brandt, Collector (2018): Dir. Milorad Krstic; Brilliantly animated crime drama following four thieves who attempt to steal the legendary artworks that are inspiring the nightmares of their…
Saint Judy (2018): Dir. Sean Hanish
Feat. Michelle Monaghan, Leem Lubany, Common …; Biopic telling the incredible true story of Los Angeles immigration attorney Judy Wood, who single–handedly changed asylum law in the USA to…
Seagull, The (2018): Dir. Michael Mayer
Feat. Annette Bening, Saoirse Ronan, Corey Stoll…; Luminous adaptation of Chekhov's 1896 play with Annette Bening as an ageing actress who contends with her insecurities when her younger lover falls…
Seven 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…
Sharp Objects (TV Mini-series) (2018): Dir. Jean-Marc Vallée
Feat. Amy Adams, Patricia Clarkson, Chris Messina…; Searing psychological thriller with Amy Adams playing a reporter who returns to her small home town to investigate the murders of two preteen girls.…
Shoplifters (Manbiki kazoku) (2018): Dir. Kore-eda Hirokazu
Feat. Lily Franky, Sakura Ando, Mayu Matsuoka; Charming, funny and heartbreaking all at once, this drama from the Japanese master of humanism Kore–eda is set in Tokyo and follows a group of…
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 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, The (2018): 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 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…
Sorry Angel (2018): Dir. Christophe Honore
Feat. Pierre Deladonchamps, Vincent Lacoste, Denis Podalydes; Articulate and powerful love story set in Paris in the 90's, where a worldly writer falls for a younger, carefree university student.
Stan and Ollie (2018): 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…
Storm Boy (2018): Dir. Shawn Seet
Feat. Jai Courtney, Geoffrey Rush, David Gulpilil; Beautifully nostalgic re–telling of the beloved Australian book, following the young boy who finds, rescues and raises three orphan pelicans on…
Stray (2018): Dir. Dustin Feneley
Feat. Kieran Charnock, Arta Dobroshi; Moody, taciturn local drama in which two damaged strangers cross paths in mountainous Central Otago.
Succession (TV series) (2018): Feat. Brian Cox, Jeremy Strong, Kieran Culkin…; Provocative and witty satirical drama created by Jesse Armstrong (IN THE LOOP) about a dysfunctional dynasty led by an aging patriarch (Brian Cox).
Support 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 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…
Tell It To The Bees (2018): Dir. Annabel Jankel
Feat. Anna Paquin, Holliday Grainger, Emun Elliott…; Romantic drama set in 1950's rural Scotland, where a burgeoning romance between a female doctor and the mother of one of her patients provokes social…
Third Wife, The (2018): Dir. Ash Mayfair
Feat. Tran Nu Yen-Khe; Haunting and devastating period drama set in 19th century rural Vietnam, where a 14–year old girl is married off to a wealthy landowner and…
Thunder 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…
Together (2018): Dir. Paul Duddridge
Feat. Peter Bowles, Sylvia Syms, Juliet Cowan; A touching film about an elderly couple, still very much in love after 6 decades, who are separated into different care homes against their will. An…
Transit (2018): Dir. Christian Petzold
Feat. Franz Rogowski; Distinguished wartime melodrama from Christian Petzold (BARBARA, PHOENIX) following the plight of a holocaust survivor who assumes the identity of a…
Upside, 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…
Vanishing, The (Keepers) (2018): Dir. Kristoffer Nyholm
Feat. Peter Mullan, Gerard Butler; Windswept psychological thriller set on the remote Flannan Isles, where three lighthouse keepers find a hidden trunk of gold, then mysteriously…
Vermilion (2018): Dir. Dorthe Scheffmann
Feat. Jennifer Ward-Lealand, Theresa Healey, Emily Campbell; The story of a group of women – mothers, daughters, friends and neighbours – set over a summer month. Jennifer Ward–Lealand…
Vice (2018): Dir. Adam McKay
Feat. Christian Bale, Amy Adams, Steve Carell…; Christian Bale provides another stunningly transformative performance, playing the insidious and power hungry Dick Cheney, Vice President to George…
Vita and Virginia (2018): Dir. Chanya Button
Feat. Gemma Arterton, Elizabeth Debicki, Rupert Penry-Jones…; British biopic about the unconventional romance between wickedly brilliant writer Virginia Woolf and the beguiling Vita Sackville–West –…
Vox Lux (2018): Dir. Brady Corbet
Feat. Natalie Portman, Jude Law, Stacy Martin…; A glittering, daring music drama starring Natalie Portman as a music prodigy who achieved pop stardom in the wake of a deadly school shooting and…
Walking Out (2018): Dir. Alex Smith, Andrew J Smith
Feat. Matt Bomer, Alex Neustaedter, Bill Pullman; A haunting survival drama following an estranged father and son who trek into the Montana wilderness to hunt game, but experience an unexpected and…
We Have Always Lived in the Castle (2018): Dir. Stacie Passon
Feat. Taissa Farmiga, Alexandra Daddario, Crispin Glover…; A family living in isolation after a tragedy is visited by their cousin who is after the family fortune, setting off a series of spine–tingling…
Welcome the Stranger (2018): Dir. Justin Kelly
Feat. Abbey Lee, Caleb Landry Jones, Riley Keough; An impressive cast grace this moody, somewhat impenetrable Gothic drama in which a young woman creates a disturbance when she shows up at her artist…
Welcome to Marwen (2018): Dir. Robert Zemeckis
Feat. Steve Carell, Leslie Mann, Diane Kruger…; Robert Zemeckis' dramatization of events depicted in the 2010 documentary, MARWENCOL, with Steve Carrell as Mark Hogancamp, a man struggling with…
Where Hands Touch (2018): Dir. Amma Asante
Feat. Amandla Stenberg, George MacKay, Abbie Cornish…; Weighty wartime melodrama from accomplished writer–director Amma Asante (A UNITED KINGDOM), following the fate of a young African American girl…
White Boy Rick (2018): Feat. Matthew McConaughey, Richie Merritt, Bel Powley…; Compelling true crime story from the director of '71, following 14–year old drug trafficker Richard Wershe Jr. who was an undercover informant…
White Crow, The (2018): Dir. Ralph Fiennes
Feat. Oleg Ivenko, Adele Exarchopoulos, Chulpan Khamatova…; Biopic from actor–director Ralph Fiennes about the life of Russian dancer Rudolf Nureyev (Oleg Ivenko, an acclaimed Ukrainian ballet dancer…
Wild Rose (2018): Dir. Tom Harper
Feat. Jessie Buckley, Matt Costello, Jane Patterson; Music–filled drama following a young Glaswegian mother who sets out to become a Nashville country star after being released from prison.
Wildlife (2018): Dir. Paul Dano
Feat. Carey Mulligan, Jake Gyllenhaal, Ed Oxenbould…; Actor Paul Dano makes an impressive directorial debut with this adaptation of the novel by Richard Ford. Set in Montana in the fall of 1960, a child…
Woman at War (2018): 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…
Working Woman (2018): Dir. Michal Aviad
Feat. Liron Ben-Shlush; Workplace drama capturing the spirit of the "Me Too" movement to tell the story of a smart and capable mother of three who returns to the workforce…
Yellowstone (TV Series) (2018): Feat. Kevin Costner, Luke Grimes, Kelly Reilly…; Picturesque TV western co–created by Taylor Sheridan (HELL OR HIGH WATER) set in Montana, where a family of ranch owners are defending their…
Yuli (2018): Dir. Iciar Bollain
Feat. Carlos Acosta, Santiago Alfonso, Keyvin Martinez; Rousing biopic of the Cuban ballet superstar Carlos Acosta, nicknamed Yuli by his father, who saw recognised his talent for dance and sent him to…
Zoe (2018): Dir. Drake Doremus
Feat. Ewan McGregor, Léa Seydoux, Theo James…; An engineer and a robot fall in love at a research lab for perfecting romantic relationships. An open minded but scientifically undemanding romantic…
Zoo (2018): Dir. Colin McIvor
Feat. Art Parkinson, Toby Jones, Penelope Wilton; Touching and uplifting family adventure based on the true story. While bombs fall on Northern Ireland during WWII, the plucky son of the veterinarian…
13 Reasons Why (TV Series) (2017): Feat. Dylan Minnette, Katherine Langford, Christian Navarro…; Controversial and sometimes gruelling teenage mystery series about a high school student who discovers a box of cassette tapes recorded by his friend…
20th Century Women (2017): 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…
A Bag of Marbles (Un sac de billes) (2017): Dir. Christian Duguay
Feat. Dorian Le Clech, Batyste Fleurial; The experience of the French occupation during WWII is told uniquely using a child's perspective in this latterday adaptation of the book by Joseph…
A Fantastic Woman (Una mujer fantástica) (2017): Dir. Sebastián Lelio
Feat. Daniela Vega, Francisco Reyes, Luis Gnecco; Another supremely elegant, substantive and compassionate character study from the director of GLORIA that this time focuses on a transgender woman in…
All Eyez on Me (2017): Dir. Benny Boom
Feat. Demetrius Shipp Jr.; Sprawling biopic chronicling the life and legacy of prolific rapper, actor, poet and activist Tupac Shakur.
All the Money in the World (2017): Dir. Ridley Scott
Feat. Michelle Williams, Christopher Plummer, Mark Wahlberg…; Solid kidnapping thriller with a terrific performance by Michelle Williams as a mother who attempts to convince her aging oil tycoon…
Alone in Berlin (2017): Dir. Vincent Perez
Feat. Emma Thompson, Brendan Gleeson, Daniel Bruhl…; Earnest resistance drama set in 1940, with Emma Thompson and Brendan Gleeson as a working class couple who, after learning of their only son's death…
American Gods (TV Series) (2017): Feat. Ricky Whittle, Emily Browning, Crispin Glover…; Faithful dramatisation of Neil Gaiman's 2001 epic fantasy novel that follows Shadow Moon (Ricky Whittle) on a road trip across America with enigmatic…
Another Mother's Son (2017): Dir. Christopher Menaul
Feat. Jenny Seagrove, John Hannah, Julian Kostov…; Based on a true story from the German occupation of the Channel Islands, about a Jersey woman named Louisa Gould, who takes in an escaped young…
Apple Tree Yard (TV Mini-series) (2017): Dir. Jessica Hobbs
Feat. Emily Watson, Ben Chaplin; Gripping drama with Emily Watson superb as a woman whose impulsive and passionate affair with a complete stranger is the first in a series of events…
Aurore (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…
Babylon Berlin (TV Series) (2017): A German neo–noir television series based on novels by Volker Kutscher that takes place in Berlin during the Weimar Republic, starting in 1929.…
Back 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, The (2017): 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…
Beach Rats (2017): Dir. Eliza Hittman
Feat. Harris Dickinson, Madeline Weinstein, Kate Hodge; A sensuously shot film exploring the life of a sexually conflicted Brooklyn teen, as he navigates the dangers of casual hookups and youthful…
Beast (2017): Dir. Michael Pearce
Feat. Jessie Buckley, Johnny Flynn, Geraldine James; While an isolated community hunts for a serial killer in their midst, a troubled woman provokes disapproval when she is drawn to a secretive outsider…
Beatriz at Dinner (2017): Dir. Miguel Arteta
Feat. John Early, Salma Hayek, John Lithgow…; A holistic healer (Salma Hayeck) is an unplanned guest at a dinner party for members of California's privileged elite, in this Trump–era satire…
Before I Fall (2017): Feat. Zoey Deutch, Elena Kampouris, Logan Miller…; Teen drama following the likeable Samantha as she re–lives the final day in her life seven times and confronts the meaning of her existence and…
Beguiled, The (2017): Dir. Sofia Coppola
Feat. Colin Farrell, Nicole Kidman, Kirsten Dunst…; This exquisitely designed Southern pot–boiler set during the Civil War within a claustrophobic girls' seminary in Virginia marks a return to…
Big Little Lies - Season 1 (TV Mini-series) (2017): Dir. Jean-Marc Vallée
Feat. Reese Witherspoon, Nicole Kidman, Shailene Woodley…; A superb, darkly comedic seven–part HBO miniseries set in the tranquil seaside town of Monterey, California, that weaves a tale of murder and…
Bitter Harvest (2017): Dir. George Mendeluk
Feat. Max Irons, Samantha Barks, Terence Stamp; A modest epic with a romantic centre set against the backdrop of the Holdomor, a death–by–starvation program that ultimately killed…
Bolshoi, The (Bolshoy) (2017): Dir. Valery Todorovsky
Feat. Margarita Simonova, Alisa Freindlikh, Valentina Telichkina…; Russian drama about a young and talented ballet dancer from the provinces who is determined to find success on stage at the Bolshoi Theatre in…
Bookshop, The (2017): Dir. Isabel Coixet
Feat. Emily Mortimer, Bill Nighy, Patricia Clarkson; Based on the novel by Penelope Fitzgerald, which tells the charming story of a free–spirited widow who risks everything to fulfill her dream of…
Borg Vs. McEnroe (Borg McEnroe) (2017): Dir. Janus Metz
Feat. Shia LaBeouf, Sverrir Gudnason, Stellan Skarsgard…; The famous rivalry between tennis stars Björn Borg and John McEnroe reaches fever pitch at the 1980 Wimbledon Championships, culminating in the…
BPM (Beats Per Minute) (2017): Dir. Robin Campillo
Feat. Nahuel Pérez Biscayar, Arnaud Valois, Adele Haenel; Remarkable and inspiring drama by the director of EASTERN BOYS, set in 1990's France and following a group of passionate AIDS activists who take on…
Brad's Status (2017): 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…
Breath (2017): Dir. Simon Baker
Feat. Simon Baker, Elizabeth Debicki, Ben Spence…; Coming–of–age drama based on the novel by award–winning Australian writer Tim Winton. Set in the 1970's, where two teenage boys…
Breathe (2017): Dir. Andy Serkis
Feat. Andrew Garfield, Claire Foy, Tom Hollander…; Actor Andy Serkis marks his directorial debut with this inspirational love story based on the true story of adventurer Robin Cavendish, who became…
Brigsby Bear (2017): 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…
Broken (TV Mini-series) (2017): Feat. Sean Bean, Adrian Dunbar, Anna Friel; Sean Bean plays a Catholic priest in Northern England whose job it is to offer guidance and compassion to members of his parish, despite his own…
Call Me By Your Name (2017): Dir. Luca Guadagnino
Feat. Armie Hammer, Timothée Chalamet, Michael Stuhlbarg…; Completing the "Desire" trilogy with I AM LOVE and A BIGGER SPLASH, this coming–of–age drama is set in Northern Italy in 1983, where a 17…
Chappaquiddick (2017): Dir. John Curran
Feat. Jason Clarke, Kate Mara, Ed Helms…; Sombre drama exploring the incident known as the Chappaquiddick incident, in which Senator Ted Kennedy drove his car into a lake in 1969, killing his…
Children Act, The (2017): Dir. Richard Eyre
Feat. Emma Thompson, Stanley Tucci, Fionn Whitehead; The formidable Emma Thompson plays Fiona Maye, a London High Court judge of family law who pays a heavy personal price for her dedication to the…
Churchill (2017): Dir. Jonathan Teplitzky
Feat. Brian Cox, Miranda Richardson, John Slattery; Brian Cox delivers an impressive performance as iconic Prime Minister Winston Churchill in the days before the D–Day landings in June 1944.
Circle, The (2017): Dir. James Ponsoldt
Feat. Emma Watson, Tom Hanks, John Boyega…; Dave Egger's 2013 novel is adapted into this gripping modern thriller with Emma Watson rising in the ranks of the world's largest and most powerful…
Colossal (2017): Dir. Nacho Vigalondo
Feat. Anne Hathaway, Jason Sudeikis, Dan Stevens…; Ambitious high–concept sci–fi drama–comedy hybrid starring a plucky Anne Hathaway as an unemployed, down–at–heel city…
Columbus (2017): Dir. Kogonada
Feat. John Cho, Haley Lu Richardson, Michelle Forbes…; Hypnotically paced, tender drama following a Korean–born man (John Cho) who gets stranded in Columbus, Indiana and develops a friendship with a…
Crooked House (2017): Dir. Gilles Paquet-Brenner
Feat. Glenn Close, Terence Stamp, Max Irons…; Agatha Christie adaptation set in post–war London, where a hard up private detective is asked by a sultry woman from his past to solve the…
Current War, The (2017): Dir. Alfonso Gomez-Rejon
Feat. Benedict Cumberbatch, Michael Shannon, Katherine Waterston…; Historical biopic exploring the rivalries between the greatest inventors of the industrial age, with Benedict Cumberbatch as Thomas Edison, Michael…
Custody (Jusqu'à la garde) (2017): Dir. Xavier Legrand
Feat. Léa Drucker, Denis Ménochet; Astonishing French drama charting a family struggling with the embittered fallout of divorce, and the resulting impact on the two children. The…
Darkest Hour (2017): Dir. Joe Wright
Feat. Gary Oldman, Kristin Scott Thomas, Ben Mendelsohn…; Gary Oldman embodies Winston Churchill to Oscar–winning effect in this rousing and roundly effective historical drama set during the early days…
Death of Stalin, The (2017): 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…
Detroit (2017): Dir. Kathryn Bigelow
Feat. John Boyega, Will Poulter, Algee Smith…; Harrowing account of the tragic five day race riot in Detroit, 1967, which lead to The Algiers Motel Incident, in which black civilians were beaten,…
Disaster Artist, The (2017): 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…
Disobedience (2017): Dir. Sebastián Lelio
Feat. Rachel Weisz, Rachel McAdams, Alessandro Nivola; Sebastián Lelio (GLORIA) directs this powerful and exquisitely melancholy film about a woman who returns to the ultra orthodox Jewish community that…
Doctor Doctor (TV Series) (2017): Feat. Rodger Corser, Nicole da Silva, Ryan Johnson…; Australian drama series centred around a gifted and charming heart surgeon who believes he is infallible but whose "work hard, play harder"…
Downsizing (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…
Dynasty (TV Series) (2017): Feat. Grant Show, Elizabeth Gillies, Nathalie Kelley…; A reboot of the 1980s glamour soap opera that retains the original characters played by a new generation of actors and updates elements that notably…
Edie (2017): Dir. Simon Hunter
Feat. Sheila Hancock, Kevin Guthrie, Paul Brannigan; A bitter Octogenarian full of regrets decides to fulfill her largest unrealised dream, to climb a mountain in the Scottish Highlands.…
Escape, The (2017): Dir. Dominic Savage
Feat. Gemma Arterton, Dominic Cooper; A woman living in suburban London sets out to reclaim her life, boldly buying a one–way ticket to Paris and leaving behind her husband and…
Everything, Everything (2017): Dir. Stella Meghie
Feat. Nick Robinson, Amandla Stenberg; Romantic drama based on the New York Times #1 bestseller, where a girl with an immune disorder is prevented from leaving her house, but is desperate…
Fifty Shades Freed (2017): Dir. James Foley
Feat. Dakota Johnson, Jamie Dornan, Eric Johnson…; The third and final installment of the 'Fifty Shades of Grey' trilogy, providing more of the same overheated comfort food to satisfy fans of the…
Film Stars Don't Die in Liverpool (2017): Dir. Paul McGuigan
Feat. Annette Bening, Jamie Bell, Vanessa Redgrave…; Romantic drama based on the 1986 memoir of Peter Turner, the lover of actress Gloria Grahame, who was 28 years his senior. Explores the…
Final Portrait (2017): Dir. Stanley Tucci
Feat. Geoffrey Rush, Armie Hammer, Clemence Poesy…; The chaos and beauty of the artistic process is examined in this biopic about world–renowned artist Alberto Giacometti (Geoffrey Rush),…
First Reformed (2017): Dir. Paul Schrader
Feat. Ethan Hawke, Amanda Seyfried, Cedric The Entertainer; Ethan Hawke plays a 46–year old pastor of a historic First Reformed church in upstate New York whose existential troubles span questions of…
Florida Project, The (2017): Dir. Sean Baker
Feat. Brooklynn Prince, Bria Vinaite, Willem Dafoe; An impoverished mother and her 6–year–old daughter are the focus of this vibrant offering from acclaimed indie director Sean Baker…
Foxtrot (2017): Dir. Samuel Maoz
Feat. Lior Ashkenazi, Sarah Adler; The impressive sophomore effort of director Samuel Maoz (LEBANON) is a perceptive and bold exploration of war and grief. An affluent couple living in…
Funny 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…
Game of Thrones - Season 7 (TV Series) (2017): The struggle for the iron throne continues in the seventh season of the rightly acclaimed HBO series derived from George R.R. Martin's fantasy novels.
Gauguin: Voyage de Tahiti (2017): Dir. Edouard Deluc
Feat. Vincent Cassel; Vincent Cassel delivers a committed, absorbing performance as French painter Paul Gauguin. Set in 1891, when Gauguin exiled himself to Tahiti to…
Genius (TV Series) (2017): Feat. Geoffrey Rush, Johnny Flynn, Emily Watson; Biographical series with Geoffrey Rush as Albert Einstein, covering his life as a struggling clerk through to his emergence as a respected scientist…
Ghost Stories (2017): Dir. Jeremy Dyson, Andy Nyman; Well–crafted British horror anthology in three parts, concerning the adventures of paranormal skeptic Professor Phillip Goodman as he attempts…
Gifted (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) (2017): 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,…
Glass Castle, The (2017): Dir. Destin Cretton
Feat. Brie Larson, Woody Harrelson, Naomi Watts…; Brie Larson and the director of SHORT TERM 12 reunite for this sensitive father–daughter drama adaptated from the best–selling memoir by…
God's Own Country (2017): Dir. Francis Lee
Feat. Josh O’Connor, Alec Secareanu, Ian Hart…; Deeply affecting drama set on a remote Yorkshire farm, exploring the troubled life of young farmer Johnny Saxby, who numbs his frustrations in binge…
Goodbye Christopher Robin (2017): Dir. Simon Curtis
Feat. Domhnall Gleeson, Margot Robbie, Kelly MacDonald; A heartwarming story of the relationship between beloved children's author A. A. Milne and his son Christopher Robin, set in a picturesque England in…
Greatest Showman, The (2017): Dir. Michael Gracey
Feat. Hugh Jackman, Zac Efron, Michelle Williams…; Unashamedly cheesy and infectious musical with Hugh Jackman leading an all–star cast. Inspired by the story of P.T. Barnum (Jackman), the…
Gunpowder (TV Mini-series) (2017): Dir. J Blakeson
Feat. Kit Harington, Peter Mullan, Mark Gatiss…; Three–part BBC dramatisation of the famous Gunpowder Plot in London of 1605 where activist Guy Fawkes conspires with a group of provincial…
Halcyon, The (TV Series) (2017): Feat. Steven Mackintosh, Olivia Williams, Mark Benton…; A suitably upholstered drama series set in and around a five–star London hotel during World War II.
Hampstead (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…
Handmaid's Tale, The (TV Series) (2017): Feat. Elisabeth Moss, Joseph Fiennes, Yvonne Strahovski…; Emmy Award–winning drama created by Bruce Miller and based on the 1985 novel by Margaret Atwood. Set in a dystopian future, a woman is forced…
Happy End (2017): Dir. Michael Haneke
Feat. Isabelle Huppert, Jean-Louis Trintignant, Mathieu Kassovitz…; Michael Haneke lends his impeccably chilly style to this blackest of comedies about the disintegration of family relationships amidst the enduring…
Hero, 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,…
High Life (2017): Feat. Odessa Young; A humorous and heartfelt portrayal of Bipolar Disorder, following a grounded and intelligent Australian teen (Odessa Young) who unexpectedly begins…
Hostiles (2017): Dir. Scott Cooper
Feat. Christian Bale, Rosamund Pike, Wes Studi…; Slow–burning western set in 1892, when a legendary Army Captain reluctantly agrees to escort a Cheyenne chief and his family through dangerous…
House of Cards - Season 5 (TV Series, US) (2017): Feat. Kevin Spacey, Robin Wright, Patricia Clarkson…; The Emmy and Golden Globe winning political drama returns for its anticipated fifth season. Frank and Claire Underwood continue to juggle their…
How to Talk to Girls at Parties (2017): Dir. John Cameron Mitchell
Feat. Elle Fanning, Alex Sharp, Nicole Kidman…; An energetic, endearingly campy film blending aliens with punk culture, from John Cameron Mitchell (HEDWIG AND THE ANGRY INCH). Set in 1970's London…
Howards End (TV Mini-series) (2017): Dir. Hettie MacDonald
Feat. Hayley Atwell, Matthew MacFadyen; Sumptuous 4–part miniseries adaptation of E.M. Forster’s 1910 novel exploring the social and class divisions in 20th Century England.
Human Traces (2017): Dir. Nic Gorman
Feat. Sophie Henderson, Mark Mitchinson, Vinnie Bennett…; When a mysterious young man arrives on a remote Sub–Antarctic research station, secrets threaten the relationship of a married couple working…
I Am Not a Witch (2017): Dir. Rungano Nyoni; Full of joy and tragedy in the equal measure, this assured debut from Zambian writer–director Rungano Nyoni follows the story of 9–year…
I Kill Giants (2017): Dir. Anders Walter
Feat. Madison Wolfe, Imogen Poots, Zoe Saldana; A magical–realist coming–of–age movie following an independent young girl who escapes the troubles of her reality by retreating…
I, Tonya (2017): 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) (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…
Insult, The (2017): Dir. Ziad Doueiri
Feat. Adel Karam, Kamel El Basha; An exchange on a Beirut street between a Palestinian construction worker and a Lebanese Christian escalates into a passionate dispute that opens…
Interlude in Prague (2017): Dir. John Stephenson
Feat. Aneurin Barnard, James Purefoy, Samantha Barks; Period drama for those who loved AMADEUS, set in Prague in 1787, where Mozart has relocated to create his masterpiece Don Giovanni. But his presence…
Ismael's Ghosts (2017): Dir. Arnaud Desplechin
Feat. Mathieu Amalric, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Marion Cotillard…; The always impressive Mathieu Amalric (DIVING BELL AND THE BUTTERFLY) anchors this ambitious and narratively complex story of a film maker whose life…
Jamestown (TV Series) (2017): 1619, Virginia: on what feels like the edge of the world sits the British colony of Jamestown. For 12 years, it has been populated only by men, but…
Jeune Femme (Montparnasse Bienvenüe) (2017): Dir. Léonor Sérraille
Feat. Lætitia Dosch; Drama set in Paris, following a spirited yet struggling woman in her 30's in the wake of a difficult break up with her wealthy boyfriend. A…
Just 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…
Killing of a Sacred Deer, The (2017): Dir. Yorgos Lanthimos
Feat. Colin Farrell, Nicole Kidman, Barry Keoghan…; Colin Farrell returns for the singular director of THE LOBSTER for another round of macabre absurdism, this time cast as a cardiovascular surgeon and…
Kodachrome (2017): Dir. Mark Raso
Feat. Ed Harris, Jason Sudeikis, Elizabeth Olsen; Heartfelt father–son road trip drama shot entirely on Kodak motion picture film. Jason Sudeikis plays a son who takes his father and his…
Lady Bird (Ladybird) (2017): Dir. Greta Gerwig
Feat. Saoirse Ronan, Laurie Metcalf, Tracy Letts…; Sublime coming–of–age drama which marks the writing and directing debut of formidable indie talent Greta Gerwig, who draws upon her own…
Last Post, The (TV Mini-series) (2017): Dir. Jonny Campbell
Feat. Jessie Buckley, Stephen Campbell Moore, Ben Miles; Set in the mid–Sixties in the shimmering heat of Aden (Yemen), this BBC drama from the writer of THE VILLAGE centres on a unit of Royal…
Last 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…
Lean on Pete (2017): Dir. Andrew Haigh
Feat. Charlie Plummer, Chloe Sevigny, Travis Fimmel…; An unforgettably moving portrayal of the bond developed between a 15–year old boy with no knowledge of horses and an aging race horse. Directed…
Legacy, The - Series 3 (TV Series) (Arvingerne) (2017): Feat. Trine Dyrholm, Mikkel Boe Følsgaard, Lene Maria Christensen…; The excellent Danish family saga continues with the four siblings – Gro, Signe, Frederick and Emil entangled in emotional and financial…
Let the Sunshine In (2017): Dir. Claire Denis
Feat. Juliette Binoche, Xavier Beauvois, Philippe Katerine…; Juliette Binoche is radiant as a Parisian artist and divorced mother who bravely searches for sexual fulfillment and companionship in middle age.…
Little Women (Mini-series) (2017): Feat. Emily Watson; Immaculate BBC adaptation of the classic 1868 novel by Louisa May Alcott, structured as three one hour episodes. The story follows the lives of the…
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…
Loveless (2017): Dir. Andrei Zvyagintsev
Feat. Matvey Novikov, Maryana Spivak, Aleksey Rozin; Exquisitely austere Russian drama by modern master Zvyagintsev (LEVIATHAN, ELENA) which offers a dissection of a failed relationship against the…
Lovers, The (2017): 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…
Loving Vincent (2017): Dir. Dorota Kobiela, Hugh Welchman; Lovingly crafted portrait of Vincent Van Gogh uniquely rendered in oil painted animation. The film follows the endeavours of a young man whose…
Lucky (2017): Dir. John Carroll Lynch
Feat. Harry Dean Stanton, David Lynch, Ron Livingston…; Harry Dean Stanton plays an eccentric and fiercely independent veteran called Lucky, who lives in a small Arizona desert town. A gentle exploration…
Man Who Invented Christmas, The (2017): Dir. Bharat Nalluri
Feat. Dan Stevens, Christopher Plummer, Jonathan Pryce…; Delightful Christmas movie to suit all ages, following the life of Charles Dickens as he writes A Christmas Carol. Ebenezer Scrooge was inspired by…
Marjorie Prime (2017): Dir. Michael Almereyda
Feat. Jon Hamm, Geena Davis, Lois Smith…; An entirely thought–provoking chamber–piece set in the not–too–distant future where an elderly woman with encroaching…
Menashe (2017): Dir. Joshua Z Weinstein
Feat. Menashe Lustig; A charming observational drama set in a Hassidic neighborhood in Brooklyn, and shot entirely in Yiddish. Menashe is a struggling grocery store clerk…
Midwife, The (Sage femme) (2017): Dir. Martin Provost
Feat. Catherine Frot, Catherine Deneuve; Two of French cinema's most beloved actors, Catherine Deneuve and Catherine Frot, team up in this rich character study by the director of SERAPHINE.…
Miniaturist, The (TV Mini-series) (2017): Feat. Anya Taylor-Joy, Romola Garai; Handsomely executed period drama based on the best–selling novel by Jessie Burton, with Anya Taylor–Joy (THE WITCH) as a woman newly…
Molly's Game (2017): Dir. Aaron Sorkin
Feat. Jessica Chastain, Idris Elba, Kevin Costner…; The true story of Molly Bloom, an Olympic–class skier who ran the world's most exclusive high–stakes poker game and became an FBI target.…
Mother! (mother!) (2017): Dir. Darren Aronofsky
Feat. Jennifer Lawrence, Javier Bardem, Ed Harris…; A polarising yet brilliant psychological horror bursting with allegorical detail, from visionary auteur/provocateur Darren Aronofsky. A couple's…
Mountain Between Us, The (2017): Dir. Hany Abu-Assad
Feat. Idris Elba, Kate Winslet; Indris Elba and Kate Winslet are appealing in this lusciously shot romantic drama doubling as a tense mountain survival story. The pair are a surgeon…
Murder on the Orient Express (2017): Dir. Kenneth Branagh
Feat. Kenneth Branagh, Penelope Cruz, Willem Dafoe…; Adaptation of the novel by Agatha Christie, in the capable hands of director Kenneth Branagh, who also stars as Hercule Poirot, the renowned…
Music of Silence, The (2017): Dir. Michael Radford
Feat. Antonio Banderas, Jordi Molla; Drama inspired by the life of renowned opera singer Andrea Bocelli, based on his autobiography and starring Tony Sebastian (GAME OF THRONES) as the…
My Cousin Rachel (2017): Dir. Roger Michell
Feat. Rachel Weisz, Sam Claflin, Iain Glen…; A troubled orphan in 1830's Cornwall finds himself falling for the women he believes killed his guardian, in this dark romance featuring a strong…
My Friend Dahmer (2017): Dir. Marc Meyers
Feat. Ross Lynch, Anne Heche, Alex Wolff…; Chilling biographical drama about the American serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer, based on the 2012 graphic novel by John "Derf" Backderf, who was friends…
Novitiate (2017): Dir. Maggie Betts
Feat. Margaret Qualley, Julianne Nicholson, Dianna Agron…; A young woman in 1960's Tennessee decides to give her life to God and studies to become a nun with the Sisters of the Beloved Rose. But amidst the…
On Chesil Beach (2017): Dir. Dominic Cooke
Feat. Saoirse Ronan, Billy Howle; Finely tuned exploration of the emotional complexities of love between a newlywed couple, set in the oppressive cultural climate of England in 1962.…
One Thousand Ropes (O Le Tulafale) (2017): Dir. Tusi Tamasese
Feat. Frankie Adams, Uelese Pataia, Beulah Koale…; A Samoan father and traditional healer reconnects with his estranged daughter in this quietly powerful drama shot in Wellington, by the director of…
Only Living Boy in New York, The (2017): Dir. Marc Webb
Feat. Callum Turner, Kate Beckinsale, Pierce Brosnan…; A simple and pleasant family drama in which a recent college graduate's life is disrupted when he learns that his long–married father is having…
Orphan Black - Season 5 (TV Series) (2017): Feat. Tatiana Maslany; Final season of the extraordinary clone–centered sci–fi thriller, with formidable actress Tatiana Maslany reprising her many roles. The…
Other Side of Hope, The (2017): 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…
Ottoman Lieutenant, The (2017): Dir. Joseph Ruben
Feat. Hera Hilmar, Josh Hartnett, Ben Kingsley…; Undemanding, old–fashioned wartime romance following the fates of an army Lieutenant and a strong–willed American combat nurse who fall…
Papillon (2017): Dir. Michael Noer
Feat. Charlie Hunnam, Roland Møller, Rami Malek; Another film adaptation of the best–selling book telling the true story of the prison escape in 1941 of a man wrongfully convicted of murder.…
Party, 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…
Patti Cakes (Patti Cake$) (2017): Dir. Geremy Jasper
Feat. Danielle Macdonald, Bridget Everett; Charming indie film telling the rags–to–riches story of an aspiring rapper from a downtrodden area of New Jersey who refuses to let…
Permission (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…
Phantom Thread (2017): Dir. Paul Thomas Anderson
Feat. Daniel Day-Lewis, Vicky Krieps, Lesley Manville; Deliciously gothic period drama by acclaimed director Paul Thomas Anderson. Set in 1950's London, a charismatic and obsessive couturier meets a…
Pin Cushion (2017): Dir. Deborah Haywood
Feat. Lily Newmark, Joanna Scanlan, Isy Suttie; Blackly comic British indie about an eccentric and close knit mother–daughter duo who attempt to start a new life when they move to a small…
Please Stand By (2017): Dir. Ben Lewin
Feat. Dakota Fanning, Toni Collette, Alice Eve; Endearing coming–of–age comedy following a brilliant autistic woman who escapes her care home and embarks on a road trip to deliver her…
Pop Aye (2017): 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…
Post, The (2017): Dir. Steven Spielberg
Feat. Meryl Streep, Tom Hanks, Sarah Paulson…; The story of The Washington Post's attempt to publish The Pentagon Papers is given the Spielberg treatment. A riveting political thriller with…
Professor Marston and the Wonder Women (2017): Dir. Angela Robinson
Feat. Luke Evans, Rebecca Hall, Bella Heathcote; The true story of the psychologist William Moulton Marston, creator of the comic book hero Wonder Woman. He was inspired chiefly by two women in his…
Rebel in the Rye (2017): Dir. Danny Strong
Feat. Nicholas Hoult, Zoey Deutch, Kevin Spacey…; Biopic about the life of author J. D. Salinger, covering the time during and after World War II, his romantic life and the publication of his first…
Return to Montauk (2017): Dir. Volker Schlondorff
Feat. Stellan Skarsgard, Nina Hoss, Niels Arestrup; A famous novelist reunites with a lover he met 17 years prior in this elegant and literate romantic drama from director Volker Schlöndorff (THE TIN…
Rider, The (2017): Dir. Chloé Zhao
Feat. Brady Jandreau, Lilly Jandreau, Tim Jandreau; A young cowboy suffers a tragic riding accident on the cusp of his rodeo career, leading to a crushing loss of identity and the will to live. A…
Riverdale (TV Series) (2017): Feat. KJ Apa; Millennial neo–noir teen drama set in the deceptively idyllic town of Riverdale, based on characters from the Archie Comics universe. Centres…
Riviera (TV Series) (2017): Feat. Julia Stiles, Lena Olin, Adrian Lester…; A TV mini–series set on the French Riviera, where a recently widowed art curator from the Midwest (Julia Stiles) seeks the truth about her…
Rodin (2017): Dir. Jacques Doillon
Feat. Vincent Lindon, Izia Higelin; Austere drama set in Paris in 1880, where Auguste Rodin, widely considered the founder of modern sculpture, received his first state commission and…
Roman J. Israel, Esq. (2017): Dir. Dan Gilroy
Feat. Denzel Washington, Colin Farrell, Carmen Ejogo; A superbly written dramatic thriller from the director of NIGHTCRAWLER set within the overburdened Los Angeles criminal court system. Denzel…
Screwed (Pihalla) (2017): Dir. Nils-Erik Ekblom
Feat. Mikko Kauppila, Sanna Majuri, Valtteri Lehtinen; Sweet–natured Finnish coming–of–age drama about two teenage boys who fall in love during a summer in the countryside.
See 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…
Sense of an Ending, The (2017): Dir. Ritesh Batra
Feat. Jim Broadbent, Charlotte Rampling, Harriet Walter…; Finely crafted mystery drama with Jim Broadbent playing a recluse whose life is interrupted when a former girlfriend's mother leaves him a will,…
Shape of Water, The (2017): Dir. Guillermo Del Toro
Feat. Sally Hawkins, Michael Shannon, Richard Jenkins…; At a top secret research facility in the 1950s, a lonely janitor forms a unique relationship with an amphibious creature that is being held in…
Shot Caller (2017): Dir. Ric Roman Waugh
Feat. Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Omari Hardwick, Lake Bell…; The transformation of an intelligent businessman into a ruthless gangster is chronicled in this taut thriller set within the American prison system.
Skate Kitchen (2017): Dir. Crystal Moselle
Feat. Rachelle Vinberg, Dede Lovelace, Nina Moran; Beautifully evocative and uplifting teen drama set in the world of NYC skateboarding, following a group of real–life female skaters who are…
Son, The (TV Series) (2017): Feat. Pierce Brosnan, Henry Garrett, Zahn McClarnon…; Past and present and interweaved in this multi–generational saga of the bloody price of power that follows the rise of one ambitious family…
Space Between Us, The (2017): Dir. Peter Chelsom
Feat. Asa Butterfield, Gary Oldman, Carla Gugino…; Sci–fi romance where a teenage boy who has grown up on Mars visits earth for the first time. Enlisting the help of a misfit girl from Colorado,…
Split, The (TV Series) (2017): Dir. Jessica Hobbs
Feat. Nicola Walker, Stephen Mangan, Fiona Button; British legal drama TV series following a family of female divorce lawyers whose father shows up after a 30–year absence and attempts to claim…
Square, The (2017): Dir. Ruben Östlund
Feat. Claes Bang, Elisabeth Moss, Dominic West; A smart and ambitious art world satire from the director of FORCE MAJEURE set in and around a cutting–edge contemporary art museum, where a…
StartUp (TV Series) (2017): Feat. Martin Freeman, Adam Brody; A unique cyber thriller in which the entrepreneurs behind a revolutionary unregulated digital currency are three strangers from the wrong side of the…
Striking Out (TV Series) (2017-2018): Feat. Amy Huberman, Neil Morrissey, Fiona OShaughnessy; Charming Irish legal drama following a Dublin lawyer who risks everything to start her own private practice after breaking up with her cheating…
Stronger (2017): Dir. David Gordon Green
Feat. Jake Gyllenhaal, Tatiana Maslany, Miranda Richardson…; The inspirational real–life story starring Jake Gyllenhaal as Jeff Bauman, a 27–year–old working class man who tragically lost both…
Suburbicon (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…
Summer 1993 (2017): Dir. Carla Simón
Feat. Laia Artigas, Paula Robles, Bruna Cusí; An evocative and affecting autobiographical depiction of Catalan writer–director Carla Simón's childhood. Set in 1993, 6–year old Frida…
Sweet Country (2017): Dir. Warwick Thornton
Feat. Hamilton Morris, Sam Neill, Bryan Brown…; A sparse and beautifully shot film from the director of SAMSON AND DELILAH, telling a profound morality tale of almost biblical proportions, and…
T2 Trainspotting (2017): Dir. Danny Boyle
Feat. Ewan McGregor, Ewen Bremner, Jonny Lee Miller…; The characters of Irvine Welsh's TRAINSPOTTING are alive, if not entirely well, twenty years later in this sequel that serves up some good laughs and…
Taboo (TV Series) (2017): Feat. Tom Hardy, Leo Bill, Mark Gatiss…; Moody British period drama penned by the creative team of actor Tom Hardy and his father Edward "Chips" Hardy, and created by Stephen Knight (LOCKE).…
Thank You for Your Service (2017): Dir. Jason Hall
Feat. Miles Teller, Haley Bennett, Joe Cole…; A group of US soldiers return from Iraq and face the difficulties of reintegrating into civilian society in this finely tuned drama about PTSD. Miles…
Their Finest (2017): 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…
Thelma (2017): Dir. Joachim Trier
Feat. Eili Harboe, Henrik Rafaelsen, Kaya Wilkins…; A gracefully unsettling Nordic thriller about a painfully shy young woman whose oppressed, conservative upbringing and burgeoning passion for a…
Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri (2017): 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…
Tulip Fever (2017): Dir. Justin Chadwick
Feat. Alicia Vikander, Dane DeHaan, Zach Galifianakis…; Elegant romantic drama where an artist falls for a young married woman (Alicia Vikander) while he's commissioned to paint her portrait during the…
Twin Peaks (TV Series) (Twin Peaks: A Limited Event Series, Twin Peaks: The Return, Twin Peaks: Series 3) (2017): Dir. David Lynch
Feat. Kyle MacLachlan, Catherine E. Coulson, Madchen Amick…; Revival of the cult TV series with most of the same cast (plus many, many more), which rivals and occasionally surpasses the terrifying brilliance of…
Viceroy's House (2017): Dir. Gurinder Chadha
Feat. Hugh Bonneville, Gillian Anderson, Michael Gambon…; Another handsome chronicle of Britain's imperial history, this one depicting events of 1947, when Lord Mountbatten, the last Viceroy, was charged…
Victoria and Abdul (Victoria & Abdul) (2017): Dir. Stephen Frears
Feat. Judi Dench, Ali Fazal, Eddie Izzard…; The legendary Judi Dench returns to the role of Queen Victoria in this sumptuous story of the unlikely bond between the the aging queen and a young…
Wajib - 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…
Waru (2017): Dir. Briar Grace-Smith, Casey Kaa, Ainsley Gardiner
Feat. Miriama McDowell, Tanea Heke, Kararaina Rangihau…; An outstanding and confronting film exploring the subject of domestic child abuse in New Zealand. Eight female Maori directors have each…
Western (2017): Dir. Valeska Grisebach
Feat. Meinhard Neumann, Reinhardt Wetrek, Syuleyman Alilov Letifov; As foreign construction workers build a dam in a rural Bulgarian village, a German man has a series of personal encounters with the local landscape…
Wife, The (2017): Dir. Björn Runge
Feat. Glenn Close, Jonathan Pryce, Christian Slater…; An intelligent drama exploring the 40 year marriage between a Nobel Prize winning novelist and his wife, who has remained in the shadows as her own…
Wizard of Lies, The (2017): Dir. Barry Levinson
Feat. Robert De Niro, Michelle Pfeiffer, Alessandro Nivola…; True story of one of the largest frauds in US history, with Robert De Niro regaining some credibility in the role of corrupt businessman Bernie…
Wonder (2017): Dir. Stephen Chbosky
Feat. Julia Roberts, Owen Wilson, Jacob Tremblay…; The inspiring and heartwarming story based on the bestseller by R.J. Palacio about a boy born with facial differences that have prevented him from…
Wonder Wheel (2017): Dir. Woody Allen
Feat. Kate Winslet, Juno Temple, Justin Timberlake…; Woody Allen's 50th film(!) is yet another nostalgia–tinged drama, this time set on Coney Island in the 1950s, where a lifeguard tells the story…
Woodshock (2017): Dir. Kate Mulleavy, Laura Mulleavy
Feat. Kirsten Dunst, Joe Cole, Pilou Asbæk; A stylistically unique psychological thriller with all the elegance you'd expect from fashion designer siblings Kate and Laura Mulleavy in their…
Wound, The (Inxeba) (2017): Dir. John Trengove
Feat. Nakhane Toure; An unforgettable South African drama following a closeted relationship between two Xhosa men participating in a coming–of–age initiation…
Yellow Birds, The (2017): Dir. Alexandre Moors
Feat. Tye Sheridan, Alden Ehrenreich, Toni Collette…; Iraq War movie featuring Alden Ehrenreich and Tye Sheridan as friends who are deployed to Iraq under a hot–headed sergeant. But after a tragedy…
You Were Never Really Here (2017): Dir. Lynne Ramsay
Feat. Joaquin Phoenix, Ekaterina Samsonov, Alex Manette; Another impressionistic masterpiece from director Lynne Ramsay, with a brilliantly volatile performance from Joaquin Phoenix as a deeply traumatised…
Young Karl Marx, The (2017): Dir. Raoul Peck
Feat. August Diehl, Stefan Konarske, Vicky Krieps…; Biopic following the revolutionary figurehead Karl Marx in his 20's, as he emerges as a political theorist and meets Friedrich Engels, with whom the…
Zama (2017): Dir. Lucrecia Martel
Feat. Daniel Giménez Cacho, Lola Dueñas, Matheus Nachtergaele; Argentinian period drama demonstrating the remarkable film making talents of director Lucrecia Martel (THE HEADLESS WOMAN). A Spanish officer at a…
Zookeeper's Wife, The (2017): Dir. Niki Caro
Feat. Jessica Chastain, Johan Heldenbergh, Daniel Bruhl…; A soft–focus but still effective WWII resistance drama based on the real–life story of working wife and mother Antonina Zabinska, who…
100 Streets (2016): Dir. Jim O’Hanlon
Feat. Idris Elba, Gemma Arterton, Tom Cullen…; Compelling ensemble drama following the lives of a diverse range of characters all within one square mile of London. The story lines are…
A Date for Mad Mary (2016): 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…
A Ghost Story (2016): Dir. David Lowery
Feat. Casey Affleck, Rooney Mara; A supernatural drama of striking originality about a man and woman separated by death and haunted by eternal loss and helplessness. Framed in the…
A Quiet Passion (2016): Dir. Terence Davies
Feat. Cynthia Nixon, Jennifer Ehle, Keith Carradine; The reclusive 19th Century poet Emily Dickinson is the worthy subject of this quietly mesmerising biopic, a stand–out in the career of director…
A Silent Voice (Koe no katachi) (2016): Dir. Naoko Yamada
Feat. Miyu Irino; Unique Japanese anime following a deaf girl called Shoko, who is bullied at school by a boy who grows up to be tormented by his past behavior, and…
Adult 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 Storm (Umi yori mo mada fukaku) (2016): 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…
Allied (2016): Dir. Robert Zemeckis
Feat. Brad Pitt, Marion Cotillard, Lizzy Caplan…; Old–fashioned wartime romance between an intelligence officer and a French resistance fighter in 1942, which develops into a satisfying…
American Crime Story: People vs O.J. Simpson, The (TV Series) (2016): Feat. Cuba Jr. Gooding, Sarah Paulson, Courtney B. Vance…; Mesmerizing dramatization of the O.J. Simpson trial that defies its unconventional casting choices to take the viewer on a gripping…
American Honey (2016): Dir. Andrea Arnold
Feat. Sasha Lane, Shia LaBeouf, Riley Keough…; Esteemed British director Andrea Arnold changes pace in her American debut, taking a cast of mostly non–actors through a poetically…
American Pastoral (2016): Dir. Ewan McGregor
Feat. Ewan McGregor, Jennifer Connelly, Dakota Fanning; Based on the novel by Philip Roth, Ewan McGregor directs and stars as an all–American college star who marries a beauty queen only to see their…
Aquarius (2016): Dir. Kleber Mendonca Filho
Feat. Sonia Braga, Maeve Jinkings, Irandhir Santos…; Gratifying portrait of a 65–year–old widow and retired music critic who battles a development company to retain her residency at the…
Arrival (2016): Dir. Denis Villeneuve
Feat. Amy Adams, Jeremy Renner, Forest Whitaker…; Amy Adams plays a linguistics expert who is recruited by the military to determine the intentions of seemingly–benign alien visitors who have…
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…
Beast (2016): Dir. Sam McKeith, Tom McKeith
Feat. Chad McKinney, Garret Dillahunt; Gutsy account of a young Filipino boxer coming to terms with a tragic incident during a match in the slums of Manila.
BFG, The (2016): Dir. Steven Spielberg
Feat. Mark Rylance, Ruby Barnhill, Jemaine Clement…; Steven Spielberg directs this adaptation of Roald Dahl's children's classic about a young girl named Sophie who encounters the Big Friendly Giant,…
Billions (TV Series) (2016): Feat. Damian Lewis, Paul Giamatti, Maggie Siff…; Damian Lewis and Paul Giamatti square off in this drama set in the world of high finance from the writer of TOO BIG TO FAIL.
Billy Lynn's Long Halftime Walk (2016): Dir. Ang Lee
Feat. Joe Alwyn, Vin Diesel, Kristen Stewart…; After a near escape from a violent encounter during the Iraq war, a group of eight soldiers return home to find themselves glorified as heroes on…
Birth of a Nation, The (2016): Dir. Nate Parker
Feat. Nate Parker, Armie Hammer, Penelope Ann Miller; The true story of a violent slave rebellion in 1830's Virginia is recounted in this Sundance–winning biopic of the slave preacher Nat Turner,…
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 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.
Burn Country (The Fixer) (2016): Dir. Ian Olds
Feat. Dominic Rains, Melissa Leo, James Franco…; Iranian–American actor Dominic Rains gives an impessive performance in this topical crime drama as an exiled Afghan journalist who is given…
Cafe Society (2016): 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 Fantastic (2016): 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, 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 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, 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…
Certain Women (2016): Dir. Kelly Reichardt
Feat. Michelle Williams, Kristen Stewart, Laura Dern…; The lives of three women intersect in small–town America, where each is imperfectly blazing a trail. Another poignant, intimate drama…
Choice, The (2016): Dir. Ross Katz
Feat. Benjamin Walker, Teresa Palmer, Maggie Grace…; Romantic drama from the Nicholas Sparks playbook, and novel, about a couple who meet as neighbors in a small coastal town and wind up in a…
Christine (2016): Dir. Antonio Campos
Feat. Rebecca Hall, Michael C. Hall, J. Smith-Cameron; Rebecca Hall delivers a searing performance as 1970's news reporter Christine Chubbuck, whose struggle with depression and professional frustrations…
Chronesthesia (2016): 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…
Chuck (The Bleeder) (2016): Dir. Philippe Falardeau
Feat. Liev Schreiber, Elisabeth Moss, Naomi Watts…; The real life inspiration for Rocky Balboa, Chuck Wepner was a New Jersey liquor salesman with a modest prizefighting career whose life changed…
Collateral Beauty (2016): Dir. David Frankel
Feat. Will Smith, Edward Norton, Keira Knightley…; A broken hearted New York advertising exec learns to cope with loss and reconnect with life in this star–studded and emotional drama.
Collection, The (TV Mini-series) (2016): Feat. Richard Coyle, Tom Riley, Mamie Gummer…; Glamourous miniseries set in the Parisian fashion scene post–WWII, as two bothers emerge from their family's fashion house to compete for fame…
Complete Unknown (2016): Dir. Joshua Marston
Feat. Rachel Weisz, Michael Shannon; A shape–shifting tale of the perils and pleasures of self–reinvention in which a man is confronted by an old flame – a woman who…
Confirmation, The (2016): Dir. Bob Nelson
Feat. Clive Owen, Maria Bello, Patton Oswalt…; A divorced father and his eight–year–old son, spend a rather predictable weekend together, but when a valuable toolbox gets stolen, the…
Country Doctor, The (Irreplaceable) (2016): Dir. Thomas Lilti
Feat. Francois Cluzet, Marianne Denicourt; Genteel drama starring François Cluzet (THE INTOUCHABLES) as a devoted doctor in a rural French town who himself is diagnosed with a serious illness…
Crown, The - Season 1 (TV Series) (2016): Feat. Claire Foy, Matt Smith, Vanessa Kirby…; The writer of the acclaimed 2006 movie THE QUEEN, Peter Morgan, turns his attention to Elizabeth II's earlier years. Season One covers her marriage…
Dancer, The (La danseuse) (2016): Dir. Stéphanie Di Giusto
Feat. Soko , Gaspard Ulliel, Mélanie Thierry…; Dazzling rags–to–riches biopic following the true story of Loïe Fuller and Isadora Duncan, two dancers who together pioneered modern…
Dear 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…
Death and Life of Otto Bloom, The (2016): Dir. Cris Jones
Feat. Xavier Samuel, Rachel Ward, Matilda Brown; The chronicle of the life and great love of Otto Bloom, an extraordinary man who experiences time in reverse – passing backwards through the…
Death of Louis XIV, The (La mort de Louis XIV) (2016): Dir. Albert Serra
Feat. Jean-Pierre Leaud; A master of minimalist portraits of historical figures, Albert Serra directs French New Wave doyen Jean–Pierre Léaud as Louis XIV during the…
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…
Denial (2016): Dir. Mick Jackson
Feat. Rachel Weisz, Timothy Spall, Tom Wilkinson…; Cracking courtroom drama with Rachel Weisz in fine form as fiercly determined writer and historian Deborah E. Lipstadt, who battles for the truth to…
Dheepan (2016): Dir. Jacques Audiard
Feat. Antonythasan Jesuthasan; A Sri Lankan refugee in France finds himself posing as the father and husband of two other refugees in order to gain asylum status. An unflinchingly…
Doctor Thorne (TV Series) (Dr. Thorne) (2016): Feat. Tom Hollander, Stefanie Martini, Rebecca Front…; Excellent Victorian drama adapted from the writings of Anthony Trollope by DOWNTON ABBEY's Julian Fellowes, concerning the penniless Mary Thorne, who…
Don't Think Twice (2016): 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) (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 Eagle (2016): 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 Seventeen (2016): 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…
Elle (2016): Dir. Paul Verhoeven
Feat. Isabelle Huppert, Laurent Lafitte, Anne Consigny…; Controversial, unflinching drama closely following the perspective of a woman who is repeatedly raped by the same masked intruder, but whose…
Elvis & 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…
Equity (2016): Dir. Meera Menon
Feat. Anna Gunn, James Purefoy, Sarah Megan Thomas…; Sharp, female–centric financial thriller with BREAKING BAD's Anna Gunn as a senior investment banker who finds her career undermined by scandal…
Ethel & Ernest (Ethel and Ernest) (2016): Dir. Roger Mainwood
Feat. Jim Broadbent, Brenda Blethyn, Luke Treadaway; Beautiful hand–drawn animation based on the Raymond Briggs book of the same name, telling the true story of the author's own parents, Londoners…
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…
Exception, The (2016): Dir. David Leveaux
Feat. Lily James, Jai Courtney, Janet McTeer…; Romantic war drama fictionalizing the last few days in the life of exiled Kaiser Wilhelm II, played by Christopher Plummer. A German soldier tries to…
Family 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) (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.
Fences (2016): Dir. Denzel Washington
Feat. Denzel Washington, Viola Davis; August Wilson faithfully adapts his Pulitzer Prize–winning stageplay for the screen with Denzel Washington directing and starring as a…
Fifty Shades Darker (2016): Dir. James Foley
Feat. Dakota Johnson, Jamie Dornan, Eloise Mumford…; Inevitable sequel to FIFTY SHADES OF GREY sees Dakota Johnson and Jamie Dornan fulfilling their contractual obligations with another round of upscale…
Finding Altamira (2016): Dir. Hugh Hudson
Feat. Antonio Banderas, Golshifteh Farahani, Clément Sibony…; Antonio Banderas plays Spanish archaeologist Marcelino de Sautuola whose 1879 discovery of the 10,000–year–old cave paintings in the Cave…
Florence Foster Jenkins (2016): 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…
Founder, The (2016): Dir. John Lee Hancock
Feat. Michael Keaton, Nick Offerman, John Carroll Lynch…; The story of the founding of the McDonald's burger empire, with Michael Keaton as the ambitious and manipulative salesman who franchised a…
Frank and Lola (2016): Dir. Matthew Ross
Feat. Michael Shannon, Imogen Poots, Michael Nyqvist…; Haunting neo–noir romance which delves deep into the male psyche to offer a portrait of desire, obsession and suspicion, bathed in a…
Frantz (2016): Dir. Francois Ozon
Feat. Pierre Niney, Paula Beer; A young woman in small–town Germany is mourning the death of her fiance in the wake of WWI, and forms an unexpected bond with an enigmatic and…
Free State of Jones (2016): Dir. Gary Ross
Feat. Matthew McConaughey, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Keri Russell…; Matthew McConaughey stars in this fascinating true story as a disillusioned Confederate army deserter who returns to Mississippi and leads a militia…
Game of Thrones - Season 6 (TV Series) (2016): The struggle for the iron throne continues in the sixth season of the rightly acclaimed HBO series derived from George R.R. Martin's fantasy novels.
Girl on the Train, The (2016): Dir. Tate Taylor
Feat. Emily Blunt, Haley Bennett, Rebecca Ferguson…; Adapted of the best–selling novel by Paula Hawkins (and transposed from its British setting to America), the mystery unravels for Emily Blunt…
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,…
Gold (2016): Dir. Stephen Gaghan
Feat. Matthew McConaughey, Édgar Ramírez, Bryce Dallas Howard…; A down–on–his–luck prospector strikes it lucky after finding a massive gold deposit in the uncharted Indonesian Jungle, but finds…
Graduation (Bacalaureat) (2016): Dir. Cristian Mungiu
Feat. Adrian Titieni, Maria-Victoria Dragus; Subtly engrossing drama follows the moral dilemmas of a well–meaning and respected doctor who succumbs to Romania's endemic corruption in order…
Great Maiden's Blush, The (2016): Dir. Andrea Bosshard, Shane Loader
Feat. Miriama McDowell, Renee Lyons; A precarious friendship develops between two first–time single mothers – one a taxi–driver and girl racer, the other a pianist and…
Hacksaw Ridge (2016): Dir. Mel Gibson
Feat. Andrew Garfield, Teresa Palmer, Vince Vaughn…; The true World War II story of a conscientious objector who, at the Battle of Okinawa, won the Medal of Honor for his bravery and regard for his…
Handmaiden, The (2016): Dir. Park Chan-Wook
Feat. Min-hee Kim, Tae-ri Kim, Jung-woo Ha…; Delicious erotic thriller from the brilliant Park Chan–Wook, who lends his impeccable style to a provocative potboiler of lesbian love and…
Handsome 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…
Happy Hour (2016): Dir. Ryusuke Hamaguchi
Feat. Tanaka Sachie, Kikuchi Hazuki, Mihara Maiko…; Intelligent and novelistic drama exploring the private and professional lives of four Japanese women in their 30's across an ambitious, but…
Hidden Figures (2016): Dir. Theodore Melfi
Feat. Taraji P. Henson, Octavia Spencer, Janelle Monáe…; Inspirational story of a team of African–American women mathematicians who served a vital role in NASA during the early years of the US space…
Hollars, 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, 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) (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…
House of Cards - Season 4 (TV Series, US) (2016): Feat. Kevin Spacey, Robin Wright, Kate Mara; Further episodes in the shadowy revival of the classic BBC political series, with Kevin Spacey (perfectly cast) as a machiavellian congressman…
Hunt for the Wilderpeople (2016): 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"…
I, Daniel Blake (2016): Dir. Ken Loach
Feat. Dave Johns, Hayley Squires, Dylan McKiernan…; Infused with Loach's unique mix of tenderness and political consciousness, this deeply moving Palm d'or winner follows the troubled lives of a…
Indignation (2016): Dir. James Schamus
Feat. Logan Lerman, Sarah Gadon, Tracy Letts; Directorial debut of screenwriter and Ang Lee's long–time producing partner James Schamus is an understated adaptation of Philip Roth's…
Innocents, The (Agnus Dei) (2016): Dir. Anne Fontaine
Feat. Lou de Laâge, Agata Kulesza, Agata Buzek…; In Poland after World War II, a young French Red Cross intern who is sent to assist the survivors of the German camps discovers several nuns in…
Jackie (2016): Dir. Pablo Larrain
Feat. Natalie Portman, Peter Sarsgaard, Greta Gerwig…; A portrait of Jackie Kennedy following the assassination of her husband John F. Kennedy. Natalie Portman provides an intimate and sensitive portrayal…
Jasper Jones (2016): Dir. Rachel Perkins
Feat. Levi Miller, Aaron L. McGrath, Angourie Rice…; A nostalgic portrait of Australian childhood in the summer of '69 that tells the story of a bookish boy who finds himself caught up in a local murder…
Journey, The (2016): Dir. Nick Hamm
Feat. Timothy Spall, Colm Meaney, Toby Stephens…; A fictionalised account of the unlikely alliance that developed between Unionists and Republicans in Ireland in 2006, when the two principle…
Julieta (2016): Dir. Pedro Almodovar
Feat. Emma Suarez, Adriana Ugarte; The complexities of a woman's past are unraveled after a chance encounter, in this loose adaptation of three short stories by Alice Munro. More…
King's Choice, The (2016): Dir. Erik Poppe
Feat. Jesper Christensen, Anders Baasmo; Vibrant war–time drama set during the three days in 1940 when German forces occupied Oslo and King Haakon VII and his family went into hiding.…
La La Land (2016): 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…
Lady Macbeth (2016): Dir. William Oldroyd
Feat. Florence Pugh, Cosmo Jarvis, Paul Hilton…; A confronting, whip–smart "costume noir" about a woman stifled by her loveless marriage in rural England, 1865, whose passionate affair with a…
Lazy 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.…
LBJ (2016): Dir. Rob Reiner
Feat. Woody Harrelson, Rob Reiner; Absorbing biopic set during the tumultuous era when JFK is assassinated, and his democratic political rival Lyndon Johnson is suddenly thrust into…
Levelling, The (2016): Dir. Hope Dickson Leach
Feat. Ellie Kendrick, David Troughton, Jack Holden; British drama set in Somerset, where a veterinary student (Ellie Kendrick) is facing the death of her younger brother by apparent suicide, and…
Light Between Oceans, The (2016): Dir. Derek Cianfrance
Feat. Michael Fassbender, Alicia Vikander, Rachel Weisz…; An elegant sweeping melodrama set in post–WWI Western Australia about a lighthouse keeper and his wife who raise a baby they rescue from an…
Like 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…
Lion (2016): Dir. Garth Davis
Feat. Dev Patel, Rooney Mara, Sunny Pawar…; Riveting true story of a boy who becomes separated from his Indian family at the age of 5, and is adopted by Australian parents. As an adult, he…
Lipstick Under My Burkha (2016): Dir. Alankrita Shrivastava
Feat. Ratna Pathak, Konkona Sen Sharma, Aahana Kumra…; Set in the crowded by–lanes of small town India, Lipstick Under My Burkha chronicles the secret lives of four women in search of a little…
Little Men (2016): Dir. Ira Sachs
Feat. Greg Kinnear, Jennifer Ehle, Paulina García…; A pair of thirteen–year–old boys have their newfound friendship tested by their parents' battle over a dress shop lease in what is…
Love & Friendship (Love and Friendship) (2016): 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…
Lovesong (2016): Dir. So Yong Kim
Feat. Jena Malone, Riley Keough, Brooklyn Decker…; An affecting character study of best friends and would–be lovers who embark on an impromptu road trip days before one of them gets married. By…
Loving (2016): Dir. Jeff Nichols
Feat. Joel Edgerton, Ruth Negga, Marton Csokas…; The wrenching true story of an interracial couple who were arrested in 1950's Virginia is told with expert sensitivity by director Jeff Nichols, and…
Mahana (2016): Dir. Lee Tamahori
Feat. Temuera Morrison, Nancy Brunning, Akuhata Keefe…; Lee Tamahori and Temuera Morrison re–team for this evocative adaptation of Witi Ihimaera's saga of warring families in 1960's New…
Manchester By the Sea (2016): Dir. Kenneth Lonergan
Feat. Casey Affleck, Michelle Williams, Kyle Chandler…; Casey Affleck won a Best Actor Oscar for his role as a man with a haunted past who is asked to take care of his teenage nephew after his brother…
Manifesto (2016): Dir. Julian Rosefeldt
Feat. Cate Blanchett; Brilliantly conceived and executed homage to the tradition of artist manifestos, which poses intelligent questions about the role of the artist in…
Masters of Sex - Season 4 (TV Series) (2016): Feat. Lizzy Caplan, Martin Sheen; Fourth and final season of the dramatisation of the work of pioneering researchers Dr. William Masters and Virginia Johnson, the eponymous 'Masters…
Maudie (2016): Dir. Aisling Walsh
Feat. Ethan Hawke, Sally Hawkins, Kari Matchett…; An arthritic Nova Scotia woman works as a housekeeper while she hones her skills as an artist and eventually becomes a beloved figure in the…
Me Before You (2016): Dir. Thea Sharrock
Feat. Emilia Clarke, Sam Claflin, Janet McTeer…; Prestige weepy based on the Jojo Moyes bestseller features Emilia Clarke as a woman in a small town who forms an unlikely bond with a…
Midnight Special (2016): Dir. Jeff Nichols
Feat. Michael Shannon, Joel Edgerton, Kirsten Dunst…; Soulful sci–fi thriller from director Jeff Nichols (TAKE SHELTER, MUD) follows a father and son as they go on the run, pursued by the…
Miss Saigon (2016): Spectacular 25th Anniversary Gala Performance of an acclaimed new stage production by Boublil & Schonberg that tells the tragic tale of a young…
Miss Sloane (2016): Dir. John Madden
Feat. Jessica Chastain, Michael Stuhlbarg, Gugu Mbatha-Raw…; Political thriller following the exploits of a steely, determined Washington lobbyist (Chastain). With an unparalleled reputation in the high stakes…
Money Monster (2016): Dir. Jodie Foster
Feat. George Clooney, Julia Roberts, Jack O'Connell…; Jodie Foster directs this angry media satire starring George Clooney as a financial TV host held hostage by an irate investor.
Month of Sundays, A (2016): Dir. Matthew Saville
Feat. Anthony LaPaglia, Julia Blake, John Clarke…; Underrated Australian drama with LaPaglia as an emotionally troubled real estate agent, unable to sell his house or bond with his teenage son after…
Moonlight (2016): Dir. Barry Jenkins
Feat. Trevante Rhodes, Ashton Sanders, Andre Holland…; Critically lauded and Oscar–awarded drama that chronicles two decades in the life of a black gay man growing up in a poor Miami neighbourhood.…
Moonstone, The (TV Mini-series) (2016): Feat. John Thomson, Sarah Hadland, Joshua Silver…; Updated BBC version of the Wilkie Collins' novel in which the numerous party guests at an English country house have a motive for stealing a missing…
Mother'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) (2016-2019): 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…
My Mother and Other Strangers (TV Mini-series) (2016): Dir. Adrian Shergold
Feat. Hattie Morahan, Owen McDonnell; Five–episode mini–series set during WWII in which a family and their neighbours in a Northern Irish village come to terms with the influx…
Neruda (2016): Dir. Pablo Larrain
Feat. Gael Garcia Bernal, Luis Gnecco, Mercedes Morán; Universally acclaimed biographical drama about poet and communist senator Pablo Neruda, who was forced into hiding with his artist wife when the Cold…
Nocturnal Animals (2016): Dir. Tom Ford
Feat. Amy Adams, Jake Gyllenhaal, Michael Shannon…; Renowned fashion designer Tom Ford follows his film debut A SINGLE MAN with this highly intriguing neo–noir tale about a wealthy art gallery…
Norman: The Moderate Rise and Tragic Fall of a New York Fixer (2016): Dir. Joseph Cedar
Feat. Richard Gere, Lior Ashkenazi, Hank Azaria…; Richard Gere plays a down–on–his–luck Jewish "macher" (person of high influence in circles of wealth and power) whose friend…
Odyssey, The (L'odyssée) (2016): Dir. Jérôme Salle
Feat. Lambert Wilson, Pierre Niney, Audrey Tautou; A shimmering yet unvarnished biopic of pioneering Frenchman Jacques Cousteau, who invented the aqualung and went on to become a world–famous…
Olive 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 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…
Paterson (2016): Dir. Jim Jarmusch
Feat. Adam Driver, Golshifteh Farahani; A profound ode to small–town life and the beauty found within everyday simplicity, director Jim Jarmusch here creates a masterful, carefully…
Path, The (TV Series) (2016): Feat. Aaron Paul, Michelle Monaghan, Emma Greenwell…; Compelling drama following a family who belong to a mysterious cult in upstate New York. Themes of relationships, faith and power are explored, with…
Perfect Strangers (Perfetti sconosciuti) (2016): 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…
Phenom, The (2016): Dir. Noah Buschel
Feat. Ethan Hawke, Paul Giamatti, Johnny Simmons…; Understated baseball drama about a rookie pitcher struggling to come to terms with his abusive father and his sudden and potentially disastorous loss…
Planetarium (2016): Dir. Rebecca Zlotowski
Feat. Natalie Portman, Lily-Rose Depp, Emmanuel Salinger; Natalie Portman and Lily–Rose Depp play two American sisters in pre–war France with apparent psychic abilities that engage the interest…
Polina (2016): Dir. Valérie Müller, Angelin Preljocaj
Feat. Anastasia Shevtsova, Veronika Zhovnytska, Juliette Binoche; Elegant, methodical drama about a gifted Russian dancer who gives up the chance to join the prestigious Bolshoi Ballet when she moves to France to…
Promise, The (2016): Dir. Terry George
Feat. Oscar Isaac, Charlotte Le Bon, Christian Bale…; From the director of HOTEL RWANDA, this historical drama set in the final years of the Ottoman Empire follows an Armenian student caught up in a love…
Queen of Katwe, The (2016): Dir. Mira Nair
Feat. Madina Nalwanga, David Oyelowo; The true story of a young girl from the streets of Uganda whose world changes when she is introduced to the game of chess. A widely acclaimed Disney…
Race (2016): Dir. Stephen Hopkins
Feat. Stephan James, Jason Sudeikis, Jeremy Irons…; Earnest biopic of the great Olympian Jesse Owens whose efforts at the 1936 Berlin Olympics flew in the face of Adolph Hitler's vision for Aryan…
Rams (2016): Dir. Grimur Hakonarson
Feat. Sigurour Sigurjonsson, Theodor Juliusson; Distinctively woolly Nordic tale of two estranged sheep–farming brothers as they attempt to save their flocks from pending eradication in a…
Rebellion (TV Series) (2016): Feat. Niamh Cusack, Brian Gleeson, Ruth Bradley…; Powerful period drama that chronicles life in post–World War I Ireland as seen through the eyes of three young women, their families and…
Rehearsal, The (2016): Dir. Alison Maclean
Feat. James Rolleston, Kerry Fox, Alice Englert…; Finely judged adaptation of Eleanor Catton's debut novel follows a young Auckland drama student desperate to impress his tutor, who mines a scandal…
Roots (TV Mini-Series) (2016): Dir. Phillip Noyce, Mario Van Peebles, Thomas Carter
Feat. Laurence Fishburne, Matthew Goode, Derek Luke…; A powerful new adaptation of Alex Haley's Pulitzer Prize–winning novel. This tragic story of resilience is told in four parts covering four…
Salesman, The (Forusande‎) (2016): Dir. Asghar Farhadi
Feat. Shahab Hosseini, Taraneh Alidoosti; Another subtle yet powerful drama from the celebrated director of THE SEPARATION and THE PAST that replays his signature themes of fear, guilt and…
Sami Blood (2016): Dir. Amanda Kernell
Feat. Lene Cecilia Sparrok , Hanna Alström; Emotionally powerful female coming–of–age movie set in 1930's Sweden, where a reindeer–herding teenager, an indigenous Sami child,…
Shared 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…
Shepherds and Butchers (2016): Dir. Oliver Schmitz
Feat. Andrea Riseborough, Steve Coogan; Apartheid era South African drama following a British lawyer (Coogan)'s heroic attempt to overthrow the death penalty after a white prison guard goes…
Silence (2016): Dir. Martin Scorsese
Feat. Liam Neeson, Adam Driver, Andrew Garfield…; A 25–year labour of love for director Scorsese, this profound meditation on faith is set during the ban on Christianity in 17th Century Japan…
Southside with You (2016): Dir. Richard Tanne
Feat. Tika Sumpter, Parker Sawyers; A tender and thoughtful romantic drama that chronicles the summer afternoon when a young Barack Obama wooed his future First Lady on an epic first…
Street 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…
Sully (2016): Dir. Clint Eastwood
Feat. Tom Hanks, Aaron Eckhart, Laura Linney…; Thrilling true story with Tom Hanks bringing his every man charm to the role of Chesley Sullenberger the heroic pilot who made a scarcely believable…
Teacher, The (Ucitelka) (2016): 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…
Things to Come (L'avenir) (2016): Dir. Mia Hansen-Love
Feat. Isabelle Huppert, Andre Marcon, Roman Kolinka; A passionate and intelligent philosophy professor experiences a crisis of identity in this exquisitely detailed drama with Huppert terrific in the…
Thirteen (TV Mini-series) (2016): Feat. Jodie Comer, Natasha Little, Stuart Graham…; Five–part BBC psychological drama that follows a 26–year–old woman who learns to live again after being abducted and held in…
This 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) (2016): 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…
Tommy's Honour (2016): Dir. Jason Connery
Feat. Jack Lowden, Peter Mullan, Sam Neill…; Father and son camaraderie and rivalry lies at the heart of this bittersweet tale of the real–life founders of the modern game of golf set in…
Toni Erdmann (2016): 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…
Trespass Against Us (2016): Dir. Adam Smith
Feat. Michael Fassbender, Brendan Gleeson; The bond between a patriarch and his son is explored in this gritty but picturesque Irish crime–family drama, anchored by strong performances…
Tutankhamun (TV Mini-series) (2016): Dir. Peter Webber
Feat. Max Irons, Jonathan Aris, Sam Neill…; A four–part dramatisation of how a penniless, ostracised archaeologist named Howard Carter became a household name following his discovery of…
Two 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…
Una (2016): Dir. Benedict Andrews
Feat. Rooney Mara, Ben Mendelsohn, Riz Ahmed…; Compelling adaptation of David Harrower's two–hand play "Blackbird" that maturely navigates the thin and morally sensitive line between…
United Kingdom, A (2016): Dir. Amma Asante
Feat. Rosamund Pike, David Oyelowo, Jack Davenport…; Assured historical drama which deftly covers a decade–long fight for acceptance when the King of Botswana falls in love with a British clerk…
Untamed, The (La región salvaje) (2016): Dir. Amat Escalante
Feat. Ruth Ramos, Simone Bucio, Jesús Meza; Unforgettable psycho–sexual horror featuring a multi–tentacled alien which becomes the source of obsession for members of a Mexican…
Vessel, The (2016): Dir. Julio Quintana
Feat. Martin Sheen, Lucas Quintana, Jacqueline Duprey; Faith and redemption permeate this sombre drama starring Martin Sheen as a priest involved in a small town still grieving from a tsunami event that…
Victoria (TV Series) (2016): Feat. Jenna Coleman, Tom Hughes, Peter Bowles; Lavish drama series that depicts the early life of Queen Victoria, from her accession to the throne at the tender age of 18 through to her courtship…
Wakefield (2016): Dir. Robin Swicord
Feat. Bryan Cranston, Jennifer Garner, Beverly D'Angelo; A successful suburbanite vanishes without a trace, camping out in his attic and secretly observing the lives of his wife and children. Bryan Cranston…
War and Peace (TV Series) (2016): Dir. Tom Harper
Feat. Paul Dano, Lily James, James Norton…; Stellar BBC take on the Tolstoy's classic tale of aristocratic families caught in the tumult of Napoleon's invasion of Russia.
Whiskey 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…
Whole Truth, The (2016): Feat. Keanu Reeves, Renee Zellweger, Gugu Mbatha-Raw…; Keanu Reeves plays an attorney who works on a tough case to defend a 17–year–old suspected of murdering his wealthy father in this…
Wiener-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,…
Witness for the Prosecution, The (2016): Feat. Toby Jones, Andrea Riseborough, David Haig…; 2–part miniseries based on Agatha Christie's popular story. A wealthy heiress is found murdered and her principle heir is naturally the major…
Young Pope, The (TV Series) (2016): Dir. Paolo Sorrentino
Feat. Jude Law, Diane Keaton, Silvio Orlando…; Ten–part miniseries following the reign of Pope Pius XIII, the first American pontiff. Featuring Jude Law in a heavily praised lead…
Your Name (Kimi no na wa) (2016): Dir. Makoto Shinkai; Another exquisite animated drama from Makoto Shinkai, an increasingly beloved and notable voice in the world of Japanese anime. The story is based on…
'71 (2015): Dir. Yann Demange
Feat. Jack O'Connell, Richard Dormer, Sean Harris; A visceral thriller in which a young British soldier must find his way back to safety after his unit accidentally abandons him during a riot in the…
33, The (2015): Dir. Patricia Riggen
Feat. Juliette Binoche, Rodrigo Santoro, James Brolin…; Measured recreation of the infamous Chilean mine disaster which left 33 miners trapped underground, and their struggle for survival.
45 Years (2015): Dir. Andrew Haigh
Feat. Charlotte Rampling, Tom Courtenay, Geraldine James…; A stunning, finely–modulated drama with Charlotte Rampling and Tom Courtenay playing a married couple whose trust and belief in their…
5 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) (2015): 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 Ove (En man som heter Ove) (2015): 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…
A Perfect Day (2015): Dir. Fernando León de Aranoa
Feat. Benicio Del Toro, Tim Robbins, Olga Kurylenko…; Trenchant, satisfying black comedy about a group of aid workers struggling with the task of removing a corpse from a well at the end of the Yugoslav…
Age Of Adaline (2015): Dir. Lee Toland Krieger
Feat. Blake Lively, Michiel Huisman, Harrison Ford…; Blake Lively headlines this appealing fantasy about a young woman, born at the turn of the 20th century, rendered ageless after an accident.
Aloha (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 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…
Anomalisa (2015): 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…
Arabian Nights (2015): Dir. Miguel Gomes
Feat. Crista Alfaiate; Wildly original and ambitious triptych of films set in modern–day Portugal but structured on the sprawling Arabic fairy–tale collection…
As it is in Heaven 2: Heaven on Earth (Heaven on Earth) (2015): Dir. Kay Pollak
Feat. Frida Hallgren, Niklas Falk, Jacob Oftebro; Sequel to the beloved Swedish classic, follows on after the death of conductor Daniel Darius, where the soprano and love of his life expects his…
Asthma (2015): Dir. Jake Hoffman
Feat. Krysten Ritter, Benedict Samuel; Two New York slackers hit the road in a Rolls Royce after one of them hits rock bottom in his attempts to overcome heroin addiction. A melancholy ode…
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.
Bang Gang (A Modern Love Story) (2015): Dir. Eva Husson
Feat. Finnegan Oldfield; A refreshingly non–judgemental account of female promiscuity, following a group of adolescents in a sleepy French town who start a sex party…
Banished (TV Mini-series) (2015): Feat. Orla Brady, Ewen Bremner, MyAnna Buring…; British period drama created by Jimmy McGovern (CRACKER), set in the 18th century in the first penal colony founded by the British in New South…
Better Call Saul (TV Series) (2015): 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, The (2015): 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…
Bigger Splash, A (2015): Dir. Luca Guadagnino
Feat. Tilda Swinton, Matthias Schoenaerts, Ralph Fiennes…; A sensuous, if overly–mannered comedy of manners from the director of I AM LOVE has the Sicilian vacation of a famous rock star and a filmmaker…
Black Mass (2015): Dir. Scott Cooper
Feat. Johnny Depp, Benedict Cumberbatch, Dakota Johnson…; True crime yarn with Johnny Depp disappearing into the role of notorious gangster Whitey Bulger, who became an FBI informant in order to take down a…
Bloodline (TV Series) (2015): Feat. Kyle Chandler, Ben Mendelsohn, Linda Cardellini…; Knotty thriller about a family of adult siblings who find that their past secrets and scars are revealed when their black sheep of a brother returns…
Boomerang (2015): Dir. François Favrat
Feat. Laurent Lafitte, Mélanie Laurent, Audrey Dana…; Proficient French thriller from the author of SARAH'S KEY concerns a pair of siblings and their pursuit for the truth behind their mother's death.
Born To Be Blue (2015): Dir. Robert Budreau
Feat. Ethan Hawke, Carmen Ejogo; Impressionistic biopic re–imaging Chet Baker's musical comeback in the late '60s, with Ethan Hawke playing the jazz legend who battled heroin…
Born to Dance (2015): Dir. Tammy Davis
Feat. Parris Goebel, Stan Walker, Kherington Payne…; Dance phenomenon Parris Goebel and Stan Walker stars in this coming of age tale told through the eyes of 'Tu', an ambitious young man from Auckland…
Brand 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…
Bridge of Spies (2015): Dir. Steven Spielberg
Feat. Tom Hanks, Mark Rylance, Alan Alda…; Elegant, nostalgic Cold–War drama from Steven Spielberg based on a true story. Tom Hanks plays the American attorney thanklessly tasked with…
Brooklyn (2015): Dir. John Crowley
Feat. Saoirse Ronan, Emory Cohen, Domhnall Gleeson…; Powerful saga of an Irish immigrant in 1950s New York who falls for a tough Italian plumber, but faces temptation from another man when she returns…
Burnt (2015): Dir. John Wells
Feat. Sienna Miller, Daniel Bruhl, Omar Sy…; Culinary drama with Bradley Cooper as a temperamental chef pushing his staff to the limits as he strives for a third Michelin star.
By The Sea (2015): Dir. Angelina Jolie
Feat. Angelina Jolie, Brad Pitt, Mélanie Laurent…; A vainglorious romantic drama that stars Pitt and Jolie as a troubled couple trying to save their relationship while vacationing in coastal France.…
Call My Agent (TV Series) (Dix pour cent) (2015): Feat. Camille Cottin, Liliane Rovere, Thibault de Montalembert; French TV drama set in a talent agency and following the lives of the agents as they combine art with business and juggle their private and…
Capital (2015): Feat. Adeel Akhtar, Danny Ashok, Mona Goodwin…; A three–part British TV adaptation of the novel by John Lanchester, set on an affluent London street, where residents receive a strange note…
Carol (2015): Dir. Todd Haynes
Feat. Cate Blanchett, Rooney Mara, Sarah Paulson…; Cate Blanchett and Rooney Mara star in this spellbinding adaptation of Patricia Highsmith's groundbreaking romantic novel. Set in 1950's New York it…
Casual Vacancy, The (TV Mini-Series) (2015): Feat. Rory Kinnear, Michael Gambon, Keeley Hawes…; J. K. Rowling's novel of small–town politcs in which the residents of Pagford fight for a spot on the parish council after the unexpected death…
Catching Milat (TV Mini-series) (2015): Feat. Richard Cawthorne, Malcolm Kennard; Rigorous psychological thriller based on the investigation into the 1990s backpacker murders leading to the arrest and conviction of serial killer…
Cemetery of Splendour (2015): Dir. Apichatpong Weerasethakul
Feat. Jenjira Pongpas Widner; Mesmerising film in the director's indefinable style, set in and around a rural Thai hospital which may be haunted. A group of soldiers…
Chi-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…
Child 44 (2015): Dir. Daniel Espinosa
Feat. Tom Hardy, Gary Oldman, Noomi Rapace…; Disturbing thriller with Tom Hardy as disgraced member of the military police investigating a series of nasty child murders during the…
Childhood of a Leader, The (2015): Dir. Brady Corbet
Feat. Bérénice Bejo, Liam Cunningham, Stacy Martin…; Based loosely on a Jean–Paul Sartre short story and also John Fowles' novel, The Magus, this arresting arthouse directing debut for American…
Concussion (2015): Dir. Peter Landesman
Feat. Will Smith, Alec Baldwin, Albert Brooks…; Worthy medical drama with Will Smith as a forensic pathologist investigating repeated incidences of brain degeneration in professional football…
Courted (2015): Dir. Christian Vincent
Feat. Fabrice Luchini, Sidse Babett Knudsen; Denmark's Sidse Babett Knudsen (BORGEN) stars in this quietly accomplished French romantic drama as a juror who's shared past with a judge is…
Creed (2015): Dir. Ryan Coogler
Feat. Sylvester Stallone, Michael B. Jordan, Tessa Thompson…; Rocky Balboa returns in this highly–acclaimed, downbeat entry to the franchise with the boxing hero serving as trainer to the son of his late…
Crimson Peak (2015): Dir. Guillermo Del Toro
Feat. Mia Wasikowska, Jessica Chastain, Tom Hiddleston…; Guillermo del Toro directs this sumptuous Gothic feast in which a new bride investigates ghostly visions at a remote mansion that holds dark secrets.
Danish Girl, The (2015): Dir. Tom Hooper
Feat. Eddie Redmayne, Alicia Vikander, Amber Heard…; Prestige romantic drama loosely inspired by the lives of Danish artists Lili Elbe and Gerda Wegene, and traces the evolution of their relationship…
Danny 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…
Dare to be Wild (2015): Dir. Vivienne De Courcy
Feat. Emma Greenwell, Tom Hughes, Alex Macqueen; The true story of Mary Reynolds, a young designer who ruffled feathers at the 2002 Chelsea Flower Show by entering a competition garden using only…
Daughter, The (2015): Dir. Simon Stone
Feat. Geoffrey Rush, Miranda Otto, Paul Schneider…; Australian melodrama based on Henrik Ibsen's play "The Wild Duck", in which a prodigal son's return home to a small logging town reveals a dark…
Decadence (Decadencia) (2015): Dir. Joaquin Rodriguez
Feat. Nataly Umaña, Alejandro Estrada; Over–heated eroticism from Mexico with a young woman falling for a rich entrepreneur after he nearly runs her over with his car.
Diary of a Teenage Girl, The (2015): 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…
Doctor Foster (TV Series) (2015-2017): Feat. Suranne Jones, Bertie Carvel, Jodie Comer; Top quality BBC melodrama with Suranne Jones superb as a general practitioner who becomes obessed with the notion that her doting husband may be…
Downriver (2015): Dir. Grant Scicluna
Feat. Reef Ireland, Kerry Fox, Robert Taylor…; Arresting, but undeniably downbeat character study that follows a teenager freshly released from juvenile prison as he attempts to adjust to life on…
Downton Abbey - Series 6 (TV Series) (2015): Feat. Hugh Bonneville, Maggie Smith, Elizabeth McGovern…; Further episodes from ITV's immensely popular, top–of–the–range period drama, centred on the residents and staff of the titular…
Downton Abbey - The Finale (TV Mini-series) (Downton Abbey Christmas 2015) (2015): Feat. Hugh Bonneville, Michelle Dockery, Laura Carmichael; The final installment of this internationally acclaimed hit drama series that chronicled the lives of the Crawley family and their servants.
Dressmaker, The (2015): 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…
Driftless Area, The (2015): Dir. Zachary Sluser
Feat. Anton Yelchin, Zooey Deschanel, John Hawkes…; Reality–bending thriller about a man who returns to his hometown after his parents die and soon becomes involved in a dangerous situation with…
Early Winter (2015): Dir. Michael Rowe
Feat. Suzanne Clément, Paul Doucet, Micheline Lanctôt…; The disintegrating marriage of a Montreal couple is examined in this chilly, well–observed relationship drama from expat Australian director,…
Empire (TV Series) (2015): Feat. Terrence Howard, Taraji P. Henson, Gabourey Sidibe; Terrence Howard stars as the CEO of a hugely successful music label who is diagnosed with a neurodegenerative disease and has to choose one of his…
End of the Tour, The (2015): Dir. James Ponsoldt
Feat. Jason Segel, Jesse Eisenberg, Anna Chlumsky…; Surprisingly engrossing account of the five–day interview between the late David Foster Wallace and reporter David Lipsky taking place shortly…
Endless Night (Nobody Wants the Night) (2015): Dir. Isabel Coixet
Feat. Juliette Binoche, Gabriel Byrne, Rinko Kikuchi…; Serviceable adventure with Juliette Binoche starring as Arctic explorer Josephine Peary searching for her missing husband in remote Greenland.
Equals (2015): Dir. Drake Doremus
Feat. Nicholas Hoult, Kristen Stewart, Guy Pearce…; Thoughtful sci–fi drama set in an emotionless utopia with Hoult and Stewart as two people falling in love after they regain their feelings from…
Everest (2015): Dir. Baltasar Kormakur
Feat. Jason Clarke, Josh Brolin, Jake Gyllenhaal…; This lavishly mounted account of the ill–fated climbing expedition that claimed the life of New Zealand mountaineer Rob Hall is especially…
Experimenter (2015): Dir. Michael Almereyda
Feat. Peter Sarsgaard, Winona Ryder, Taryn Manning…; Compelling account of pioneering social psychologist Stanley Milgram and his controversial behaviour experiments in the 1960's that tested people's…
Eye in the Sky (2015): Dir. Gavin Hood
Feat. Aaron Paul, Alan Rickman, Barkhad Abdi…; Provocative drama that examines the perils of drone warfare with Helen Mirren as a military officer in command of a mission to capture terrorists in…
Far from the Madding Crowd (2015): Dir. Thomas Vinterberg
Feat. Carey Mulligan, Matthias Schoenaerts, Michael Sheen…; Stirring adaptation of the Thomas Hardy novel boasts a very fine performance from Carey Mulligan as Bathsheba Everdene a young farmer who attracts…
Fargo - Season 2 (TV Series) (2015): Feat. Kirsten Dunst, Patrick Wilson, Jesse Plemons…; Much acclaimed second season is set in the late seventies and features more deception, intrigue and murder in and around the town of Fargo, North…
Fathers and Daughters (2015): Dir. Gabriele Muccino
Feat. Russell Crowe, Amanda Seyfried, Aaron Paul…; Melodramatic ensemble piece with Russell Crowe as a widower struggling with fatherhood and mental illness.
Fencer, The (Miekkailija) (2015): Dir. Klaus Haro
Feat. Märt Avandi; An accomplished Estonian fencer returns to his homeland after fleeing from the Russian secret police during WWII. He quickly becomes a role model and…
Fifty Shades of Grey (2015): Dir. Sam Taylor-Johnson
Feat. Dakota Johnson, Jamie Dornan, Jennifer Ehle…; Blockbuster adaptation of E.L James' erotic novel about a young literature student's life–changing encounter with the handsome, yet tormented,…
Flesh and Bone (TV Series) (2015): Feat. Sarah Hay, Ben Daniels, Damon Herriman; Psychological drama series about a talented but emotionally troubled dancer who runs away to New York City and quickly finds herself immersed in the…
Focus (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, The (2015): 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…
Fortitude (TV Series) (2015): Feat. Sofie Grabol, Richard Dormer, Stanley Tucci…; Addictive murder mystery set on the edge of the Arctic Circle, in the town of Fortitude, a town whose peaceful reputation is under threat.
Francisco: The Man Behind The Pope (Francis:Pray for Me) (2015): Dir. Beda Docampo Feijóo
Feat. Darío Grandinetti, Silvia Abascal, Leticia Bredice; Somewhat fawning look at the life of Jorge Mario Bergoglio, form his early childhood days in Argentina to his becoming Pope Francis.
Francofonia (2015): Dir. Alexandr Sokurov
Feat. Louis-Do de Lencquesaing, Benjamin Utzerath; A richly evocative and insightful historical cine–essay from celebrated dir. Alexander Sokurov (RUSSIAN ARK) that charts the relationship…
Freeheld (2015): Dir. Peter Sollett
Feat. Julianne Moore, Elliot Page, Steve Carell…; Julianne Moore and Elliot Page headline this fact–based drama as a couple battling to secure their financial future in the face of a terminal…
Frisky (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…
Game of Thrones - Season 5 (TV Series) (2015): Feat. Peter Dinklage; The struggle for the iron throne continues in the fifth season of the rightly acclaimed HBO series derived from George R.R. Martin's fantasy…
Girl 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…
Girl in the Book, The (2015): Dir. Marya Cohn
Feat. Emily VanCamp, Michael Nyqvist, Michael Cristofer…; Absorbing tale of a young book editor forced to confront her past when she crosses paths with a writer who befriended her as a teen.
Girl King, The (2015): Dir. Mika Kaurismaki
Feat. Malin Buska, Sarah Gadon, Michael Nyqvist…; Lush period drama about Queen Christina, Sweden's convention flaunting monarch, and her battle with the conservative forces determined to halt her…
Girls - Season 4 (TV Series) (2015): 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,…
Grandma (2015): 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…
Grey's Anatomy (TV Series) - Season 11 (2015): Eleventh season of the popular female–driven medical soap, continuing the trials and tribulations of five first–year interns as they…
Heat Wave (Coup de chaud) (2015): Dir. Raphaël Jacoulot
Feat. Jean-Pierre Darroussin, Gregory Gadebois; A peaceful French hamlet is turned upside down when a deranged local starts harassing the the villagers and causing hostilities to rise dangerously.…
Heavy Water War, The (The Saboteurs) (2015): Dir. Per-Olav Sørensen
Feat. Espen Klouman-Høiner, Soren Pilmark, Anna Friel…; Thrilling Norwegian mini–series tells the story behind Hitler's plan for obtaining the atomic bomb during WW2, and the heavy water sabotages in…
Holding the Man (2015): Dir. Neil Armfield
Feat. Ryan Corr, Craig Stott, Guy Pearce…; Moving adaptation of the classic Australian memoir chronicling the 15–year romance between an aspiring actor and the captain of the high school…
Hollow Crown, The: Wars of the Roses (TV Series) (2015): Dir. Dominic Cooke
Feat. Benedict Cumberbatch, Hugh Bonneville, Judi Dench…; A second series of star–studded, exceptionally presented Shakespeare adaptations, with Henry VI in two parts, along with Richard III. Together…
Home Fires (TV Series) (2015): Feat. Francesca Annis, Samantha Bond; Quality BBC drama following a group of inspirational women in a rural Cheshire community during World War II.
House of Cards - Season 3 (TV Series, US) (2015): Feat. Kevin Spacey, Robin Wright, Kate Mara; Further episodes in the shadowy revival of the classic BBC political series, with Kevin Spacey (perfectly cast) as a machiavellian congressman…
Humans (TV Series) (2015-2018): Feat. William Hurt, Rebecca Front, Gemma Chan…; Sci–fi series set in a parallel present where the latest must–have gadget for any busy family is a 'Synth' – a…
I Am Michael (2015): Dir. Justin Kelly
Feat. James Franco, Emma Roberts, Zachary Quinto; The fascinating true story of a gay activist who rejects his sexuality and becomes a Christian pastor. James Franco is above average in his portrayal…
I Saw the Light (2015): Dir. Marc Abraham
Feat. Tom Hiddleston, Elizabeth Olsen, Cherry Jones…; Tom Hiddleston is outstanding in this otherwise serviceable biopic of the seminal country music singer–songwriter Hank Williams that chronicles…
I Smile Back (2015): Dir. Adam Salky
Feat. Sarah Silverman, Josh Charles, Thomas Sadoski…; Comedian Sarah Silverman demonstrates her impressive dramatic range portraying a middle–class suburban housewife suffering from depression,…
I'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, 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…
In the Heart of the Sea (2015): Dir. Ron Howard
Feat. Chris Hemsworth, Cillian Murphy, Brendan Gleeson…; Ron Howard directs this effects–heavy recounting of a New England whaling ship's sinking by a giant whale in 1820, the inspiration for the…
In the Shadow of Women (L'ombre des femmes) (2015): Dir. Philippe Garrel
Feat. Clotilde Courau, Stanislas Merhar, Lena Paugam; Romantic drama from Philippe Garrel, a prolific French auteur whose work is rarely available outside of France and often deal with the subject of…
Indian Summers (TV Series) (2015): Feat. Henry Lloyd-Hughes, Nikesh Patel, Julie Walters…; Broadly played but beautifully scenic British drama series set in 1932 following the final years of British colonial rule in India from both sides of…
Intern, The (2015): 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…
Into the Forest (2015): Dir. Patricia Rozema
Feat. Elliot Page, Evan Rachel Wood, Callum Keith Rennie…; Quiet, character driven post–apocalyptic drama following two sisters whose peaceful Pacific Northwestern lives are disrupted by a…
Irrational Man (2015): Dir. Woody Allen
Feat. Joaquin Phoenix, Emma Stone, Parker Posey…; Existential drama for the more ardent Woody Allen fan, with Joaquin Phoenix as a tormented philosophy professor who considers murdering a corrupt…
It's Only the End of the World (2015): Dir. Xavier Dolan
Feat. Nathalie Baye, Vincent Cassel, Marion Cotillard…; French–Canadian prodigy Xavier Dolan returns with this Cannes–winning melodrama about a terminally ill gay writer who returns to his…
Ixcanul (Volcano) (2015): Dir. Jayro Bustamante
Feat. Maria Mercedes Coroy, Maria Telon; Rare Guatemalan drama set on the slopes of an active volcano, where a marginalised Mayan community prepare for the arranged marriage of a…
James White (2015): Dir. Josh Mond
Feat. Christopher Abbott, Cynthia Nixon, Scott Mescudi…; A sensitive adult drama that follows a self–destructive New Yorker struggling to control his behavior while his mother deteriorates from…
Jem and The Holograms (2015): Dir. Jon M. Chu
Feat. Stefanie Scott, Aurora Perrineau, Hayley Kiyoko…; Live–action update of the popular '80's cartoon about a small–town girl who catapults from underground video sensation to global…
Jessica Jones (TV Series) (2015): Feat. Krysten Ritter; Engaging Marvel drama with BREAKING BAD's Krysten Ritter starring as the former superhero turned private detective.
Joy (2015): Dir. David O. Russell
Feat. Jennifer Lawrence, Robert De Niro, Bradley Cooper…; Jennifer Lawrence, Bradley Cooper and dir. David O. Russell reteam yet again for this true life tale of Joy Mangano, whose invention of the 'Miracle…
Justified - The Final Season (TV Series) (2015): Feat. Timothy Olyphant, Nick Searcy, Walton Goggins…; Raylan Givens gets a terrific send–off in the conclusion to Elmore Leonard's urban western about an old–school U.S. Marshal reassigned…
Knick, The - Season 2 (TV Series) (2015): Dir. Steven Soderbergh
Feat. Clive Owen; Steven Soderbergh directs the second season of the grisly medical drama set within the confines of a New York hospital in 1900.
Knight of Cups (2015): Dir. Terrence Malick
Feat. Christian Bale, Cate Blanchett, Natalie Portman…; Terrence Malick's enigmatic ode to existential despair features Christian Bale as a screenwriter living in LA trying to make sense of the strange…
Krisha (2015): Dir. Trey Edward Schults
Feat. Krisha Fairchild, Trey Edward Schults; A penetrating micro–budget independent drama that follows an estranged middle–aged woman's efforts to reconnect with her family over…
La Belle Saison (Summertime) (2015): Dir. Catherine Corsini
Feat. Cecile De France, Izia Higelin, Noemie Lvovsky; Two women strike up a passionate affair against a backdrop of the feminist movement in early–1970's France, but struggle to reconcile of…
Lady 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…
Land of Mine (Under sandet) (2015): Dir. Martin Zandvliet
Feat. Roland Møller, Mikkel Boe Følsgaard; Multi award–winning historical drama following a unit of captured German soldiers who are put to work disabling Hitler's munitions by an…
Last Cab to Darwin (2015): Dir. Jeremy Sims
Feat. Michael Caton, Jackie Weaver, Emma Hamilton…; A sentimental, fair–dinkum Australian drama that stars Michael Caton (THE CASTLE) as a terminally–ill taxi driver who embarks on a road…
Last Days in the Desert (2015): Dir. Rodrigo Garcia
Feat. Ewan McGregor, Ciaran Hinds, Ayelet Zurer…; Ewan McGregor plays both Jesus Christ and the Devil in this humanistic portrait of Jesus during his 40 days fasting and praying in the Judean desert.
Last Kingdom, The (TV Series) (2015): Feat. Alexander Dreymon, Ian Hart, Matthew MacFadyen…; Historical adventure series set in the divided England of the 9th century follows the travails of the orphaned son of a Saxon nobleman.
Legacy, The - Series 2 (TV Series) (Arvingerne) (2015): Feat. Trine Dyrholm, Mikkel Boe Følsgaard, Lene Maria Christensen…; Second season of the gripping drama in which the death of a matriarch brings forgotten secrets out into the open and causes a prolonged battle for…
Legend (2015): Dir. Brian Helgeland
Feat. Tom Hardy, Emily Browning, Taron Egerton…; Tom Hardy flexes his acting muscle as the identical twin gangsters Reggie and Ronnie Kray in this otherwise unremarkable drama that charts the rise…
Life (2015): Dir. Anton Corbijn
Feat. Robert Pattinson, Dane DeHaan, Ben Kingsley…; Moody, elegant drama of the unlikely bond forged between Magnum photographer Dennis Stock and a pre–fame James Dean while shooting pictures of…
Lobster, The (2015): 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…
London Road (2015): Dir. Rufus Norris
Feat. Olivia Colman, Tom Hardy, Anita Dobson…; An audacious but audience–dividing musical devised around the unlikely premise of Ipswich community members who are drawn together to come to…
Looking 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…
Louder Than Bombs (2015): Dir. Joachim Trier
Feat. Jesse Eisenberg, Gabriel Byrne, Isabelle Huppert…; Ambitious, novelistic family drama with an ensemble of experienced actors playing members of a diverse, non–typical family in turmoil following…
Love (Love 3D) (2015): Dir. Gaspar Noe
Feat. Aomi Muyock, Karl Glusman, Klara Kristin; French cinema's enfant–terrible Gaspar Noe finds some more envelopes to push in this explicit adult drama. An American living in Paris enters a…
Macbeth (2015): Dir. Justin Kurzel
Feat. Michael Fassbender, Marion Cotillard, Paddy Considine…; Michael Fassbender is the fatally ambitious Scottish general in this visceral rendition of Shakespeare's tragedy from the Australian director of…
Maggie (2015): Dir. Henry Hobson
Feat. Arnold Schwarzenegger, Abigail Breslin, Joely Richardson; A notable change of pace for Arnie in this mood piece in which a teenage girl becomes infected by an outbreak of a disease that slowly turns the…
Maggie'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 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…
Man Who Knew Infinity, The (2015): Dir. Matthew Brown
Feat. Dev Patel, Jeremy Irons, Malcolm Sinclair; Biographical drama based on the extraordinary life and academic career of pioneering Indian mathematician, Srinivasa Ramanujan, and his friendship…
Marguerite (2015): 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…
Martian, The (2015): Dir. Ridley Scott
Feat. Matt Damon, Jessica Chastain, Kristen Wiig…; Ridley Scott adapts the acclaimed novel by Andy Weir as an unabashed crowd–pleaser about an astronaut who is left behind after a manned mission…
Masters of Sex - Season 3 (TV Series) (2015): Feat. Michael Sheen, Lizzy Caplan; Third season of the dramatisation of the work of pioneering researchers Dr. William Masters and Virginia Johnson, the eponymous 'Masters of Sex'…
Max (2015): Dir. Boaz Yakin
Feat. Thomas Haden Church, Lauren Graham, Josh Wiggins…; Heartwarming true story about a dog that helped US Marines in Afghanistan returns to the U.S. and is adopted by his handler's family after suffering…
McFarland, USA (2015): Dir. Niki Caro
Feat. Kevin Costner, Maria Bello, John Ortiz; New Zealand's Niki Caro directs this inspirational drama about a cross–country coach in a small California town who transforms a team of…
Me and Earl and the Dying Girl (2015): 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…
Meadowland (2015): Dir. Reed Morano
Feat. Olivia Wilde, Luke Wilson, Juno Temple…; Well–acted, very downbeat drama about a couple struggling to cope with the disappearance – and likely murder – of their young son.
Meddler, 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…
Midwinter of the Spirit (TV Mini-series) (2015): Feat. Nicholas Pinnock, Anna Maxwell Martin, Kate Dickie; TV miniseries following a female vicar who works as an exorcist. Cheerfully creepy Middle–England gothic from the pen of supernatural mystery…
Miles Ahead (2015): Dir. Don Cheadle
Feat. Don Cheadle, Emayatzy Corinealdi, Ewan McGregor…; Don Cheadle directs and offers a full–throated performance as Miles Davis in this adventurous, non–linear, exploration of the life and…
Miss 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…
Mississippi Grind (2015): Dir. Anna Boden , Ryan Fleck
Feat. Ben Mendelsohn, Ryan Reynolds, Sienna Miller…; Atmospheric road movie about a gambler facing financial ruin and his unlikely friendship with a charismatic young poker player.
Mr. Holmes (2015): Dir. Bill Condon
Feat. Ian McKellen, Laura Linney, Hiroyuki Sanada…; An intriguing take on the great detective's final years with Ian McKellen in his element as the retired Sherlock Holmes who, dealing with early…
Mr. Robot (TV Series) (2015-2020): Feat. Rami Malek, Christian Slater, Portia Doubleday; The excellent Rami Malek stars as an expert hacker recruited by a mysterious anarchist, who calls himself Mr. Robot. 44 episodes across 4 seasons.
Mustang (2015): Dir. Deniz Gamze Ergüven
Feat. Gunes Senoy, Doga Doguslu, Elit Iscan…; Sublime female coming–of–age story set in a remote Turkish village, where five sisters face the stifling expectations of their…
My Mother (Mia Madre) (2015): Dir. Nanni Moretti
Feat. Margherita Buy, John Turturro, Nanni Moretti…; Affecting character study of a director in the middle of an film–making crisis who has to deal with the inevitable yet still unacceptable loss…
Narcos (TV Series) (2015): Feat. Wagner Moura, Boyd Holbrook, Pedro Pascal; Vivid, unflinching HBO drama chronicles the exploits of the notorious Colombian drug lord Pablo Escobar.
Nasty Baby (2015): Dir. Sebastián Silva
Feat. Kristen Wiig, Sebastián Silva, Tunde Adebimpe…; Disturbing drama about a gay couple's attempts to create a family irrevocably altered by a fatal encounter with a disturbed homeless man.
National Theatre: 50 Years on Stage (2015): A celebration of the 50th Anniversary of London's National Theatre. The theatrical gala features a veritable who's–who of British stage talent…
Neon Bull (Boi neon) (2015): Dir. Gabriel Mascaro
Feat. Vinícius de Oliveira, Juliano Cazarré; Transgressive and beguiling drama set in the Brazilian world of the vaquejada, a traditional style of rodeo, as seen through the eyes of a gender…
Nightingale (2015): Dir. Elliott Lester
Feat. David Oyelowo; A bravura performance by David Oyelowo anchors this chamber piece about a lonely war veteran who psychologically unravels ahead of an old friend's…
Nina 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 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…
Ordinary Lies (TV Series) (2015): Feat. Max Beesley, Mackenzie Crook, Shazad Latif…; CONTRABAND TITLE. Not legally available for sale, rent or trade in New Zealand unless submitted for approval to the NZ Office of Film & Literature…
Our Little Sister (Umimachi Diary) (2015): Dir. Kore-eda Hirokazu
Feat. Haruka Ayase, Masami Nagasawa, Kaho …; Another exquisite domestic drama from Kore–eda Hirokazu that revolves around the loves and working lives of three sisters who accommodate their…
Paper 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…
Partisan (2015): Dir. Ariel Kleiman
Feat. Vincent Cassel, Jeremy Chabriel, Florence Mezzara; A bracing Australian thriller about a young boy raised to be an assassin in a small cult–like community who begins to question his father's…
Passion of Augustine, The (2015): Dir. Lea Pool
Feat. Céline Bonnier, Lysandre Ménard, Valérie Blais; A warm, intelligent drama set in a convent school in Quebec in the late 1960's, where women are given the opportunity to learn music regardless of…
Pawno (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 Things (2015): 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…
Program, The (2015): Dir. Stephen Frears
Feat. Ben Foster, Chris O'Dowd, Jesse Plemons…; Stephen Frears helms this drama that examines the Lance Armstrong doping scandal from the perspective of the journalist who uncovered evidence that…
Queen of Earth (2015): Dir. Alex Ross Perry
Feat. Elisabeth Moss, Katherine Waterston, Patrick Fugit…; Expertly performed psychodrama with two women who grew up together discover they have drifted apart when they retreat to a lake house together.
Queen of the Desert (2015): Dir. Werner Herzog
Feat. Nicole Kidman, James Franco, Robert Pattinson…; Werner Herzog directs this worthy biopic of British explorer and adventurer Gertrude Bell focusing on her time in the Middle East.
Remember (2015): Dir. Atom Egoyan
Feat. Christopher Plummer, Bruno Ganz, Jurgen Prochnow…; A holocaust survivor with dementia sets out to kill a Nazi war criminal in this unsettling and unique thriller from Canadian auteur Atom Egoyan.
Revenant, The (2015): Dir. Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu
Feat. Leonardo DiCaprio, Tom Hardy, Domhnall Gleeson…; A masterfully intense dramatization of the gruelling experience of frontiersman Hugh Glass and his fight for survival after being mauled by a bear,…
Ricki 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…
Ride (2015): Dir. Helen Hunt
Feat. Helen Hunt, Luke Wilson, Brenton Thwaites…; Helen Hunt directs and stars in this warm–hearted drama as a concerned mother who journey's cross–country to be with her son after he…
Room (2015): Dir. Lenny Abrahamson
Feat. Brie Larson, Jacob Tremblay, Sean Bridgers…; Riveting and heart–rending drama centred around a mother and her five–year–old son who make plans to escape their forced captivity.…
Royal Night Out, A (2015): Dir. Julian Jarrold
Feat. Bel Powley, Sarah Gadon, Emily Watson…; Amusing imagining of the two royal princesses, Elizabeth and Margaret, celebrating V.E. Day by slipping out of Buckingham Palace to go dancing at the…
Sea of Trees, The (2015): Dir. Gus Van Sant
Feat. Matthew McConaughey, Naomi Watts, Ken Watanabe…; Critically savaged misfire from Gus van Sant has a maudlin McConaughey as suicidal man who enters a forest in search of the perfect place to die, but…
Second 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, The (Que Horas Ela Volta?) (2015): 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…
Secret Life of Marilyn Monroe, The (TV Mini-Series) (2015): Dir. Laurie Collyer
Feat. Kelli Garner, Susan Sarandon, Emily Watson…; Lavish mini–series chronicles Marilyn Monroe's family life and how she succeeded in hiding her most intimate secrets from the press and an…
Sherlock: The Abominable Bride (2015): Dir. Douglas Mackinnon
Feat. Benedict Cumberbatch, Martin Freeman, Una Stubbs…; One–off holiday special with the modern Sherlock and Watson finding themselves back in 1890's London.
Show Me a Hero (TV Mini-Series) (2015): Dir. Paul Haggis
Feat. Oscar Isaac, Peter Riegert, Alfred Molina…; Extraordinary true story of the political fight to build public housing in white middle–class neighbourhoods in 1980's New York. From the…
Sicario (2015): Dir. Denis Villeneuve
Feat. Emily Blunt, Josh Brolin, Benicio Del Toro…; Nerve–jangling thriller follows an idealistic FBI agent drawn into the escalating war against drugs at the border area between the U.S. and…
Slow West (2015): Dir. John Maclean
Feat. Kodi Smit-McPhee, Michael Fassbender, Ben Mendelsohn…; New Zealand – specifically Twizel – stands in for Colorado in this tense Western that follows a young Scot, whose travels across America…
Soft Lad (2015): Dir. Leon Lopez
Feat. Jonny Labey, Laura Ainsworth, Daniel Brocklebank; Melodrama set in Liverpool about a married man who has been having an affair with his wife's brother, a young dance student. A love triangle with a…
Son of Saul (2015): Dir. László Nemes
Feat. Géza Röhrig, Levente Molnár, Urs Rechn; Masterful, but deeply disturbing glimpse into the horror of Auschwitz seen through the perspective of a prisoner forced to burn the corpses of his…
Southpaw (2015): Dir. Antoine Fuqua
Feat. Jake Gyllenhaal, Rachel McAdams, Forest Whitaker…; Jake Gyllenhaal gets in the ring in this downbeat boxing drama as a former champ struggling to get his life back on track after losing his wife in a…
Spear (2015): Dir. Stephen Page
Feat. Hunter Page-Lochard, Aaron Pedersen; Resonant drama told through dance and movement that follows a young Aboriginal sets off on a journey to discover what it means to be a man.
Spotlight (2015): Dir. Tom McCarthy
Feat. Mark Ruffalo, Michael Keaton, Rachel McAdams…; The engrossing true story of how the Boston Globe uncovered the massive scandal of child molestation and cover–up within the local Catholic…
Stanford Prison Experiment, The (2015): Dir. Kyle Patrick Alvarez
Feat. Billy Crudup, Michael Angarano, Ezra Miller…; Harrowing re–enactment of the notorious Stanford Prison experiment where male students were assigned the roles of prisoner and guards in the…
Steve Jobs (2015): Dir. Danny Boyle
Feat. Michael Fassbender, Kate Winslet, Seth Rogen…; Another dynamic biopic of a digital revolutionary from screenwriter Aaron Sorkin (THE SOCIAL NETWORK), this time portraying the late founder of Apple…
Stonewall (2015): Dir. Roland Emmerich
Feat. Jeremy Irvine; Hollywood "disaster" specialist Roland Emmerich directs this account of a young gay man's political awakening and coming of age during the days and…
Straight Outta Compton (2015): Dir. F. Gary Gray
Feat. O’Shea Jackson, Corey Hawkins, Jason Mitchell…; Invigorating drama charts the rise of rap legends N.W.A. as they emerge from the mean streets of Compton in Los Angeles, and their profound impact…
Strangerland (2015): Dir. Kim Farrant
Feat. Nicole Kidman, Hugo Weaving, Joseph Fiennes; Twisty Australian thriller has a family finding their life in a rural outback town rocked after their two teenage children disappear into the desert,…
Suburra (2015): Dir. Stefano Sollima
Feat. Pierfrancesco Favino, Elio Germano, Claudio Amendola…; Enthralling crime saga follows a gangster named Samurai as he attempts to turn the waterfront of Rome into an Italian Las Vegas.
Suffragette (2015): Dir. Sarah Gavron
Feat. Carey Mulligan, Anne-Marie Duff, Helena Bonham Carter…; Rousing account of the suffragette movement in Edwardian Britain seen through the eyes of a working mother who's galvanized into political action by…
Sunset Song (2015): Dir. Terence Davies
Feat. Agyness Deyn, Peter Mullan, Kevin Guthrie; Dir. Terence Davies applies his refined visual sensibility to this luminescent adaptation of the Scottish literary classic of the 1930's by Lewis…
Syndicate, The (TV Series) (2015): Feat. Lorraine Bruce, Timothy Spall, Matthew Lewis…; A Yorkshire–set BBC drama series written by Kay Mellor sees five members of a betting syndicate win the lottery. Each series follows a…
Tangerine (2015): 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…
Tanna (2015): Dir. Martin Butler, Bentley Dean
Feat. Mungau Dain, Marie Wawa; A fact–based "Romeo and Juliet" tale that took place on the island of Tanna in Vanuatu in 1987, this is a splendidly realized and moving…
Ten Thousand Saints (10,000 Saints) (2015): Dir. Shari Springer Berman, Robert Pulcini
Feat. Asa Butterfield, Ethan Hawke, Hailee Steinfeld…; Teen drama set in the straight–edge punk scene in 1980's New York follows a young man as he struggles to reconnect with his drug–dealing…
Testament of Youth (2015): Dir. James Kent
Feat. Alicia Vikander, Kit Harrington, Taron Egerton…; Vera Brittain's acclaimed coming–of–age memoir is given the cinematic treatment in this fine adaptation, with Alicia Vikander (EX…
Togetherness (TV Series) (2015): 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…
Truman (2015): 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…
Trumbo (2015): Dir. Jay Roach
Feat. Bryan Cranston, Diane Lane, Helen Mirren…; Biting drama with Bryan Cranston as the legendary screenwriter Dalton Trumbo, who at the height of communist paranoia finds himself jailed and…
Truth (2015): Dir. James Vanderbilt
Feat. Cate Blanchett, Robert Redford, Topher Grace…; A multi–layered and incrementally tense newsroom docudrama that captures the controversy that befell Dan Rather and CBS after they broadcast an…
Tumbledown (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.
Versailles (TV Series) (2015): Feat. George Blagden, Alexander Vlahos; Lavish historical drama follows the travails of Lous XIV as he attempts to build the world's greatest palace against abackdrop of political…
Von Trapp Family: A Life of Music, The (2015): Dir. Ben Verbong
Feat. Eliza Bennett, Rosemary Harris; Drama adapted from the autobiography of Agathe von Trapp, the eldest daughter of the famous von Trapp family, which follows her incredible journey as…
Wait, The (L'attesa) (2015): Dir. Piero Messina
Feat. Juliette Binoche, Lou de Laâge, Giorgio Colangeli; Juliette Binoche plays a mother who slowly draws a connection to her son's fiancée while they await his arrival at a beautiful Sicilian villa.
Walk 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…
Walk, The (2015): Dir. Robert Zemeckis
Feat. Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Ben Kingsley, Charlotte Le Bon…; The daredevil exploits of French high–wire artist Philippe Petit featured in MAN ON WIRE are re–told by Robert Zemeckis, who duly amps up…
Wasp (2015): Dir. Philippe Audi-Dor
Feat. Hugo Bolton, Elly Condron, Simon Haycock; Romantic drama about two gay men whose vacation in the South of France is interrupted when one of their female friends show up, leading to sexual…
Wayward Pines (TV Series) (2015): Feat. Matt Dillon, Carla Gugino, Shannyn Sossamon…; Matt Dillon stars as a Secret Service agent who journeys to the small town of Wayward Pines in search of two federal agents who have disappeared.
We Are Your Friends (2015): Dir. Max Joseph
Feat. Zac Efron, Wes Bentley, Emily Ratajkowski…; SATURDAY NIGHT FEVER for EDM fans, this coming–of–age drama stars Zac Efron as an struggling DJ trying to catch a break in the electronic…
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…
When We Go To War (TV Mini-series) (2015): Feat. Ido Drent, Sophia Huybens; Historical saga that tells the story of six young men and women whose plans for the future are thwarted as New Zealand enters World War I. Events…
Wild (2015): Dir. Jean-Marc Vallée
Feat. Reese Witherspoon, Laura Dern, Gaby Hoffmann…; Vivid adaptation of the memoir by Cheryl Strayed, which chronicled her 1100–mile solo hike undertaken as a way to recover from a recent…
Wildlike (2015): Dir. Frank Hall Green
Feat. Bruce Greenwood, Brian Geraghty, Ella Purnell…; Quietly moving indie drama following a troubled teenage girl who runs away into the spectacular Alaskan wilderness.
Wolf Hall (TV Series) (2015): Feat. Mark Rylance, Claire Foy, Thomas Brodie-Sangster…; Superb television adaptation of Hilary Mantel's Booker–winning tale of Thomas Cromwell's rapid rise to power in the court of Henry the Eighth.
Woman in Gold (2015): Dir. Simon Curtis
Feat. Helen Mirren, Ryan Reynolds, Daniel Brühl…; Helen Mirren elevates this polished if prosaic dramatisation of an elderly Jewish woman who teams with a rookie lawyer (Reynolds) to seek restorative…
Youth (2015): 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…
Z For Zachariah (2015): Dir. Craig Zobel
Feat. Chiwetel Ejiofor, Chris Pine, Margot Robbie; Compelling sci–fi drama in which New Zealand stands in for the pastoral American South, set in the wake of a nuclear war that wipes out most of…
Zipper (2015): Dir. Mora Stephens
Feat. Patrick Wilson, Lena Headey, Ray Winstone…; Political drama about a federal prosecutor whose sexual promiscuity threatens to destroy his political future and his life.
Zoom (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…
20,000 Days on Earth (2014): Dir. Iain Forsyth, Jane Pollard
Feat. Nick Cave, Ray Winstone, Kylie Minogue; A 24–hour portrait of writer and musician Nick Cave, blending fiction and reality, as it examines the artistic process and the power of the…
3 Hearts (2014): Dir. Benoît Jacquot
Feat. Benoit Poelvoorde, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Chiara Mastroianni…; Tense romantic drama centered around a complicated love triangle that develops between a married couple and the wife's sister.
99 Homes (2014): Dir. Ramin Bahrani
Feat. Michael Shannon, Andrew Garfield, Laura Dern…; Andrew Garfield turns in a muscular performance as a recently unemployed single father who struggles to regain his family home by working for the…
A 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 Little Chaos (2014): Dir. Alan Rickman
Feat. Kate Winslet, Alan Rickman, Stanley Tucci…; Alan Rickman directs and stars with Kate Winslet in this lavish study of two landscape artists who become romantically entangled while building a…
A 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…
Affair, The (TV Series) (2014-2020): Feat. Dominic West, Ruth Wilson, Maura Tierney…; Well–acted cable drama that maps the psychological effects of an affair between a married waitress at a Hamptons diner and a teacher who spends…
Alex of Venice (2014): Dir. Chris Messina
Feat. Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Chris Messina, Don Johnson…; Chris Messina makes his directorial debut in this tale of a workaholic attorney forced to reinvent her life after her husband suddenly leaves.
American Sniper (2014): Dir. Clint Eastwood
Feat. Bradley Cooper, Sienna Miller, Kyle Gallner…; Clint Eastwood helms this controversial biopic of the most decorated sniper in U.S. military history and his struggle to adjust to civilian life.
Animals (2014): Dir. Colin Schiffli
Feat. David Dastmalchian, Kim Shaw, John Heard; Downbeat, but well–acted drama follows a drug–addicted homeless couple as they scam strangers in order to attain their next fix.
Anzac Girls (TV Mini-series) (2014): Feat. Georgia Flood, Antonia Prebble, Laura Brent; Honouring the centenary of the commencement of World War One, this six–part mini–series is based on true stories of Australian and New…
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…
Barefoot (2014): Dir. Andrew Fleming
Feat. Evan Rachel Wood, Scott Speedman, Treat Williams…; Evan Rachel Wood plays a severely sheltered psychiatric patient who's invited to a wedding in this light romance. Leans heavily on the pixie dream…
Before We Go (2014): Dir. Chris Evans
Feat. Chris Evans, Alice Eve, Emma Fitzpatrick…; Schmaltzy rom–com with Chris Evans and Alice Eve as two strangers stuck in Manhattan for the night where they grow into each other's trusted…
Beloved Sisters (2014): Dir. Dominik Graf
Feat. Hannah Herzsprung, Henriette Confurius, Florian Stetter…; Acclaimed period drama depicts the unconventional romance between two aristocratic sisters and a rebellious poet who took the European literary world…
Best of Me, The (2014): Dir. Michael Hoffman
Feat. Michelle Monaghan, James Marsden, Luke Bracey…; Nicholas Sparks adaptation with a pair of former high school sweethearts reuniting after many years when they return to visit their small hometown.
Big Eyes (2014): Dir. Tim Burton
Feat. Amy Adams, Christoph Waltz, Danny Huston…; Director Tim Burton refreshingly breaks with fantasy for this resplendent biopic of painter Margaret Keane, whose prolific and popular work was…
Birdman (Birdman: or The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance) (2014): 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…
Boardwalk Empire - Season 5 (TV Series) (2014): Feat. Steve Buscemi, Kelly MacDonald, Michael Shannon…; Final episodes from the marquee HBO production, centred on the Prohibition–era empire surrounding corrupt Atlantic treasurer Enoch "Nucky"…
Boulevard (2014): Dir. Dito Montiel
Feat. Robin Williams, Roberto Aguire, Kathy Baker…; Robin Williams – in one of his last screen roles – gives a restrained performance as a devoted husband in a marriage of convenience…
Boychoir (2014): Dir. Francois Girard
Feat. Dustin Hoffman, Garrett Wareing, Kathy Bates…; A demanding choir master at an elite music academy pushes a gifted but rebellious student to fulfill his true potential.
Boyhood (2014): Dir. Richard Linklater
Feat. Ethan Hawke, Patricia Arquette, Ellar Coltrane; Filmed over 12 years with the same cast, this entirely unique project bares witness to an 8–year–old boy literally matures on screen…
Broken Hallelujah (2014): Dir. Alastair Riddell
Feat. Vanessa Riddell, Ben Mitchell, Greg Smith; Thoughtful New Zealand drama inspired by Leonard Cohen's iconic song follows three families' intertwining lives.
Cake (2014): Dir. Daniel Barnz
Feat. Jennifer Aniston, Adriana Barraza, Anna Kendrick…; Low–key drama with Aniston as a woman fascinated by the suicide of a member of her chronic pain support group while grappling with her own,…
Calvary (2014): Dir. John Michael McDonagh
Feat. Brendan Gleeson, Chris O'Dowd, Kelly Reilly…; A small–town priest has a crisis of faith when a death threat is passed onto him during confessional.
Camp X-Ray (2014): Dir. Peter Sattler
Feat. Kristen Stewart, Peyman Moaadi, Lane Garrison…; Kristen Stewart stars in this provocative drama about a young soldier assigned to Guantanamo Bay befriends a man who has been imprisoned there.
Captive, The (2014): Dir. Atom Egoyan
Feat. Ryan Reynolds, Scott Speedman, Rosario Dawson…; Atom Egoyan directs this atmospheric if occasionally implausible thriller about a man's obsessive search for his long–missing daughter,…
Carlotta (2014): Dir. Samantha Lang
Feat. Jessica Marais; Dramatization of the inspiring life of Australian transgender pioneer and iconic Les Girls headliner Carlotta. This uplifting celebration follows…
Cilla (2014): Feat. Sheridan Smith; Dramatic depiction of the humble beginnings and little–known early years of a woman who went on to become an iconic TV star and household name.
Clouds of Sils Maria (2014): Dir. Olivier Assayas
Feat. Juliette Binoche, Kristen Stewart, Chloe Grace Moretz…; Confident, multi–layered English–language drama for French director Assayas and star Juliette Binoche, who plays a veteran actress facing…
Cobbler, 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…
Comet (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…
Court (2014): Dir. Chaitanya Tamhane
Feat. Vira Sathidar, Vivek Gomber; A strikingly confident directorial debut that exposes the antiquity of the Indian legal system through the court trial of an ageing protest singer…
Crow's Egg, The (Kaakkaa Muttai) (2014): Dir. M. Manikandan
Feat. Ramesh , J. Vignesh, Iyshwarya Rajesh; Affecting Tamil comedy set in a Chennai slum follows two mischievous and resourceful brothers as they witness the opening of a local pizza shop, and…
Cymbeline (Anarchy) (2014): Dir. Michael Almereyda
Feat. Ethan Hawke, Ed Harris, Milla Jovovich…; After their edgy version of Hamlet (2000), Ethan Hawke and director Michael Almereyda re–team for one of Shakespeare's lesser–known…
Dark Horse, The (2014): Dir. James Napier Robertson
Feat. Cliff Curtis, James Rolleston, Kirk Torrance…; Cliff Curtis turns in a magnificent performance in this accomplished and powerful story of speed chess champion Genesis Potini, his battles with…
Devil's Playground, The (TV Series) (2014): Feat. Simon Burke, Morgana Davies, John Noble…; Psychological thriller set 35 years after the events of Fred Schepisi's classic follows that films protagonist as he finds himself working as a…
Diplomacy (2014): Dir. Volker Schlondorff
Feat. Andre Dussollier, Niels Arestrup, Burghart Klaussner…; A thematically rich and expertly staged historical drama that depicts the relationship between Dietrich von Choltitz, the German military governor of…
Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby, The (2014): Dir. Ned Benson
Feat. James McAvoy, Jessica Chastain, Viola Davis…; An ambitious and elegant New York love story from first time director Benson follows a couple as they try to reclaim the life and love they once…
Downton Abbey - A Moorland Holiday (TV Mini-Series) (2014): Feat. Hugh Bonneville, Laura Carmichael, Jim Carter…; Another Downton Christmas special this time set in the Autumn of 1924. It's grouse shooting season and Rose's father–in–law, Lord…
Downton Abbey - Series 5 (TV Series) (2014): Feat. Hugh Bonneville, Maggie Smith, Elizabeth McGovern…; Further episodes from ITV's immensely popular, top–of–the–range period drama, centred on the residents and staff of the titular…
Draft Day (2014): Dir. Ivan Reitman
Feat. Kevin Costner, Jennifer Garner, Chadwick Boseman…; Kevin Costner plays a general manager negotiating the ins and outs of the NFL Draft as he strives to rebuild his under–performing team.
Drop, The (2014): Dir. Michael R. Roskam
Feat. Tom Hardy, James Gandolfini, Noomi Rapace…; Englishman Tom Hardy displays his extraordinary acting range as lonely New York bartender who finds himself at the center of a robbery gone awry and…
Duke of Burgundy, The (2014): Dir. Peter Strickland
Feat. Sidse Babett Knudsen, Chiara D’Anna, Monica Swinn; BORGEN star Sidse Babett Knudsen throws aside the responsibilities of leading the Danish nation to star in this slice of arty–kink from the…
Dying of the Light (2014): Dir. Paul Schrader
Feat. Nicolas Cage, Anton Yelchin, Alexander Karim…; Curious thriller with Nicolas Cage as a CIA agent in the earl stages of dementia going rogue to hunt down a terrorist who tortured him during a…
Eden (2014): Dir. Mia Hansen-Love
Feat. Félix de Givry, Pauline Etienne, Vincent Macaigne…; Peculiarly affecting drama set in the underground "garage" dance subculture of early–nineties Paris, where a teenager forms a DJ collective…
Effie Gray (2014): Dir. Richard Laxton
Feat. Dakota Fanning, Greg Wise, Tom Sturridge…; Written by Emma Thompson, this highly respectable period drama looks at the scandalous love triangle between Victorian art critic John Ruskin, his…
Elephant Song (2014): Dir. Charles Biname
Feat. Bruce Greenwood, Xavier Dolan, Catherine Keener…; Canadian cinema's "enfant terrible" Xaviar Dolan takes the lead in this dark psychodrama in which a psychiatrist is drawn into a complex mind game…
Elsa & 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…
Endless Love (2014): Dir. Shana Feste
Feat. Alex Pettyfer, Gabriella Wilde, Bruce Greenwood…; Petty–ful remake of the Brooke Shields weepie about young love suppressed by disapproving parents.
Escobar: Paradise Lost (2014): Dir. Andrea Di Stefano
Feat. Josh Hutcherson, Benicio Del Toro, Brady Corbet…; Romantic thriller set in Colombia where a young surfer meets the woman of his dreams – and then he meets her uncle, Pablo Escobar.
Face of an Angel, The (2014): Dir. Michael Winterbottom
Feat. Cara Delevingne, Kate Beckinsale, Daniel Bruhl; Inspired by the trial of Amanda Knox, Michael Winterbottom directs this tale of journalist and a documentary filmmaker pursuing the story of a murder…
Falling, The (2014): Dir. Carol Morley
Feat. Maxine Peake, Maisie Williams, Florence Pugh…; Spellbinding British drama set in a girl's boarding school overcome by a mysterious fainting epidemic amongst the pupils. Ambitious and intriguing…
Far from Men (2014): Dir. David Oelhoffen
Feat. Viggo Mortensen, Reda Kateb; Viggo Mortensen stars in this existential western adapted from an Albert Camus' short story. Set in Algeria in the fifties, Mortensen is charged with…
Fargo - Season 1 (TV Series) (2014): Feat. Billy Bob Thornton, Allison Tolman, Colin Hanks…; This splendid reworking of the Coen Brothers' cult midwestern noir expands on the film's frosty Minnesota murder mystery with more eccentric…
Fat Tony & Co (TV Mini-series) (2014): Feat. Robert Mammone, Gyton Grantley, Shane Jacobson…; A mini–series that uncovers the story of one of Australia's most notorious criminals, Tony Mokbel.
Fault in Our Stars, The (2014): Dir. Josh Boone
Feat. Shailene Woodley, Ansel Elgort, Nat Wolff…; A pair of offbeat teengers – one terminally ill – embrace the journey of life in this sweeping teen romance based on John Green's popular…
Faults (2014): 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…
Fell (2014): Dir. Kasimir Burgess
Feat. Matt Nable, Jacqueline McKenzie, Daniel Henshall; Enigmatic Australian drama about a logger coming to terms with the tragic death of his young daughter.
Five Star (2014): Dir. Keith Miller
Feat. James "Primo" Grant, John Diaz, Wanda Nobles Colon; A member of the notorious Brooklyn "Bloods" gang since he was 12 years old – both in the film and in real life – Primo takes John, the…
Folies 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…
Fool, The (Durak) (2014): Dir. Yuri Bykov
Feat. Artyom Bystrov, Boris Nevzorov, Natalia Surkova; An idealistic Russian plumber discovers a building is about to collapse, and when he alerts the authorities of the need to evacuate the residents…
Force Majeure (Turist) (2014): 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…
Fort Bliss (2014): Dir. Claudia Myers
Feat. Michelle Monaghan, Emmanuelle Chriqui, Pablo Schreiber…; After returning home from an extended tour in Afghanistan, a decorated U.S. Army medic and single mother struggles to rebuild her relationship with…
Foxcatcher (2014): Dir. Bennett Miller
Feat. Steve Carell, Channing Tatum, Mark Ruffalo…; A serious, fact–based drama that examines the tragedy that struck wrestling team Foxcatcher led by eccentric multimillionaire sponsor John E.…
Frank (2014): 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…
Gambler, The (2014): Dir. Rupert Wyatt
Feat. Mark Wahlberg, Jessica Lange, John Goodman…; Mark Wahlberg is cast against type as a literature professor whose gambling addiction has him in a continuous state of debt.
Game of Thrones - Season 4 (TV Series) (2014): Feat. Peter Dinklage, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Lena Headey…; Further episodes from the justifiably acclaimed HBO medieval series, with realism and violence dictating its dark hued, anti–romantic take on…
Game, The (TV Mini-Series) (2014): Feat. Brian Cox, Tom Hughes, Jonathan Aris…; Brian Cox leads the cast in this Cold War spy thriller set in the world of 1970's espionage. It tells the story of the invisible war fought by MI5…
Gemma 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…
Get On Up (2014): Dir. Tate Taylor
Feat. Chadwick Boseman, Nelsan Ellis, Dan Aykroyd…; Chadwick Boseman is mesmerizing in this formatted yet dynamic chronicle of pioneering music frontman James Brown's rise from extreme poverty to his…
Giovanni's Island (2014): Dir. Mizuho Nishikubo; Affecting anime drama in the mould of GRAVE OF THE FIREFLIES set in the Kuril Islands during the aftermath of WWII where a friendship blossoms…
Girlhood (2014): Dir. Céline Sciamma
Feat. Karidja Touré, Assa Sylla, Lindsay Karamoh…; Potent coming–of–age drama set on the margins of Paris that follows a 16–year–old girl whose poor prospects tempt her to join…
Girls - Season 3 (TV Series) (2014): 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,…
Glass Chin (2014): Dir. Noah Buschel
Feat. Corey Stoll, Billy Crudup, Yul Vazquez…; Juicy slice of neo–noir about downtrodden former boxing champ forced to make a choice between friendship and ambition when he is framed for…
Glassland (2014): Dir. Gerard Barrett
Feat. Jack Reynor, Toni Collette, Will Poulter…; Potent Irish drama follows the misfortunes of a young taxi driver who gets tangled up in the world of human trafficking while trying to care for his…
God Help the Girl (2014): Dir. Stuart Murdoch
Feat. Emily Browning, Olly Alexander, Hannah Murray…; Belle & Sebastian's Stuart Murdoch writes and directs this 60s–inspired musical set in Glasgow about an emotionally troubled young woman whose…
God's Pocket (2014): Dir. John Slattery
Feat. Philip Seymour Hoffman, Christina Hendricks, John Turturro…; Philip Seymour Hoffman's penultimate film finds the actor playing a blue collar everyman whose debts and strained marriage come under greater…
Good Kill (2014): Dir. Andrew Niccol
Feat. Ethan Hawke, January Jones, Zoe Kravitz…; Andrew Niccol (GATTACA) writes and directs this thought–provoking drama with Ethan Hawke as a drone pilot beginning to question the ethics of…
Good Lie, The (2014): Dir. Philippe Falardeau
Feat. Reese Witherspoon, Arnold Oceng, Ger Duany…; Affecting drama about a group of Sudanese refugees given the chance to resettle in America arrive in Kansas City, Missouri, where their encounter…
Good People (2014): Dir. Henrik Ruben Genz
Feat. Kate Hudson, James Franco, Tom Wilkinson…; Discovering a cache of cash in their dead tenant's apartment a couple in debt take the money and find themselves the target of a deadly…
Grace of Monaco (2014): Dir. Olivier Dahan
Feat. Nicole Kidman, Tim Roth, Milo Ventimiglia…; Nicole Kidman plays Grace Kelly in this fairytale biopic of the Hollywood actress turned princess.
Gracepoint (TV Series) (2014): Feat. David Tennant, Anna Gunn, Jackie Weaver…; The US remake of BROADCHURCH is largely a shot–for–shot remake with some minor plot tweaking. A young boy is found dead on the shores of…
Grantchester (TV Series) (2014): Feat. James Norton, Robson Green, Morven Christie; Amiable 1950s detective drama set in the village of Grantchester near Cambridge where a local Anglican vicar develops a sideline in sleuthing.
Great Fire, The (TV Mini-series) (2014): Dir. Jon Jones
Feat. Andrew Buchan, Charles Dance, Jack Huston…; Vivid dramatisation of The Great Fire of London that details the stories of a city and its people in crisis..
Grey's Anatomy (TV Series) - Season 10 (2014): Feat. Patrick Dempsey, Ellen Pompeo, Justin Chambers…; Tenth season of the popular female–driven medical soap, continuing the trials and tribulations of five first–year interns as they juggle…
Haemoo (2014): Dir. Sung-Bo Shim
Feat. Yun-seok Kim, Yoo-chun Park, Ye-ri Han; Harrowing account of a fishing–boat crew that takes on a dangerous commission to smuggle a group of illegal immigrants from China to Korea.
Halt and Catch Fire (TV Series) (2014-2017): Feat. Lee Pace, Scoot McNairy, Mackenzie Davis; TV drama set during the technological revolution of the 1980's, following fictional characters who had insider experience of the development of the…
Healing (2014): Dir. Craig Monahan
Feat. Hugo Weaving, Don Hany, Xavier Samuel; A poignant, sensitively delivered drama of prisoner rehabilitation, centred on a long–serving inmate who joins a special program that pairs men…
Hector 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.
Hellion (2014): Dir. Kat Candler
Feat. Aaron Paul, Juliette Lewis, Josh Wiggins; Drama about a juvenile delinquent who becomes increasingly obsessed with winning a local motocross championship and getting his sibling out of foster…
Hidden Away (A escondidas) (2014): Dir. Mikel Rueda
Feat. German Alcarazu, Adil Koukouh, Joseba Ugalde; Spanish romantic drama filmed in neighbourhoods throughout Bilbao, exploring themes of sexual awakening, racism and deportation through the story of…
Homesman, The (2014): Dir. Tommy Lee Jones
Feat. Hilary Swank, Tommy Lee Jones, Grace Gummer…; Tommy Lee Jones helms this pleasurably off–beat western in which three women living on the American frontier are driven mad by harsh pioneer…
Honeytrap (2014): Dir. Rebecca Johnson
Feat. Jessica Sula, Lucien Laviscount, Ntonga Mwanza; Based on a true story, this London set drama tells the tale of a teenage girl who lures a lovestruck admirer in a brutal trap set by gang members.
Honourable Woman, The (TV Mini-series) (2014): Feat. Maggie Gyllenhaal, Stephen Rea, Lubna Azabal…; A rigorous, fast–paced thriller with Maggie Gyllenhaal as a woman who inherits her father's arms business, and finds herself in a international…
Hope and Wire (TV Mini-Series) (2014): Dir. Gaylene Preston
Feat. Rachel House, Joel Tobeck, Chelsie Preston-Crayford…; Gaylene Preston directs this contentious, though humanly compelling medley of stories based on first–hand accounts of the direct aftermath of…
Humbling, 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…
Hundred-Foot Journey, The (The 100 Foot Journey) (2014): Dir. Lasse Hallstrom
Feat. Helen Mirren, Om Puri, Charlotte Le Bon; A humble Indian family encounter fierce competition when they set up restaurant opposite an acclaimed haute cuisine establishment in this 'good…
I Am Happiness on Earth (2014): Dir. Julien Hernandez
Feat. Hugo Catalan, Gabino Rodriguez, Andrea Portal; Gay–themed Mexican film about the infatuation a commitment–phobic film director has for a talented dancer. Director Julian Hernandez…
If I Stay (2014): Dir. R.J. Cutler
Feat. Chloe Grace Moretz, Mireille Enos, Jamie Blackley…; Soapy teen drama with Chloe Moretz as a young woman in a coma who must decide whether to wake up, and live a life far different than she had…
Imitation Game, The (2014): Dir. Morten Tyldum
Feat. Benedict Cumberbatch, Keira Knightley, Matthew Goode…; Entertaining, though hardly accurate, biopic of legendary cryptanalyst Alan Turing, who here claims full credit for his work leading a team of…
In The Club (TV Series) (2014): Dir. Kay Mellor
Feat. Hermione Norris, Katherine Parkinson, Jill Halfpenny…; Warm, gutsy British ensemble drama following six pregnant women in various stages of life. From the creator of COLD FEET.
In Your Eyes (2014): Dir. Brin Hill
Feat. Zoe Kazan, Michael Stahl-David, Nikki Reed…; Paranormal romance scripted by Joss Whedon about two unrelated people who establish a telepathic bond that enables them to see hear and feel the…
Infinitely 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…
Into the Woods (2014): Dir. Rob Marshall
Feat. Anna Kendrick, Meryl Streep, Chris Pine…; Stephen Sondheim's exuberant musical gets the gleaming big screen treatment from dir. Rob Marshall (CHICAGO, NINE), with Meryl Streep as the witch…
Jersey Boys (2014): Dir. Clint Eastwood
Feat. John Lloyd Young, Erich Bergen, Vincent Piazza…; Clint Eastwood brings the hit stage musical of Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons' rise to stardom to the big screen.
Jimmy's Hall (2014): Dir. Ken Loach
Feat. Barry Ward, Simone Kirby, Andrew Scott…; Ken Loach directs this genial biopic of Irish activist Jimmy Gralton whose establishing of a dance hall attracts the ire of the Catholic church, whom…
Judge, The (2014): Dir. David Dobkin
Feat. Robert Downey Jnr., Robert Duvall, Vera Farmiga…; Big city lawyer Robert Downey Jnr. returns to his childhood home where his father (Robert Duvall), the town's judge, is suspected of murder. He sets…
Justified - Season 5 (TV Series) (2014): Feat. Timothy Olyphant, Walton Goggins, Joelle Carter…; Further episodes from the slick urban western about an old–school U.S. Marshal reassigned from Miami to his childhood home in the poor, rural…
Keeping Rosy (2014): Dir. Steve Reeves
Feat. Maxine Peake, Brooke Skylar Baptist, Delta Storm Baptist…; Maxine Peake plays a women whose life is shattered after her company's board of directors betrays her, in this chilly thriller based on director…
Kill the Messenger (2014): Dir. Michael Cuesta
Feat. Jeremy Renner, Rosemarie DeWitt, Ray Liotta…; A reporter becomes the target of a vicious smear campaign after he exposes the CIA's role in arming Contra rebels in Nicaragua and importing cocaine…
Kingdom (TV Series) (2014): Feat. Frank Grillo, Kiele Sanchez, Matt Lauria…; Drama set in the world of mixed–martial arts, with a retired fighter struggling to keep his gym and his family afloat.
Klondike (TV Mini-Series) (2014): Dir. Simon Cellan Jones
Feat. Richard Madden, Abbie Cornish, Marton Csokas…; The Klondike Gold Rush of the late 1890s is richly evoked in this frontier western, which is largely faithful to the history, conditions, and…
Knick, The - Season 1 (TV Series) (2014): Dir. Steven Soderbergh
Feat. Clive Owen, Andre Holland; Steven Soderbergh directs this look at the professional and personal lives of the staff at New York's Knickerbocker Hospital during the early part of…
Kumiko, the Treasure Hunter (2014): Dir. David Zellner
Feat. Rinko Kikuchi, David Zellner; A strikingly composed and balanced tale of a jaded Japanese woman whose obsession with the film FARGO leads her on an earnest quest to retrieve the…
Labyrinth of Lies (2014): Dir. Giulio Ricciarelli
Feat. Alexander Fehling, Johannes Krisch, Friederike Becht…; Thought–provoking drama set in 1950's Germany in which an ambitious young prosecutor's pursuit of an Auschwitz commandant exposes the…
Laggies (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 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…
Leftovers, The (TV Series) (2014): Feat. Justin Theroux, Amy Brenneman, Christopher Eccleston…; Thoughtful adaptation of Tom Perrotta's novel about life in a small town after many of its residents vanished in a Rapture–like event.
Legacy, The - Series 1 (TV Series) (Arvingerne) (2014): Feat. Trine Dyrholm, Mikkel Boe Følsgaard, Lene Maria Christensen…; From the creators of BORGEN and THE KILLING comes this gripping drama in which the death of a matriarch brings forgotten secrets out into the open…
Leviathan (2014): Dir. Andrei Zvyagintsev
Feat. Aleksey Serebryakov, Elena Lyadova, Vladimir Vdovichenkov…; A bleak but compelling allegory of modern Russia is lensed through a fisherman's struggle against bureaucracy, corruption and demons of his own as he…
Life 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.
Lilting (2014): Dir. Hong Khaou
Feat. Ben Whishaw, Pei Pei Cheng, Andrew Leung…; In the wake of the sudden passing of a young Anglo–Chinese man, his gay lover (Ben Whishaw) is compelled to connect with his widowed mother, a…
Listen 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) (2014): 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 & Mercy (Love and Mercy) (2014): Dir. Bill Pohlad
Feat. John Cusack, Paul Dano, Elizabeth Banks…; Finely attuned portrait of Brian Wilson, the mercurial singer, songwriter and leader of The Beach Boys, and his struggles with his emerging psychosis…
Love at First Fight (Les Combattants) (2014): 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…
Love Child (TV Series) (2014): Feat. Jessica Marais, Jonathan LaPaglia, Mandy McElhinney; Vivid period drama recounting the appalling practice of forced adoptions for unmarried Australian mothers in the swinging sixties, as witnessed by a…
Love is Strange (2014): Dir. Ira Sachs
Feat. John Lithgow, Alfred Molina, Marisa Tomei; Poignant drama with John Lithgow and Alfred Molina starring as a recently married gay couple who are forced to move into separate households after…
Mad Men - Season 7 (TV Series) (2014): Feat. Jon Hamm, Elisabeth Moss, Vincent Kartheiser…; Final episodes of the 60's–New–York–set television drama series focused on an ad exec basking in the glow of the golden age of…
Madam Secretary (TV Series) (2014): Feat. Tea Leoni, Tim Daly, Keith Carradine…; Tea Leoni stars in this astute political drama that looks at the personal and professional life of a Secretary of State as she tries to balance her…
Madame Bovary (2014): Dir. Sophie Barthes
Feat. Mia Wasikowska, Paul Giamatti, Ezra Miller…; Mia Wasikowska is well cast in the role of Emma Bovary trapped in a loveless marriage and desperate for excitement, seeking love and fulfillment…
Manglehorn (2014): Dir. David Gordon Green
Feat. Al Pacino, Holly Hunter, Harmony Korine…; Al Pacino gives a nicely understated performance as an eccentric small–town locksmith, trying to start his life over again with the help of a…
Maps to the Stars (2014): Dir. David Cronenberg
Feat. Julianne Moore, Mia Wasikowska, John Cusack…; Director David Cronenberg’s gaudy, lacerating satire of Hollywood vanities, featuring Julianne Moore in a richly–deserved…
Marvellous (2014): Dir. Julian Farino
Feat. Toby Jones, Gemma Jones, Tony Curran; Inspirational biopic based on the autobiography of Neil Baldwin, who suffered learning disabilities as a child but persevered to become a local hero,…
Masters of Sex - Season 2 (TV Series) (2014): Feat. Michael Sheen, Lizzy Caplan; Season two of the dramatisation of the work of pioneering researchers Dr. William Masters and Virginia Johnson, the eponymous 'Masters of Sex' whose…
Match (2014): Dir. Stephen Belber, Fanny Sidney
Feat. Patrick Stewart, Carla Gugino, Matthew Lillard; Compelling drama with Patrick Stewart as a retired Julliard professor who finds his past interrogated when interviewed by a couple, ostensibly for a…
Men, Women and Children (2014): Dir. Jason Reitman
Feat. Adam Sandler, Rosemarie DeWitt, Jennifer Garner…; Topical drama concerning a group of high school teenagers and their parents as they attempt to navigate the many ways the internet has changed their…
Million Dollar Arm (2014): Dir. Craig Gillespie
Feat. Jon Hamm, Lake Bell, Bill Paxton…; Amiable Disney sports fare about an agent (Hamm) who travels to India in the hope of discovering a baseball star amongst the country's…
Miss Julie (2014): Dir. Liv Ullmann
Feat. Jessica Chastain, Colin Farrell, Samantha Morton; Screen legend Liv Ullman directs this adaptation of August Strindberg's play. Over the course of a midsummer night in Fermanagh in 1890, an unsettled…
Missing, The (TV Series) (2014-2016): Feat. James Nesbitt, Frances O’Connor, Tcheky Karyo…; Gripping BBC drama with James Nesbitt as a man devastated by the abduction of his young son during a family vacation in France.
Mommy (2014): Dir. Xavier Dolan
Feat. Anne Dorval, Suzanne Clément, Antoine-Olivier Pilon…; Xavier Dolan directs this piercing account of a widowed single mother, raising her violent son alone, who finds new hope when a mysterious neighbor…
Monuments Men, The (2014): Dir. George Clooney
Feat. George Clooney, Matt Damon, Bill Murray…; George Clooney directs and stars in this stirring WWII adventure based on the deeds of a team of Allied art historians who go behind enemy lines to…
Most Violent Year, A (2014): Dir. J.C. Chandor
Feat. Oscar Isaac, Jessica Chastain, David Oyelowo…; The dir. of MARGIN CALL returns to the subject of business ethics for this tough–minded, slow–burn drama set in early 80's New…
Mr. Turner (2014): Dir. Mike Leigh
Feat. Timothy Spall, Paul Jesson, Dorothy Atkinson…; Mike Leigh directs Timothy Spall in this acclaimed exploration of the last quarter century of the great, if eccentric, British painter J.M.W.…
My Old Lady (2014): 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…
Nancy Wake: Gestapo's Most Wanted (2014): The heroics of Wellington–born Nancy Wake, aka 'The White Mouse', are given a pulpy treatment in this doco–drama celebrating the famed…
Never Tear Us Apart: The Untold Story of INXS (2014): Dir. Daina Reid
Feat. Luke Arnold; Gaudy two–part Australian telemovie of the untold story rock band INXS and their rise to fame alongside charismatic frontman Michael…
New Girlfriend, The (Une Nouvelle Amie) (2014): Dir. Francois Ozon; Playful and stylish exploration of gender identity and eroticism based on a short story by Ruth Rendell, in which a grieving widower begins dressing…
Noble (2014): Dir. Stephen Bradley
Feat. Deidre O’ Kane, Liam Cunningham, Brendan Coyle; Riveting biopic of Christina Noble, the children's rights campaigner, who herself overcame the harsh difficulties of her childhood in Ireland to…
Normal Heart, The (2014): Dir. Ryan Murphy
Feat. Mark Ruffalo, Matt Bomer, Taylor Kitsch…; Powerful HBO–produced adaptation of Larry Kramer's stageplay about the AIDS crisis in New York City in the 1980s and the efforts of HIV…
Northern Soul (2014): Dir. Elaine Constantine
Feat. Elliot James Langridge, Josh Whitehouse, Antonia Thomas…; Depicting the same youth subculture dramatised in 2010's SOULBOY, this offers an equally vivid recreation of the eponymous Lancashire music scene in…
Obvious 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…
Olive Kitteridge (TV Mini-Series) (2014): Dir. Lisa Cholodenko
Feat. Frances McDormand, Richard Jenkins, Ann Dowd…; Frances McDormand is superb as the forbidding Olive Kitteridge in this exemplary HBO adaptation of Elizabeth Strout's Pulitzer Prize–winning…
Our Girl (TV Series) (2014): Feat. Lacey Turner; Lacey Turner stars in this acclaimed drama as a young woman on her first deployment as a serving army medic against the backdrop of the British…
Our Zoo (TV Series) (2014): Feat. Lee Ingleby, Liz White, Anne Reid…; Charming mini–series follows the family who founded the famed Chester Zoo.
Outlander (TV Series) (2014): Feat. Caitriona Balfe, Sam Heughan, Duncan Lacroix…; From the pen of Ronald D. Moore comes this tale of a combat nurse from 1945 who is mysteriously swept back in time to 18th century Scotland, a…
Pa Boys, The (2014): Dir. Himiona Grace; A small, nicely formed road movie of following a three–piece Wellington reggae band as they tour the North Island. At its heart a celebration…
Parer's War (2014): Dir. Alister Grierson
Feat. Matthew Le Nevez, Adelaide Clemens; A fine companion piece to KOKODA (also directed by Alister Grierson), this biopic honours Australia's first Oscar winner, war photographer Damien…
Parts Per Billion (2014): Dir. Brian Horiuchi
Feat. Frank Langella, Gena Rowlands, Rosario Dawson…; The emotional reverberations of an imminent biological disaster are explored in this strained drama focused on three couples coping with the end of…
Pawn Sacrifice (2014): Dir. Edward Zwick
Feat. Tobey Maguire, Liev Schreiber, Lily Rabe…; Tobey Maguire and Liev Schrieber face off in this compelling recreation of chess' famous cold war showdown, between the taciturn Russian Boris…
Phoenix (2014): Dir. Christian Petzold
Feat. Nina Hoss, Ronald Zehrfeld, Nina Kunzendorf; The director of YELLA and BARBARA reunites with his ingenue Nina Hoss for this romantic tale of deception about a concentration camp survivor who…
Ping Pong Summer (2014): Dir. Michael Tully
Feat. Marcello Conte, John Hannah, Lea Thompson…; A sweet 80's nostalgia film that follows a shy 13–year–old whose obsessions with ping pong and hip hop bring him out of his shell while…
Pride (2014): 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 & 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…
Red Road (TV Series) (2014): Feat. Martin Henderson, Jason Momoa, Julianne Nicholson…; Downbeat drama revolving around a sheriff struggling to keep his family together while simultaneously policing two clashing communities: the small…
Resurrection (TV Series) (2014): Feat. Omar Epps, Frances Fisher; A small Missouri town is the site of a number of unexplained resurrections in this thought–provoking drama, reminiscent of – though…
Riot Club, The (2014): Dir. Lone Scherfig
Feat. Sam Claflin, Max Irons, Douglas Booth…; Two first–year students at Oxford University join the infamous Riot Club, where reputations can be made or destroyed over the course of a…
Rosewater (2014): Dir. Jon Stewart
Feat. Gael Garcia Bernal, Kim Bodnia, Dimitri Leonidas…; The Daily Show's Jon Stewart makes a searing directorial debut with this true story of an Iranian–Canadian journalist Maziar Bahari who was…
Rudderless (2014): Dir. William H. Macy
Feat. Billy Crudup, Anton Yelchin, Felicity Huffman…; William H. Macy''s directorial debut features Billy Crudup as a grieving father in a downward spiral who stumbles across a box of his recently…
Saint Laurent (2014): Dir. Bertrand Bonello
Feat. Gaspard Ulliel, Jeremie Renier, Louis Garrel…; A decadent alternate portrait of the iconic fashion designer covering the peak of his career from 1967 to 1976. From the dir. of HOUSE OF PLEASURES.
Salvation, The (2014): Dir. Kristian Levring
Feat. Mads Mikkelsen, Eva Green, Jeffrey Dean Morgan…; High on action, low on dialogue, this enjoyable Danish western follows the story of a peaceful American settler who kills his family's murderer and…
Samba (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…
Second Chance, A (2014): Dir. Susanne Bier
Feat. Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Nikolaj Lie Kaas, Thomas Bo Larsen…; Susanne Bier directs a haunting melodrama about the contrasting lives of two police officers, whose lives take a dark turn after finding a neglected…
Selma (2014): Dir. Ava DuVernay
Feat. David Oyelowo, Carmen Ejogo, Tim Roth…; Stirring chronicle of Martin Luther King's campaign to secure equal voting rights via an epic march from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama in 1965.
Serena (2014): Dir. Susanne Bier
Feat. Bradley Cooper, Jennifer Lawrence, Rhys Ifans…; Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence reunite in this depression–era set drama about a newlywed's timber empire under threat from a secret from…
Set Fire to the Stars (2014): Dir. Andy Goddard
Feat. Elijah Wood, Celyn Jones, Kelly Reilly…; Well–mounted drama in which an aspiring poet in 1950s New York has his ordered world shaken when he embarks on a week–long retreat to…
Shelter (2014): Dir. Paul Bettany
Feat. Jennifer Connelly, Anthony Mackie, Amy Hargreaves…; Jennifer Connelly and Anthony Mackie star in this worthy drama about the redemptive relationship between two homeless people on the streets of New…
Shooting 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.
Silent Heart (2014): Dir. Bille August
Feat. Ghita Norby, Paprika Steen, Jens Albinus…; Earnest chamber drama about three generations of a family coming together over a weekend. A sick mother's wish to die before her disease worsens gets…
Skeleton Twins, The (2014): 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.
Someone You Love (2014): Dir. Pernille Fischer Christensen
Feat. Mikael Persbrandt, Trine Dyrholm, Birgitte Hjort Sørensen; Danish drama about an aging singer whose recording process is interrupted by the arrival of a grandson he's never met.
Song One (2014): Dir. Kate Barker-Froyland
Feat. Anne Hathaway, Johnny Flynn, Mary Steenburgen; Sensitive drama set in New York's contemporary indie–folk music scene, with Anne Hathaway as a young woman who strikes up a relationship with…
Sound and the Fury, The (2014): Dir. James Franco
Feat. James Franco, Joey King, Seth Rogen…; James Franco continues his literary dalliances with this vainglorious attempt to adapt William Faulkner's iconic novel that follows the decline of an…
Spring (2014): Dir. Justin Benson, Aaron Moorhead
Feat. Lou Taylor Pucci, Nadia Hilker, Vanessa Bednar; A captivating hybrid of "tourist romance" and "body horror" (yes, Linklater meets Cronenberg) in which a recently orphaned young man flees the US for…
St. Vincent (2014): 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…
Still Alice (2014): Dir. Richard Glatzer, Wash Westmoreland
Feat. Julianne Moore, Alec Baldwin, Kristen Stewart…; An accomplished, heart–breaking tale of a high–achieving academic and mother–of–three whose life is turned upside down after…
Suite Française (Suite Francaise) (2014): Dir. Saul Dibb
Feat. Michelle Williams, Kristin Scott Thomas, Matthias Schoenaerts…; Adapted from the acclaimed novel by Irène Némirovsky, this well–acted drama tells the tale of a lonely Frenchwoman who begins a tentative…
That Day We Sang (2014): Dir. Victoria Wood
Feat. Michael Ball, Imelda Staunton, Christopher Jordan; TV adaptation of the beloved musical written and composed by Victoria Wood, who also directs. Set in 1969 and based on a true story, the plot…
Theory of Everything, The (2014): Dir. James Marsh
Feat. Eddie Redmayne, Felicity Jones, David Thewlis…; Acclaimed look at the relationship between the famous physicist Stephen Hawking and his wife as he struggles with the onset of motor neuron disease.…
Timbuktu (2014): Dir. Abderrahmane Sissako
Feat. Abel Jafri, Hichem Yacoubi; A powerful and subtle drama set in the city of Timbuktu in Mali, West Africa. The city has been occupied by Jihadists, and the citizens are suffering…
Time Out of Mind (2014): Dir. Oren Moverman
Feat. Richard Gere, Ben Vereen, Jena Malone…; Richard Gere gives a committed performance in this moving saga of a homeless man desperately trying to reconcile with his estranged daughter.
Trash (2014): 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…
Two Days, One Night (2014): Dir. Luc and Jean-Pierre Dardenne
Feat. Marion Cotillard, Fabrizio Rongione, Catherine Salee; Marion Cotillard stars as a young mother, discovers that her workmates have opted for a significant pay bonus, in exchange for her dismissal. She has…
Unbroken (2014): Dir. Angelina Jolie
Feat. Jack O'Connell, Takamasa Ishihara, Domhnall Gleeson…; Angelina Jolie directs this biopic of Olympian Louis Zamperini who survived a harrowing 47 days in a raft with two fellow crewmen before being by the…
Veronica Mars (2014): Dir. Rob Thomas
Feat. Kristen Bell, Jason Dohring, Enrico Colantoni…; A crowd–funded movie swansong for Kristen Bell's cult teenage private eye, here drawn back as an adult into the mysteries of her hometown on…
War Story (2014): Dir. Mark Jackson
Feat. Catherine Keener, Hafsia Herzi, Ben Kingsley…; A war photographer who recently endured a brutal detainment in Libya holes up in Sicily to come to terms with her ordeal.
Water Diviner, The (2014): Dir. Russell Crowe
Feat. Jai Courtney, Olga Kurylenko, Russell Crowe…; An Australian man travels to Turkey after the Battle of Gallipoli to try and locate his three missing sons.
Welcome to New York (2014): Dir. Abel Ferrara
Feat. Gerard Depardieu, Jacqueline Bisset; Gerard Depardieu stars in Abel Ferrara's divisive drama based on the sexual misconduct allegations made against French diplomat Dominique…
What We Did on Our Holiday (2014): 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…
When Marnie Was There (2014): Dir. Hiromasa Yonebayashi; Beautifully rendered – but possibly final – Studio Ghibli animated feature focuses on the unlikely friendship between a tomboy and a…
When the Man Went South (2014): Dir. Alex Bernstein
Feat. Soane Prescott, Loketi Tatafu; The first feature film shot entirely in Tonga sees a young hunter set out on a journey to prepare himself for his possible ascension to the role of…
While We're Young (2014): 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…
Whiplash (2014): Dir. Damien Chazelle
Feat. Miles Teller, J.K. Simmons, Paul Reiser…; A promising young jazz drummer enrolls at a cutthroat music conservatory where his dreams of greatness are mentored by an instructor who will stop at…
White Bird in a Blizzard (2014): Dir. Gregg Araki
Feat. Shailene Woodley, Eva Green, Christopher Meloni…; Icy youth drama set follows a teenage girl's life as its thrown into chaos after the disappearance of her mother.
Widower, The (2014): Dir. Paul Whittington
Feat. John Hannah, Sheridan Smith, Reece Shearsmith…; Unnerving true crime drama depicting the life of criminal Malcolm Webster, who was convicted of murder, attempted murder and vast amounts of…
Winter Sleep (2014): Dir. Nuri Bilge Ceylan
Feat. Haluk Bilginer, Melisa Sozen, Demet Akbag; Winner of the Palme d’Or at this year’s Cannes this provocative drama follows a local celebrity who runs a small hotel with his wife. In winter…
Winter's Tale (2014): Dir. Akiva Goldsman
Feat. Colin Farrell, Jessica Brown Findlay, Russell Crowe…; This mythic New York romance centres on an Irish burglar (Farrell) who falls for an aristocrat's dying daughter, and seeks a miracle to save her life.
Wish 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) (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.
Wonders, The (Le Meraviglie) (2014): Dir. Alice Rohrwacher
Feat. Alba Rohrwacher, Maria Alexandra Lungu, Sam Louwyck; A Tuscan family of beekeepers find their household disrupted by the arrival of a silently troubled teenage boy and a reality TV show intent on…
X + Y (X and Y, aka A Brilliant Young Mind ) (2014): Dir. Morgan Matthews
Feat. Asa Butterfield, Sally Hawkins, Eddie Marsan…; Asa Butterfield (HUGO) plays a socially awkward teenage math prodigy who finds new confidence and new friendships when he lands a spot on the British…
You're Not You (2014): Dir. George C. Wolfe
Feat. Hilary Swank, Emmy Rossum, Josh Duhamel…; A drama centered on a classical pianist who has been diagnosed with ALS and the brash college student who becomes her caregiver.
Young Ones (Bad Land: Road to Fury) (2014): Dir. Jake Paltrow
Feat. Michael Shannon, Nicholas Hoult, Kodi Smit-McPhee…; Michael Shannon struggles to provide for his family in a post–apocalyptic world where water supplies are increasingly scarce. A spare…
Yves Saint Laurent (2014): Dir. Jalil Lespert
Feat. Pierre Niney, Charlotte Le Bon, Guillaume Gallienne; A look at the life and loves of famed French designer Yves Saint Laurent.
12 Years a Slave (2013): Dir. Steve McQueen
Feat. Chiwetel Ejiofor, Michael Fassbender, Paul Giamatti…; Steve McQueen (HUNGER, SHAME) directs this powerful historical drama of a free black man from upstate New York who is abducted and sold into slavery.
42 (2013): Dir. Brian Helgeland
Feat. Chadwick Boseman, Harrison Ford, Nicole Beharie…; A long overdue tribute to one of America's greatest baseballers, Jackie Robinson, who established his sporting and civil rights legend during the 40s…
52 Tuesdays (2013): Dir. Sophie Hyde
Feat. Tilda Cobham-Hervey, Del Herbert-Jane; A teenage girl explores her own sexuality as her mother undergoes gender transition in this moving Australian drama, shot over a year of Tuesdays.
A Birder's Guide to Everything (2013): Dir. Rob Meyer
Feat. Kodi Smit-McPhee, James Le Gros, Katie Chang…; A lovely, heartfelt teen movie about a nerdy 15–year–old birding fanatic (Smit–McPhee) who retreats with his friends on a bird…
A Hero's Choice (A Farewell to Fools) (2013): Dir. Bogdan Dreyer
Feat. Gerard Depardieu, Harvey Keitel, Laura Morante; A heaving production of Titus Popovici's famous novella 'The Death of Ipu' out of Romania, this WWII morality tale stars Gerard Depardieu as a madman…
A Place to Call Home (TV Series) (2013): Feat. Marta Dusseldorp, Noni Hazlehurst, Brett Climo…; Australian television tries its hand at a DOWNTON ABBEY–style melodrama with this spiffy period production set on a New South Wales country…
A Promise (2013): Dir. Patrice Leconte
Feat. Rebecca Hall, Alan Rickman, Richard Madden; Rebecca Hall falls in love with her husband's protégé in this weepy wartime romance, a rare English–language film from veteran French…
A Thousand Times Goodnight (2013): Dir. Erik Poppe
Feat. Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Juliette Binoche, Maria Doyle Kennedy…; Juliette Binoche stars as a war–zone photojournalist whose dedication to her dangerous job places her at odds with her family.
A Touch of Sin (2013): Dir. Jia Zhang-ke
Feat. Wu Jiang, Baoqiang Wang, Zhao Tao; Another striking modern tale of urban discontent from leading Chinese auteur Jia Zhang–ke, one which remains as perceptive and…
A.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…
Admission (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…
Adoration (Adore) (2013): Dir. Anne Fontaine
Feat. Naomi Watts, Robin Wright, Xavier Samuel…; Adapted from Doris Lessing's novel 'The Grandmothers', two women embark on secretive affairs with each other's sons in this sensual Australian…
Adult 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.
Afternoon Delight (2013): Dir. Jill Soloway
Feat. Kathryn Hahn, Juno Temple, Josh Radnor…; A dissatisfied thirtysomething woman seeks "a cure for the common marriage" through her friendship with a young stripper in this serio–comic…
Ain't Them Bodies Saints (2013): Dir. David Lowery
Feat. Rooney Mara, Casey Affleck, Ben Foster…; In this poetic tale of love and desperation, a Texan outlaw on the run attempts to reunite with his wife and daughter.
All is Lost (2013): Dir. J.C. Chandor
Feat. Robert Redford; Elegant maritime thriller in which Robert Redford is the sole actor, faced with the challenges of survival aboard his shipwrecked yacht. Helmed by…
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…
American Hustle (2013): Dir. David O. Russell
Feat. Christian Bale, Bradley Cooper, Amy Adams…; David O. Russell directs a full–house of acting talent in this wild crime drama about a FBI agent and con man collaborating to sting corrupt…
Around the Block (2013): Dir. Sarah Spillane
Feat. Christina Ricci, Daniel Henshall, Jack Thompson…; Christina Ricci plays a tough but compassionate teacher working in Sydney's Redfern suburb who is drawn to a troubled aboriginal student with a…
As I Lay Dying (2013): Dir. James Franco
Feat. James Franco, Danny McBride, Logan Marshall-Green…; James Franco tackles William Faulkner's famed stream–of–consciousness novel as both actor and director in this story of a grieving…
August: Osage County (2013): Dir. John Wells
Feat. Meryl Streep, Julia Roberts, Chris Cooper…; Meryl Streep, Julia Roberts, and other heavy hitters come out swinging in this fierce, sometimes hysterical, screen adaptation of Tracy Letts'…
Beautiful Creatures (2013): Dir. Richard LaGravenese
Feat. Alden Ehrenreich, Alice Englert, Jeremy Irons…; A young man is drawn to a mysterious new arrival whose family possess secret supernatural powers in this vivid adaptation of Kami Garcia and Margaret…
Before Midnight (2013): Dir. Richard Linklater
Feat. Ethan Hawke, Julie Delpy, Ariane Labed…; In sunny Greece, long–time lovers Jesse and Céline reunite almost two decades after their first meeting in this wistful sequel to BEFORE…
Behind the Candelabra (2013): Dir. Steven Soderbergh
Feat. Matt Damon, Michael Douglas, Scott Bakula…; Steven Soderbergh directs this classy HBO–produced biopic of flamboyant pianist Liberace (Michael Douglas) and his rocky relationship with…
Being Venice (2013): Dir. Miro Bilbrough
Feat. Alice McConnell, Garry McDonald; New Zealand–born poet Miro Bilbrough directs this spacious character study of a young Sydney–sider drifting through life and…
Belle (2013): Dir. Amma Asante
Feat. Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Matthew Goode, Tom Wilkinson…; Exemplary costume piece about the true story of a mixed race daughter of a Royal Navy Admiral who is raised by her aristocratic great–uncle in…
Belle and Sebastian (Belle et Sebastien) (2013): Dir. Nicholas Vanier
Feat. Félix Bossuet; Stirring big screen adaptation of the much–loved children's book about a six–year–old orphan and his friendship with a wild…
Best Offer, The (2013): Dir. Giuseppe Tornatore
Feat. Geoffrey Rush, Jim Sturgess, Donald Sutherland…; An obsessive antiques dealer becomes entangled with an heiress who asks him appraise a series of family art works in this baroque mystery from CINEMA…
Betty and Coretta (2013): Dir. Yves Simoneau
Feat. Angela Bassett, Mary J. Blige, Ruby Dee…; Moving drama of the friendship between the widows of Martin Luther King and Malcolm X and how they struggled as single mothers after the…
Big Sur (2013): Dir. Michael Polish
Feat. Jean-Marc Barr, Kate Bosworth, Josh Lucas…; Jack Kerouac (under the alter–ego Jack Duluoz) reflects on the success of ON THE ROAD while grappling with his inner demons in a remote cabin…
Bling Ring, The (2013): Dir. Sofia Coppola
Feat. Emma Watson, Katie Chang, Israel Broussard…; Sophia Coppola directs this self–aware drama based on the true story of a group of fame–obsessed teenagers who use the internet to track…
Blue Caprice (2013): Dir. Alexandre Moors
Feat. Isaiah Washington, Tequan Richmond, Tim Blake Nelson…; A 17–year–old boy is taken under the wing of a paternal figure with a vindictive streak in this chilling and perceptive account of the…
Blue is the Warmest Colour (2013): Dir. Abdellatif Kechiche
Feat. Léa Seydoux, Adele Exarchopoulos; The Cannes Palm D'Or–winning drama that explores, in a series of elongated sequences, a young woman's blossoming sexuality and maturity when…
Blue Jasmine (2013): 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) (2013): 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…
Boardwalk Empire - Season 4 (TV Series) (2013): Feat. Steve Buscemi, Kelly MacDonald, Michael Shannon…; Further episodes from the marquee HBO production, centred on the Prohibition–era empire surrounding corrupt Atlantic treasurer Enoch "Nucky"…
Bonnie and Clyde (TV Mini-Series) (2013): Dir. Bruce Beresford
Feat. Emile Hirsch, Holliday Grainger, Sarah Hyland…; The legend of depression era outlaws Clyde Barrow and Bonnie Parker is given the full treatment in this evocative History Channel drama.
Book Thief, The (2013): Dir. Brian Percival
Feat. Sophie Nelisse, Heike Makatsch, Geoffrey Rush…; Earnest wartime drama about a foster child who begins stealing books and sharing them with a Jewish refugee hiding in her basement in Nazi Germany.
Borgen - Series 3 (TV Series) (2013): Feat. Sidse Babett Knudsen, Birgitte Hjort Sørensen, Pilou Asbæk; Further episodes from the Bafta–winning Danish political drama in which an idealistic prime minister's rise to power brings with it a web of…
Breaking Bad - The Final Season (TV Series) (2013): Feat. Bryan Cranston, Aaron Paul, Anna Gunn…; Final episodes in the addictive series chronicling the deeds of anti–hero Walter White (Cranston), a high school chemistry teacher who turns to…
Breathe In (2013): Dir. Drake Doremus
Feat. Guy Pearce, Felicity Jones, Amy Ryan; The dir. of LIKE CRAZY explores another English–American relationship in this melancholic romance between a British exchange student and the…
Breathless (TV Series) (2013): Feat. Jack Davenport, Zoe Boyle; The lives of a team of doctors and nurses working at a gynaecology unit in a London hospital are explored with a predicable amount of froth and sheen…
Broadchurch - Series 1 (TV Series) (2013): Feat. David Tennant, Olivia Colman, Jodie Whittaker…; Superb addition to the euro crime craze, with Tennant and Colman bringing a surprisingly fresh take on the mismatched partner scenario, as detectives…
Broken Circle Breakdown, The (2013): Dir. Felix Van Groeningen
Feat. Veerle Baetens, Johan Heldenbergh, Nell Cattrysse; Dynamic and sexy musical romance set in the Flemish region of Belgium over seven years of poignant love and loss, and featuring a magnificent…
Burton and Taylor (2013): Dir. Richard Laxton
Feat. Helena Bonham Carter, Dominic West; A spot–on insight into the relationship of glamour couple Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton – played uncannily by Helena Bonham Carter…
Butler, The (2013): Dir. Lee Daniels
Feat. Forest Whitaker, Oprah Winfrey, Mariah Carey…; A stagy but sincere history of post–war Black America from the point of view of a White House servant (played by Forest Whitaker). It works as…
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…
Camille Claudel, 1915 (2013): Dir. Bruno Dumont
Feat. Juliette Binoche, Jean-Luc Vincent; Another acting masterclass from the formidable Juliette Binoche intensifies this clear–sighted portrait of misunderstood sculptress Camille…
Canopy (2013): Dir. Aaron Wilson
Feat. Khan Chittenden; An Australian pilot shot down over wartime Singapore forms an uneasy alliance with a Chinese resistance fighter in this immersive survival story.
Canyons, The (2013): Dir. Paul Schrader
Feat. Lindsay Lohan, James Deen, Nolan Gerard Funk…; Dir. Paul Schrader and writer Bret Easton Ellis collaborate on this seedy tale of independent film production, set in a washed out L.A. Lindsay Lohan…
Captain Phillips (2013): Dir. Paul Greengrass
Feat. Tom Hanks, Barkhad Abdi, Catherine Keener; Paul Greengrass directs with exhilarating dramatic realism this gripping true account of the hijacking of a U.S. container ship by Somali pirates.
CBGB (2013): Dir. Randall Miller
Feat. Alan Rickman, Malin Akerman, Justin Bartha…; Biopic about the former New York music club CBGB, which opened in 1973 as a venue for country, bluegrass and blues but soon became ground zero for…
Charlie's Country (2013): Dir. Rolf De Heer
Feat. David Gulpilil; David Gulpilil, in a Cannes–winning performance, plays an Aboriginal outcast in Australia's Northern Territory in this new film from Rolf De…
Child's Pose (2013): Dir. Calin Peter Netzer
Feat. Luminita Gheorghiu, Vlad Ivanov; A manipulative mother contrives to keep her adult son out of prison following a manslaughter charge in this gripping character drama from the…
Closed Circuit (2013): Dir. John Crowley
Feat. Eric Bana, Rebecca Hall, Jim Broadbent…; A dangerous conflict of interest arises when two ex–lovers end up on opposite sides of a high profile terrorism trial in this probing courtroom…
Computer Chess (2013): 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…
Congress, The (2013): Dir. Ari Folman
Feat. Robin Wright, Harvey Keitel, Jon Hamm…; Robin Wright stars as an aging actress who is offered the chance of "career immortality" by being digitized in this topical and…
Da Vinci's Demons (TV Series) (2013): Feat. Tom Riley; A lavishly produced historical fantasy which imagines Leonardo da Vinci's life as an artist, inventor and genius. Season One: eight episodes…
Dallas Buyers Club (2013): Dir. Jean-Marc Vallée
Feat. Matthew McConaughey, Jennifer Garner, Jared Leto…; Matthew McConaughey and Jared Leto both won Oscars for their performances in this dramatization of the story of Ron Woodroof, an AIDS–afflicted…
Dancing on the Edge (TV series) (2013): Dir. Stephen Poliakoff
Feat. Chiwetel Ejiofor, Matthew Goode, Angel Coulby…; Aided by beautiful period detail, Stephen Poliakoff's latest drama richly explores the rise and fall of a black jazz band embraced by the aristocracy…
Dates (TV Series) (2013): Dir. John Maybury, Charles Sturridge, Paul Andrew Williams
Feat. Ben Chaplin, Gemma Chan, Sheridan Smith…; From the creator of Skins, this Channel 4 series features a bevy of sexy 20–somethings finding romance through online dating. Each of the nine…
Death Comes to Pemberley (TV Mini-Series) (2013): Dir. Daniel Percival
Feat. Matthew Rhys, Anna Maxwell Martin, Jenna-Louise Coleman…; Fine British period drama based on P.D. James' murder mystery novel set after the events of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice.
Decoding Annie Parker (2013): Dir. Steven Bernstein
Feat. Samantha Morton, Helen Hunt, Maggie Grace…; The lives of a breast–cancer patient and a researcher who is trying to prove a genetic link to cancer intersect in a groundbreaking study
Devil's Knot (2013): Dir. Atom Egoyan
Feat. Reese Witherspoon, Colin Firth, Alessandro Nivola…; Solid dramatisation of the long–running West Memphis Three case covered in depth by several documentaries, with dir. Egoyan weaving a typically…
Devil's Violinist, The (2013): Dir. Bernard Rose
Feat. David Garrett, Jared Harris, Joely Richardson…; The acclaimed violinist David Garrett makes his acting debut in this biopic of Italian violinist and composer, Niccolò Paganini, from the director…
Diana (2013): Dir. Oliver Hirschbiegel
Feat. Naomi Watts, Naveen Andrews, Douglas Hodge…; Naomi Watts takes on the legend of Princess Diana in this earnest biopic of the doomed "people's princess."
Don Jon (2013): 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…
Downton Abbey - Series 4 (TV Series) (2013): Feat. Hugh Bonneville, Maggie Smith, Elizabeth McGovern…; Further episodes from ITV's immensely popular, top–of–the–range period drama, centred on the residents and staff of the titular…
Downton Abbey in London (TV Mini-Series) (2013): Feat. Hugh Bonneville, Maggie Smith, Elizabeth McGovern…; Downton's latest Christmas special centres on Rose's 'coming out' at Buckingham Palace, with Shirley Maclaine and Paul Giamatti in memorable guest…
Drift (2013): Dir. Ben Nott, Morgan O'Neill
Feat. Sam Worthington, Xavier Samuel, Myles Pollard…; The Aussie surf revolution is chronicled through the story of two big wave–loving brothers who kick–started the modern surf industry in…
Drinking Buddies (2013): 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…
Eastern Boys (2013): Dir. Robin Campillo
Feat. Olivier Rabourdin, Kirill Emelyanov, Danil Vorobyev; Unconventional thriller explores the shifting dynamics in a relationship between an older man and a young immigrant male hustler.
English 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 Said (2013): 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…
Exhibition (2013): Dir. Joanna Hogg
Feat. Viv Albertine, Liam Gillick, Tom Hiddleston; A brilliant and refreshingly unconventional portrait of a marriage from singular British director Joanna Hogg (ARCHIPELAGO), starring Viv Albertine…
Face of Love, The (2013): Dir. Arie Posin
Feat. Annette Bening, Ed Harris, Robin Williams…; Annette Bening is superb in this otherwise carelessly melodramatic romance centred on a woman who falls in love with a man (Ed Harris) who's the…
Fading 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) (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…
Fantail (2013): Dir. Curtis Vowell
Feat. Sophie Henderson, Stephen Lovatt, Jarod Rawiri; A fine small–scale New Zealand drama following the life of a young Pakeha woman who identifies as a Maori as she works graveyard shift at a…
Father Brown (TV Series) (2013): Feat. Mark Williams, Hugo Speer, Sorcha Cusack; A reboot of the 1970's British television detective period drama about the eponymous Roman Catholic priest who solves crimes in a fictional Cotswold…
Felony (2013): Dir. Matthew Saville
Feat. Tom Wilkinson, Joel Edgerton, Jai Courtney…; Matthew Saville (NOISE) directs this taut, emotionally credible thriller centred on three detectives with differing views on how to deal with a…
Fifth Estate, The (5ifth Estate, The) (2013): Dir. Bill Condon
Feat. Benedict Cumberbatch, Daniel Brühl, Peter Capaldi…; Benedict Cumberbatch plays Julian Assange in this urgent dramatisation of the WikiLeaks founder's controversial rise to prominence.
Filth (2013): Dir. Jon S. Baird
Feat. Jamie Bell, Imogen Poots, James McAvoy…; James McAvoy plays a self–destructing copper whose corruption and bigotry manifest in a spiral of sex, drugs and violence. From an Irving Welsh…
Finishers, The (De toutes nos forces) (2013): Dir. Nils Tavernier
Feat. Jacques Gamblin, Alexandra Lamy, Fabien Héraud; Inspiring tale of a father's attempt to bond with his cerebral palsy–afflicted son by participating in an Ironman endurance contest. A real…
Fold, The (2013): Dir. John Jencks
Feat. Catherine McCormack, Marina Stoimenova, Dakota Blue Richards; In this tempestuous drama, an Anglican priest mourning the death of her daughter develops an uneasy maternal relationship with Eastern European…
Frankie (TV Series) (2013): Feat. Eve Myles, Dean Lennox Kelly; An endearing medical drama centred on a district nurse and her ceaseless dedication to her job – often, at the expensive of her personal…
Free Ride (2013): Dir. Shana Betz
Feat. Anna Paquin, Drea De Matteo, Liana Liberato…; Anna Paquin plays a single mom who takes to Florida's drug smuggling trade in order to support her children in this straightforward dramatic thriller.
Friends From France (Les interdits) (2013): Dir. Philippe Kotlarski, Anne Weil; Two cousins pose as an engaged couple on a tour to Odessa in order to help liberate persecuted Jews in this suspenseful Iron Curtain thriller.
Fruitvale Station (2013): Dir. Ryan Coogler
Feat. Michael B. Jordan, Melonie Diaz, Octavia Spencer…; Michael B. Jordan (THE WIRE) plays the victim of a senseless shooting at the hands of police officers in this powerful Sundance–winning drama.
Gagarin: First in Space (2013): Dir. Pavel Parkhomenko
Feat. Yaroslav Zhalnin, Mikhail Filippov
Game of Thrones - Season 3 (TV Series) (2013): Feat. Peter Dinklage, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Michelle Fairley…; Further episodes from the justifiably acclaimed HBO medieval series, with realism and violence dictating its dark hued, anti–romantic take on…
Garden of Words, The (2013): Dir. Makoto Shinkai
Feat. Miyu Irino, Kana Hanazawa; Another gorgeous animated romance from the director of 5 CENTIMETRES PER SECOND, centred on the poignant relationship between a sensitive teenager…
Geography 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…
German Doctor, The (2013): Dir. Lucía Puenzo
Feat. Àlex Brendemühl, Natalia Oreiro; Chilling domestic thriller centred on the Argentine family who lived unknowingly with Josef Mengele, the notorious Auschwitz physician, after he fled…
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…
Gimme Shelter (2013): Dir. Ron Krauss
Feat. Vanessa Anne Hudgens, Rosario Dawson, Brendan Fraser…; A pregnant teenager forced to live rough after she is abandoned by her uncaring parents. Dramatically solid, though with a few strains of Vanessa…
Girls - Season 2 (TV Series) (2013): 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,…
Gloria (2013): Dir. Sebastián Lelio
Feat. Paulina García, Sergio Hernández; Another superb Chilean drama in the wake of the previous year's NO, Paulina Garcia plays a free–spirited 58–year–old divorcee who…
Golden Hour, The (2013): Superb 'Sunday Theatre' docu–drama relives the inspirational story behind New Zealand's greatest–ever day at the Olympics, in which…
Great Beauty, The (2013): Dir. Paolo Sorrentino
Feat. Toni Servillo, Carlo Verdone, Sabrina Ferilli…; This Academy–Award winner for Best Foreign Language Film has dir. Paolo Sorrentino's regular frontman Toni Servillo as an aging Roman…
Great Expectations (2013): Dir. Mike Newell
Feat. Helena Bonham Carter, Ralph Fiennes, Holliday Grainger…; Dir. Mike Newell utilises incredible art direction and a wardrobe for the ages while offering nothing unexpected in this professionally delivered…
Great Gatsby, The (2013): Dir. Baz Luhrmann
Feat. Leonardo DiCaprio, Tobey Maguire, Carey Mulligan…; Noisy, impetuous, boisterous, the film suffers from Luhrman’s usual ADHD direction. It’s as if he can’t bring himself to just let the camera…
Grey's Anatomy (TV Series) - Season 9 (2013): Feat. Patrick Dempsey, Ellen Pompeo, Justin Chambers…; Ninth season of the popular female–driven medical soap, continuing the trials and tribulations of five first–year interns as they juggle…
Half of a Yellow Sun (2013): Dir. Biyi Bandele
Feat. Thandiwe Newton, Chiwetel Ejiofor, John Boyega…; A moving, if overly melodramatic rendering of Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie's novel about the Nigerian Civil War as experienced by two…
Harry (TV Series) (2013): Feat. Oscar Kightley, Sam Neill, Hunter Kamuhemu…; Oscar Kightley plays a grieving South Auckland detective swamped by a series of armed robberies in this dark, authentic local policier, a welcome…
Hatfields & McCoys (TV Mini-Series) (2013): Dir. Kevin Reynolds
Feat. Kevin Costner, Bill Paxton, Tom Berenger…; Epic western mini–series recreates the legendary family feud between two Confederate soldiers returning to their land in the aftermath of the…
Heart of a Lion (2013): Dir. Dome Karukoski
Feat. Laura Birn, Peter Franzén; Thoughtful character study of an ultranationalist skinhead whose racist attitudes soften through his desire for a family – specifically his…
Her (2013): Dir. Spike Jonze
Feat. Joaquin Phoenix, Scarlett Johansson, Rooney Mara…; Joaquin Phoenix plays a lonely divorcee who finds himself falling in love with 'Samantha', the artificial intelligence behind a new computer…
Hinterland (TV Series) (2013): Feat. Richard Harrington, Mali Harries; Noir crime drama set in Aberystwyth, Wales, where the knackered and troubled detective Tom Mathias searches for redemption, while solving crimes.
Homeland (2013): Dir. Mohamed Hamidi
Feat. Tewfik Jallab, Jamel Debbouze; In this affecting tale of self–discovery, a French law student visits his father’s village in Algeria for the first time, only to have his…
Hours (2013): Dir. Eric Heisserer
Feat. Paul Walker, Genesis Rodriguez; Paul Walker stars (posthumously) as the father of a premature baby fighting for survival during the height of Hurricane Katrina.
How I Live Now (2013): Dir. Kevin MacDonald
Feat. Saoirse Ronan, Tom Holland, George MacKay…; This edgy young–adult fantasy finds teenager Saoirse Ronan, sent to the English countryside to stay with relatives, coping with the outbreak of…
Hummingbird (Redemption) (2013): Dir. Steven Knight
Feat. Jason Statham, Agata Buzek, Vicky McClure; Jason Statham attempts to break out from his one note action persona, playing a troubled British Special Forces veteran seeking forgiveness in a…
I Do (2013): Dir. Glenn Gaylord
Feat. Jamie-Lynn Sigler, Alicia Witt, Maurice Compte…; A gay man marries his bestie to get a green card in this politically motivated family drama.
Ida (2013): Dir. Pawel Pawlikowski
Feat. Agata Trzebuchowska, Agata Kulesza; The ghosts of the Holcaust and Stalinism haunt this modern masterpiece about a young nun, who on the verge of taking her vows, visits her only…
Immigrant, The (2013): Dir. James Gray
Feat. Marion Cotillard, Joaquin Phoenix, Jeremy Renner; Marion Cotillard plays a polish immigrant separated from her sister and left to walk the streets of 1920's New York. She meets a troubled pimp…
In Bloom (2013): Dir. Nana Ekvtimishvili
Feat. Lika Babluani, Mariam Bokeria; Set in the newly independent state of Georgia in the wake of the Soviet regime, this powerful story follows two young girls as they courageously…
Inevitable Defeat of Mister & Pete, The (2013): Dir. George Tillman Jr.
Feat. Skylan Brooks, Ethan Dizon, Jennifer Hudson…; Two Brooklyn adolescents must fend for themselves when their hard–living mother is taken into police custody in this moving tragidrama.
Inside Llewyn Davis (2013): Dir. Ethan Coen, Joel Coen
Feat. Oscar Isaac, Carey Mulligan, Justin Timberlake…; The Coen brothers direct Oscar Isaac as a forlorn folk singer in this effective and evocative ode to the Greenwich Village music scene shot in black…
Invisible Woman, The (2013): Dir. Ralph Fiennes
Feat. Ralph Fiennes, Felicity Jones, Kristin Scott Thomas; Ralph Fiennes plays Charles Dickens in this rich dramatisation of his relationship with his 'secret lover', Ellen Ternan.
Jappeloup (2013): Dir. Christian Duguay
Feat. Guillaume Canet, Marina Hands, Daniel Auteuil…; A workmanlike rendering of the feats of Jappeloup, a diminutive horse who went to triumph against the odds at the 1988 Seoul games, becoming a French…
Jimi: All is By My Side (2013): Dir. John Ridley
Feat. Andre Benjamin, Hayley Atwell, Imogen Poots; An intuitive and evocative portrait of Jimi Hendrix as a fledgling rock legend honing his craft in Swinging London, prior to his legendary Stateside…
Jobs (2013): Dir. Joshua Michael Stern
Feat. Ashton Kutcher, Dermot Mulroney, Josh Gad…; Ashton Kutcher portrays computer visionary Steve Jobs in this heady biopic charting Apple's evolution from the Macintosh to the iPod.
Joe (2013): Dir. David Gordon Green
Feat. Nicolas Cage, Tye Sheridan; An ex–con becomes a de facto father figure to a teenage boy (Tye Sheridan of MUD) trying to escape a violent upbringing in this rural…
Just a Sigh (2013): Dir. Jérôme Bonnell
Feat. Emmanuelle Devos, Gabriel Byrne; Emmanuelle Devos and Gabriel Byrne experience a brief encounter as an actress and a professor who trade glances on a Paris–bound train. A…
Justified - Season 4 (TV Series) (2013): Feat. Timothy Olyphant, Walton Goggins, Joelle Carter…; Further episodes from the slick urban western about an old–school U.S. Marshal reassigned from Miami to his childhood home in the poor, rural…
Keep the Lights On (2013): Dir. Ira Sachs
Feat. Thure Lindhardt, Zachary Booth; Director Ira Sachs' fearlessly personal screenplay chronicles an emotionally and sexually charged journey of two men in New York City through love,…
Kill Your Darlings (2013): Dir. John Krokidas
Feat. Daniel Radcliffe, Dane DeHaan, Michael C. Hall…; The early years of Beat Generation icons Allen Ginsburg, Jack Kerouac and William Burroughs are dramatised in this impassioned period biopic.
Killing Lincoln (2013): Dir. Adrian Moat
Feat. Billy Campbell; Bill O'Reilly's novel about the assassination of President Lincoln from the point of view of John Wilkes Booth is the basis for this uneven but…
Kings of Summer, The (Toy's House) (2013): Dir. Jordan Vogt-Roberts
Feat. Nick Robinson, Gabriel Basso, Moises Arias…; A lyrical and sharp–witted coming–of–age drama about three teenage friends, who in the ultimate act of independence, decide to…
Labor Day (2013): Dir. Jason Reitman
Feat. Kate Winslet, Josh Brolin, Gattlin Griffith…; A lonely and depressed single mother harbours an escaped convict in this moving dramatic romance from dir. Jason Reitman (UP IN THE AIR).
Last of Robin Hood, The (2013): Dir. Richard Glatzer, Wash Westmoreland
Feat. Kevin Kline, Dakota Fanning, Susan Sarandon…; Biopic of the forgotten teen starlet Beverly Aadland and her relationship with Errol Flynn during his last days.
Le 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 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…
Lifeguard, The (2013): Dir. Liz W. Garcia
Feat. Kristen Bell, Mamie Gummer, Martin Starr…; A former valedictorian quits her job in New York and returns to her hometown to work as a lifeguard in this languid indie of 20–something…
Like Father, Like Son (2013): Dir. Kore-eda Hirokazu
Feat. Masaharu Fukuyama, Machiko Ono, Yôko Maki…; Two divergent families struggle to cope with the revelation that their young sons were swapped at birth in this moving domestic drama from dir.…
Living 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…
Locke (2013): Dir. Steven Knight
Feat. Tom Hardy, Olivia Colman, Ruth Wilson…; Tom Hardy plays a family man plunged into crisis and armed only with his mobile telephone in this brilliant, one–man chamber piece set entirely…
Look of Love, The (2013): Dir. Michael Winterbottom
Feat. Steve Coogan, Imogen Poots, Anna Friel…; Steve Coogan plays Paul Raymond, the controversial entrepreneur who became Britain's richest man, in this steamy biopic from prolific dir. Michael…
Love Eternal (2013): Dir. Brendan Muldowney
Feat. Tom De Hoog, Pollyanna McIntosh, Amanda Ryan; Provocative portrait of a death fixated young man struggling to make sense of the world.
Lovelace (2013): Dir. Robert Epstein, Jeffrey Friedman
Feat. Amanda Seyfried, Peter Sarsgaard, Sharon Stone…; The directors of HOWL turn their attention to the tragi–drama of one–time pornstar Linda Lovelace, whose unexpected stardom for her role…
Lucky Them (2013): Dir. Megan Griffiths
Feat. Toni Collette, Thomas Haden Church, Oliver Platt…; Toni Collette stars as rock journalist Ellie Klug, who is assigned to write a piece on her former boyfriend, a musician who had disappeared ten years…
Lunchbox, The (2013): Dir. Ritesh Batra
Feat. Irrfan Khan, Nimrat Kaur, Nawazuddin Siddiqui; A sweet and richly aromatic romantic comedy in which a mistaken delivery in Mumbai's famously efficient lunch delivery system connects a young…
Mad Men - Season 6 (TV Series) (2013): Feat. Jon Hamm, Elisabeth Moss, Vincent Kartheiser…; Further episodes of the 60's–New–York–set television drama series focused on an ad exec basking in the glow of the golden age of…
Mandela: Long Walk To Freedom (2013): Dir. Justin Chadwick
Feat. Idris Elba, Naomie Harris, Tony Kgoroge; Idris Elba portrays the late Nelson Mendela from his childhood rural upbringing through to his inauguration as the first democratically elected…
Mary Queen of Scots (2013): Dir. Thomas Imbach
Feat. Camille Rutherford, Sean Biggerstaff, Tony Curran; A respectfully restrained and even–handed take on the most famous Scottish monarch of all, whose life was riddled with failed marriages,…
Masters of Sex - Season 1 (TV Series) (2013): Feat. Michael Sheen, Lizzy Caplan, Beau Bridges…; A fascinating MAD MEN–era dramatisation of the work of pioneering researchers Dr. William Masters and Virginia Johnson, the eponymous 'Masters…
May 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…
Metallica: Through the Never (2013): Dir. Nimrod Antal
Feat. Dane DeHaan; This odd hybrid of concert film and head–tripping narrative features Dane DeHaan as a Metallica roadie sent on a bizarre mission during the…
Metro Manila (2013): Dir. Sean Ellis
Feat. Jake Macapagal, John Arcilla, Althea Vega; Tough–minded drama about in which a Filipino rice farmer seeks a better life in the bustling metropolis of Manila.
Mood Indigo (2013): Dir. Michel Gondry
Feat. Romain Duris, Audrey Tautou, Gad Elmaleh…; Audrey Tautou and Romain Duris star in this wild interpretation of Boris Vian’s cult novel 'Froth on the Daydream' from dir. Michel Gondry.
Mr. 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…
Mr. Selfridge (TV Series) (2013): Feat. Jeremy Piven, Frances O’Connor, Katherine Kelly…; Jeremy Piven transposes his larger–than–life Ari Gold persona (from ENTOURAGE) to turn–of–the–century London, where he…
Mt. Zion (2013): Dir. Tearepa Kahi
Feat. Stan Walker, Temuera Morrison, Miriama Smith; Singer Stan Walker plays a humble potato picker who dreams of performing the opening act to Bob Marley and the Wailers’ 1979 Auckland concert, in…
Mystery of Lord Lucan, The (Lucan, The Trial of Lord Lucan) (2013): Feat. Rory Kinnear, Catherine McCormack, Christopher Eccleston; A two–part TV miniseries depicting the mysterious real–life case of an aristocrat, the 7th Earl of Lucan, who disappeared 1974 after…
Mystery Road (2013): Dir. Ivan Sen
Feat. Aaron Pedersen, Hugo Weaving, Ryan Kwanten…; In this sparse and evocative Outback murder mystery, a detective returns to his fractured hometown to investigate the death of a young girl.
Nebraska (2013): Dir. Alexander Payne
Feat. Bruce Dern, Will Forte, June Squibb…; Alexander Payne's latest road movie finds an aging Bruce Dern making the trip to central Nebraska with his estranged son to collect on an elusive…
Necessary Death of Charlie Countryman, The (2013): Dir. Fredrik Bond
Feat. Shia LaBeouf, Evan Rachel Wood, Mads Mikkelsen…; This chaotic, wildly expressive love story follows an American adrift in Bucharest and his affair with a beautiful cellist with ties to the…
Night Moves (2013): Dir. Kelly Reichardt
Feat. Jesse Eisenberg, Dakota Fanning, Peter Sarsgaard…; Three radical environmentalists look to execute the protest of their lives: the explosion of a hydroelectric dam, in this thriller told in the…
Night Train to Lisbon (2013): Dir. Bille August
Feat. Jeremy Irons, Mélanie Laurent, Jack Huston…; Jeremy Irons goes walkabout as a professor seeking an escape from his buttoned–down academic life, embarking on a train journey to Lisbon after…
Nightingale, The (2013): Dir. Phillippe Muyl
Feat. Baotian Li, Xiaoran Li, Xin Yi Yang; Gentle drama that draws together an elderly farmer and his spoiled urban grand–daughter on a lengthy pilgrimage through beautiful…
Norte, The End of History (2013): Dir. Lav Diaz
Feat. Sid Lucero; Epic Dostoyevskian themes of cultural memory, national guilt and the origin of evil are translated to a modern–day Phillipines setting in this…
Of 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…
Omar (2013): Dir. Hany Abu-Assad
Feat. Adam Bakri, Leem Lubany; This gripping new film from the dir. of PARADISE NOW concerns a Palestinian freedom fighter who is tricked into becoming an informant for the Israeli…
On My Way (2013): Dir. Emmanuelle Bercot
Feat. Catherine Deneuve; A fine late–life outing for the ageless Catherine Deneuve, here playing a free–spirited grandmother who takes to the road with her…
One Chance (2013): Dir. David Frankel
Feat. James Corden, Alexandra Roach, Julie Walters…; The Paul Potts story is brought to a crescendo, beginning with his hard–life as a bullied shop assistant to his breakout performance as a…
Only Lovers Left Alive (2013): Dir. Jim Jarmusch
Feat. Tilda Swinton, Tom Hiddleston, Anton Yelchin…; Tilda Swinton and Tom Hiddleston are sublimely cast as sophisticated vampire lovers who reunite after centuries in this stylish and imaginative new…
Orange is the New Black (TV Series) (2013): 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…
Originals, The (TV Series) (2013): Feat. Joseph Morgan, Daniel Gillies, Claire Holt…; Spin–off of THE VAMPIRE DIARIES branches out the family tree of vamps and werewolves from small town Virginia to New Orleans. Season One: 22…
Outlaw Michael Howe, The (2013): Dir. Brendan Cowell
Feat. Damon Herriman, Mirrah Foulkes, Matt Day; Actor Brendan Cowell fashions a vivid western out of Australia's brutal convict legacy with this recreation of the events that led to the penal…
Palo Alto (2013): Dir. Gia Coppola
Feat. Emma Roberts, Jack Kilmer, James Franco…; A languid look at the lives and illicit loves of a group of Californian teens approaching the end of their time at high school.
Paper Giants: Magazine Wars (TV Mini-Series) (2013): Feat. Rachel Griffiths, Mandy McElhinney; The editors of New Idea and Woman's Day face off in this juicy chronicle of the publishing wars between the rival Packer and Murdoch empires in the…
Paradise: Hope (Paradise Hope) (2013): Dir. Ulrich Seidl
Feat. Melanie Lenz, Joseph Lorenz; Austrian provocateur Ulrich Seidl dispatches a typically unvarnished portrait of institutional ritual with this concluding chapter to his PARADISE…
Parkland (2013): Dir. Peter Landesman
Feat. Marcia Gay Harden, Zac Efron, Paul Giamatti…; A suspenseful account of the chaotic events that occurred directly in the aftermath of JFK's assassination.
Past, The (2013): Dir. Asghar Farhadi
Feat. Bérénice Bejo, Tahar Rahim, Ali Mosaffa; Dir. Asghar Farhadi's follow–up to the acclaimed A SEPARATION centres on a man who must face the complications of divorce after he leaves his…
Perfect 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.…
Phil Spector (2013): Dir. David Mamet
Feat. Al Pacino, Helen Mirren, Chiwetel Ejiofor…; David Mamet brilliantly dramatises Phil Spector's trial for the murder of Lana Clarkson in this self–proclaimed "work of fiction", in which the…
Philomena (2013): Dir. Stephen Frears
Feat. Judi Dench, Steve Coogan, Mare Winningham; Poignant drama stars Judi Dench as a elderly Irish woman searching for the child she was forced to give up while working at a convent as a teenager.
Physician, The (Der Medicus) (2013): Dir. Philipp Stölzl
Feat. Tom Payne, Ben Kingsley, Stellan Skarsgard…; A historical epic centred on an orphan from an 11th–century English town whose mother died of a mysterious illness, travels to Persia where he…
Please Like Me (TV Series) (2013): 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…
Plus One (+1) (2013): Dir. Dennis Iliadis
Feat. Rhys Wakefield, Logan Miller, Ashley Hinshaw; Mind–bending sci–fi with three college friends attending the biggest party of the year, where a mysterious phenomenon disrupts the night,…
Power Games: The Packer-Murdoch War (TV Mini-Series) (2013): Dir. Geoff Bennett
Feat. Lachy Hulme, Patrick Brammall; The bitter newspaper and television war between the Murdoch and Packer families during the 1960s and 70s is the front page material of this fiery…
Pretty 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 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.
Prisoners (2013): Dir. Denis Villeneuve
Feat. Hugh Jackman, Jake Gyllenhaal, Viola Davis…; The dir. of INCENDIES crafts another tense, eye–opening thriller in this tale of a family man who turns vigilante after his daughter is…
Railway Man, The (2013): Dir. Jonathan Teplitzky
Feat. Colin Firth, Nicole Kidman, Hiroyuki Sanada…; Tormented by his experience as a prisoner of war, a former British Army officer confronts one of his torturers in civilian times this haunting…
Reaching for the Moon (2013): Dir. Bruno Barreto
Feat. Gloria Pires, Miranda Otto, Tracy Middendorf…; A chronicle of the tragic love affair between American poet Elizabeth Bishop and Brazilian architect Lota de Macedo Soares.
Rectify (TV Series) (2013): Feat. Aden Young, Abigail Spencer, J. Smith-Cameron…; An immensely rewarding dramatic series from Southern character actor Ray McKinnon, which follows the painstaking reintegration of a death row inmate…
Reign (TV Series) (2013): Feat. Adelaide Kane, Megan Follows, Torrance Coombs…; A liberal, at times soapy reimagining of the life and reign of Mary, Queen of Scots in 16th century France. Season One: 22 episodes across five…
Returned, The (TV Series) (Les Revenants) (2013): Feat. Anne Consigny, Frédéric Pierrot, Clotilde Hesme…; Inspired by the excellent 2004 'zombie' film THEY CAME BACK, this richly storied French series about a township of people affected by the unexplained…
Rock 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…
Rocket, The (2013): Dir. Kim Mordaunt
Feat. Sitthiphon Disamoe; The uplifting story of a cursed boy who strives to prove himself by building a giant rocket for the occasion of Laos' famous Rocket Festival.
Romeo and Juliet (2013): Dir. Carlo Carlei
Feat. Hailee Steinfeld, Douglas Booth, Damian Lewis…; A richly imagined, though largely unreliable version of Shakespeare's most quoted play. Set in the authentic setting of Renaissance Verona, this only…
Romeo and Juliet: A Love Song (2013): Dir. Tim van Dammen
Feat. Derya Parlak, Christopher Landon; The Bard's most iconic play is performed with colloquial gusto in this inventive musical transposing of the tale of star–crossed lovers to an…
Rush (2013): Dir. Ron Howard
Feat. Chris Hemsworth, Daniel Bruhl, Olivia Wilde…; Ron Howard brings to life the merciless rivalry between 1970s Formula One rivals James Hunt and Niki Lauda in this high spec racing drama.
Sacrament, The (2013): Dir. Ti West
Feat. Joe Swanberg, Amy Seimetz, Kate Lyn Sheil; A pair of "Vice" journalists infiltrate a cult in Africa in search of a missing woman in this unsettling "found footage" horror from dir. Ti West.
Safe Haven (2013): Dir. Lasse Hallstrom
Feat. Julianne Hough, Josh Duhamel, David Lyons…; The Nicholas Sparks juggernaut rolls on, here delivering the calculated slow–reveal of an airport novel in its story of a mysterious woman who…
Savannah (2013): Dir. Annette Haywood-Carter
Feat. Jim Caviezel, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Jaimie Alexander…; In this good ol' southern drama, Jim Caviezel plays a drifter who rejects his plantation heritage for a life on the river with his friend, a freed…
Saving Mr. Banks (2013): Dir. John Lee Hancock
Feat. Emma Thompson, Tom Hanks, Colin Farrell…; Emma Thompson plays P.L. Travers in this showbiz biopic of the Mary Poppins creator's legendary collaboration with Walt Disney. Thompson and Tom…
Schapelle (2013): Dir. Khoa Do
Feat. Krew Boylan, Denise Roberts, Colin Friels; Teledrama about the famous case of Schapelle Corby, a 27–year–old beauty school dropout from the Gold Coast who was arrested at Bali…
Secret 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…
Selfish Giant, The (2013): Dir. Clio Barnard
Feat. Conner Chapman, Shaun Thomas; A pair of 13–year–olds become involved in the dealings of a scrap yard owner in this vivid working class drama.
Sherlock - Series 3 (TV Series) (2013): Feat. Benedict Cumberbatch, Martin Freeman; Further episodes from this ingenious update of the master detective, with Benedict Cumberbatch's idiosyncratic take on the character nicely…
Shetland (TV Series) (2013): Feat. Douglas Henshall, Steven Robertson, Alison ODonnell…; Created from the novels by Ann Cleeves (VERA), this BBC series follows Detective Inspector Jimmy Perez (Douglas Henshall) and his team as they…
Shopping (2013): Dir. Louis Sutherland, Mark Albiston
Feat. Kevin Paulo, Julian Dennison, Jacek Koman…; Set in 1981, this lyrical coming–of–age drama charts the self–discovery of a half–Samoan teen who escapes his volatile father…
Short Term 12 (2013): Dir. Destin Cretton
Feat. Brie Larson, John Gallagher Jr., Stephanie Beatriz…; A counselor at a foster–care facility for at–risk teenagers struggles with her own troubled past as a youngster in this tough but tender…
Siddharth (2013): Dir. Richie Mehta
Feat. Rajesh Tailang, Tannishtha Chatterjee; Another bracing neo–realist drama from the director of AMAL about a tea–seller from Delhi who travels across India in search of his…
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,…
Some Velvet Morning (2013): Dir. Neil LaBute
Feat. Stanley Tucci, Alice Eve; This caustic two–hander observes the obsession of a man (Tucci) who tries to lure back his former lover (Eve) by claiming to have left his…
Spartacus: War of the Damned (TV Series) (2013): Feat. Liam McIntyre, Manu Bennett, Dustin Clare; Third and final series of the outlandish sword–and–sandal serial features. Ten episodes across three discs.
Spectacular Now, The (2013): Dir. James Ponsoldt
Feat. Miles Teller, Shailene Woodley, Brie Larson…; This wistful teen romance, scripted and performed with a bracing naturalism, centres on a glibly charming high school senior whose casual dating of a…
Spud 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.
Starred Up (2013): Dir. David Mackenzie
Feat. Jack O'Connell, Ben Mendelsohn; A troubled teenager is transferred to the same prison as his violent father in this explosive British prison drama.
Still 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…
Stoker (2013): Dir. Park Chan-Wook
Feat. Mia Wasikowska, Nicole Kidman, Matthew Goode…; Korean director Park Chan–wook (OLD BOY) makes a head–turning English–language debut with this uber–stylish and sensitized…
Summer in February (2013): Feat. Dominic Cooper, Dan Stevens, Emily Browning; The famous Cornish Artists Colony is the setting for this beautiful looking but ultimately uninspiring Edwardian tragiromance.
Sunlight Jr. (2013): Dir. Laurie Collyer
Feat. Naomi Watts, Matt Dillon, Norman Reedus; Naomi Watts and Matt Dillon slum it as a couple living barely above the breadline with a baby on the way in this honest, ground–level…
Sunshine on Leith (2013): 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…
Sweet Vengeance (2013): Dir. Logan Miller, Noah Miller
Feat. Ed Harris, January Jones, Jason Isaacs…; January Jones plays the loving wife of a Mexican farmer who takes things into her own hands when the town's hostile and racist community make their…
Tale of the Princess Kaguya, The (2013): Dir. Isao Takahata; Studio Ghibli co–founder Takahata directs this beautiful adaptation of a classic Japanese folk tale with a distinctly different flavour to that…
Tattoo (Tatuagem) (2013): Dir. Hilton Lacerda
Feat. Irandhir Santos, Jesuíta Barbosa, Rodrigo Garcia; Singular Brazilian film set in the 70's, where the leader of a debaucherous cabaret theatre troupe falls in love with a soldier, and is torn between…
Test (2013): Dir. Chris Mason Johnson
Feat. Kevin Clarke, Kristoffer Cusick; Drama set in San Francisco in 1985, exploring the effects that the HIV/AIDS crisis had on a professional dance company working in the city. The test…
Third Person (2013): Dir. Paul Haggis
Feat. Liam Neeson, Maria Bello, Mila Kunis…; Paul Haggis attempts to renew the winning formula of his Oscar–winning CRASH with this trio of interlocking love stories set in Rome, Paris,…
Thirteenth Tale, The (2013): Dir. James Kent
Feat. Olivia Colman, Vanessa Redgrave, Sophie Turner…; An ageing novelist (Vanessa Redgrave) enlists the help of a biographer (Olivia Colman) to tell her life story, including her childhood in a decaying…
Touchy Feely (2013): Dir. Lynn Shelton
Feat. Rosemarie DeWitt, Elliot Page, Scoot McNairy…; Rosemarie DeWitt returns for the dir. of YOUR SISTER'S SISTER in this drama about two siblings – one a succesful massage therapist, the other a…
Tracks (2013): Dir. John Curran
Feat. Mia Wasikowska, Adam Driver; Mia Wasikowska plays writer Robyn Davidson in this sweeping account of her 1,700–mile trek across the deserts of west Australia.
Treme - Season 4 (TV Series) (2013): Feat. Khandi Alexander, Clarke Peters, Steve Zahn…; Final episodes from David Simon's superb dramatic study of post–Katrina New Orleans, focusing on a community of musicians, chefs, and residents…
True Blood - Season 6 (TV Series) (2013): Feat. Anna Paquin, Stephen Moyer, Sam Trammell…; Further episodes of the acclaimed series from SIX FEET UNDER creator Alan Ball, set in a world where vampires have 'come out' as members of modern…
Turning Tide (2013): Dir. Christophe Offenstein
Feat. Francois Cluzet, Samy Seghir, Virginie Efira…; Francois Cluzet stars as an intrepid solo round–the–world yacht racer battling the elements, a crippled ship, and an immigrant boy…
Turning, The (2013): Dir. Jonathan auf der Heide, Tony Ayres, Jub Clerc
Feat. Cate Blanchett, Rose Byrne, Hugo Weaving…; Tim Winton's epic collection of short stories is adapted into 17 distinct yet interlocking narratives about the turning points in a spectrum of…
Turtle 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…
Venus in Fur (2013): Dir. Roman Polanski
Feat. Emmanuelle Seigner, Mathieu Amalric; Roman Polanski masterfully adapts David Ives' play–within–a–play about an actress who goes to great lengths to convince a director…
Very Good Girls (2013): Dir. Naomi Foner
Feat. Dakota Fanning, Elizabeth Olsen, Ellen Barkin…; Dakota Fanning and Elizabeth Olsen play best friends determined to lose their virginity over one long hot summer. A pseudo–serious treatment of…
Vikings (TV Series) (2013-2018): Feat. Travis Fimmel, Katheryn Winnick, Gustaf Skarsard…; A vividly mounted historical series inspired by the sagas of the Norsemen of early medieval Scandinavia.
Village, The (TV Series) (2013): Feat. John Simm, Maxine Peake, Juliet Stevenson…; A gritty riposte to the swell of glossy period dramas, this small scale epic charts the progress of a village of working class characters in early…
Violette (2013): Dir. Martin Provost
Feat. Emmanuelle Devos, Sandrine Kiberlain, Olivier Gourmet; Emmanuelle Devos is hypnotic as Violette Leduc, the French writer whose fearless memoirs, championed by Simone de Beauvoir, broke new boundaries for…
Way Way Back, The (2013): 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…
We Are the Best (Vi är bäst!) (2013): Dir. Lukas Moodysson
Feat. Mira Grosin, Mira Barkhammar, Liv LeMoyne; Endearing portrait of teenage experimentation set in early '80s Stockholm where two decidedly unmusical 13–year–old girls decide to form…
Weight of Elephants, The (2013): Dir. Daniel Borgman
Feat. Demos Murphy, Angelina Cottrell, Matthew Sunderland; Operating on a deep level, Daniel Borgman’s [debut] film prioritises what goes on under the surface almost to the complete exclusion of plot.…
Wentworth (TV Series) (2013): Feat. Danielle Cormack, Leeanna Walsman, Robbie Magasiva…; Glossy, menacing re–imagining of 80's series PRISONER, centers around a suburban housewife forced to come to terms with life inside one of…
Wetlands (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 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.
White Lies (2013): Dir. Dana Rotberg
Feat. Whirimako Black, Rachel House, Antonia Prebble…; Witi Ihimaera's novella 'Medicine Woman' forms the basis of this rich period drama about a Maori healer who is approached by a wealthy woman to help…
White Queen, The (TV Series) (2013): Feat. Rebecca Ferguson, Amanda Hale, Faye Marsay; Superb historical drama focuses on three women and their quest for the throne of England against the backdrop of the 'War of the Roses'. Ten episodes…
Wind Rises, The (2013): Dir. Hayao Miyazaki
Feat. Hideaki Anno; Hayao Miyazaki's glorious swansong is the poignant story of aviation engineer Jiro Horikoshi and his dreams of designing the perfect flying machine…
Wipers Times, The (2013): Dir. Andy De Emmony
Feat. Ben Chaplin, Michael Palin; The horrors of trench warfare are matched with alleviating gallows humour in this strangely moving tale of a satirical newspaper published on the…
Wolf of Wall Street, The (2013): Dir. Martin Scorsese
Feat. Leonardo DiCaprio, Jonah Hill, Margot Robbie…; Martin Scorsese directs this dazzling biopic of the deplorable life and times of stockbroker Jordan Belfort, a notorious Wall Street upstart who…
Words 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.
WPC 56 (TV Series) (2013): Feat. Jennie Jacques; In the tradition of JULIET BRAVO, this Birmingham–set police drama follows the trials and triumphs of a woman constable to serving in the…
Young and Prodigious T.S. Spivet, The (2013): Dir. Jean-Pierre Jeunet
Feat. Kyle Catlett, Helena Bonham Carter, Judy Davis…; The director of AMELIE's first American–set feature is another fairy–dusted vision brimming with child–like wonder and as a road…
2 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…
33 Postcards (2012): Dir. Pauline Chan
Feat. Guy Pearce, Zhu Lin, Claudia Karvan…; An affecting, small scale drama of redemption, with Guy Pearce playing a jailed businessman whose sponsored Chinese orphan arrives in Sydney to meet…
A 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…
A Lady in Paris (2012): Dir. Ilmar Raag
Feat. Jeanne Moreau, Laine Mägi, Patrick Pineau; An Estonian woman bereft of loved ones moves to France to care for an elderly expatriate who still obsessively pines for a former younger lover. An…
A Mother's Son (TV Mini-Series) (2012): Feat. Hermione Norris, Martin Clunes, Paul McGann…; Taut two–part psychological thriller set in the sleepy Suffolk market town of Eastlee, where the disappearance of a young girl sends the…
A Perfect Ending (2012): Dir. Nicole Conn
Feat. Barbara Niven, Jessica Clark, John Heard…; Romantic drama about a terminally ill women in a loveless marriage who turns to an escort service seeking seeking sexual fulfillment, and meets a sex…
A Royal Affair (2012): Dir. Nikolaj Arcel
Feat. Mads Mikkelsen, Alicia Vikander, Mikkel Boe Følsgaard; 18th Century Denmark is the backdrop for this high–costumed drama about the love affair between Queen Caroline Matilda and her royal physician…
After May (Something in the Air) (2012): Dir. Olivier Assayas
Feat. Lola Créton, Clément Métayer; Hatched from dir. Olivier Assayas' personal experiences, this bittersweet evocation of the leftist fervour that caught hold of young Europeans in the…
Amber (2012): Dir. Thaddeus O'Sullivan
Feat. Eva Birthistle; 4–part Irish miniseries about the disappearance of a teenage girl, and the toll it takes on her parents. Received mixed reviews, partly due to…
Amour (2012): Dir. Michael Haneke
Feat. Jean-Louis Trintignant, Emmanuelle Riva, Isabelle Huppert; An octogenarian couple find their love put to the ultimate test when one of them suffers a stroke in this devastating humanist drama from master…
And While We Were Here (2012): Dir. Kat Coiro
Feat. Kate Bosworth, Jamie Blackley; Kate Bosworth shines in this hushed, understated romance between a married woman and a younger man on an island off the coast of Naples.
Anna Karenina (2012): Dir. Joe Wright
Feat. Keira Knightley, Matthew MacFadyen, Kelly MacDonald…; Costume drama artisan Joe Wright boldly directs this Tom Stoppard scripted adaptation of Tolstoy’s classic tale of Russian aristocracy.
Any Day Now (2012): Dir. Travis Fine
Feat. Alan Cumming, Garret Dillahunt, Frances Fisher…; A gay couple in the 1970s fight to earn custody of the Downs Syndrome teenager they've taken in and raised as their own in this poignant family drama.
Arbitrage (2012): Dir. Nicholas Jarecki
Feat. Richard Gere, Susan Sarandon, Brit Marling…; Sleek drama with "silver fox" Richard Gere in fine form as a troubled hedge fund magnate desperate to complete the sale of his trading empire before…
Argo (2012): Dir. Ben Affleck
Feat. Ben Affleck, Bryan Cranston, Alan Arkin…; Oscar–winning thriller based on the fact–based story of a CIA agent's unconventional plans to rescue six American diplomats during the…
Arthur Newman (2012): Dir. Dante Ariola
Feat. Emily Blunt, Colin Firth, Anne Heche…; Two troubled souls trying to leave their pasts behind shack up in this moody American road movie, a fine vehicle for the talents of Colin Firth and…
Augustine (2012): Dir. Alice Winocour
Feat. Vincent Lindon, Soko , Chiara Mastroianni…; Romantic drama speculating on a relationship (that in reality did not occur) between the 19th Century French neurologist Jean–Martin Charcot…
Barbara (2012): Dir. Christian Petzold
Feat. Nina Hoss, Ronald Zehrfeld, Rainer Bock; A doctor who dreams of defecting from 1980's East Germany is banished to a country medical clinic under the possible watch of Stasi informants in…
Beasts of the Southern Wild (2012): Dir. Benh Zeitlin
Feat. Quvenzhané Wallis, Dwight Henry; An ambitious and unique dramatic fantasy centred on a motherless child who, together with her hard–drinking father and a group of loveable…
Being Flynn (2012): Dir. Paul Weitz
Feat. Robert De Niro, Paul Dano, Julianne Moore…; Paul Dano, a struggling writer assisting the homeless, is forced to confront his estranged father (De Niro) when he shows up at a shelter in this…
Bekas (2012): Dir. Karzan Kader
Feat. Zamand Taha, Sarwar Fazil; Two Iraqi orphans fantasize about travelling to America and summoning the help of Superman in this simple yet stirring childhood adventure, one that…
Bel Ami (2012): Dir. Declan Donnellan, Nick Ormerod
Feat. Robert Pattinson, Uma Thurman, Kristin Scott Thomas…; Parisian set bodice–ripper with Robert Pattinson brooding his way through the boudoirs of the city's wealthy women.
Best Man Down (2012): Dir. Ted Koland
Feat. Justin Long, Jess Weixler, Tyler Labine…; In this heartfelt, soul–searching dramedy, a newly married couple cancels their honeymoon plans after the groom's hard–partying best man…
Between Us (2012): Dir. Dan Mirvish
Feat. Julia Stiles, Melissa George, Taye Diggs…; This directorial effort from the co–founder of the Slamdance Film Festival adapts a caustic, confessional stageplay that observes the fallout…
Beyond the Hills (2012): Dir. Cristian Mungiu
Feat. Cosmina Stratan, Cristina Flutur; Cristian Mungiu directs this engrossing companion piece to his Cannes–winning 4 MONTHS, 3 WEEKS AND 2 DAYS, about the test of closeness between…
Birdsong (TV Mini-Series) (2012): Dir. Philip Martin
Feat. Eddie Redmayne, Clemence Poesy, Matthew Goode; The horrific experiences of an English soldier fighting in northern France are juxtaposed against his fond, but haunted memories of a forbidden love…
Black & White & Sex (2012): Dir. John Winter
Feat. Katherine Hicks, Roxane Wilson, Anya Beyersdorf…; Provocative, multifaceted portrait of a sex worker –played by eight different actresses – who through a series of interviews with a…
Blancanieves (2012): Dir. Pablo Berger
Feat. Daniel Giménez Cacho, Angela Molina, Maribel Verdu…; The legend of Snow White is transposed to the bullfighting, flamenco dancing netherworld of the Spanish provinces in this beautiful and beguiling…
Bletchley Circle, The (TV Series) (2012): Feat. Anna Maxwell Martin, Rachael Stirling, Julie Graham…; A smart, suspenseful period thriller set around a series of unsolved murders surreptitiously investigated by four former female codebreakers at…
Boardwalk Empire - Season 3 (TV Series) (2012): Feat. Steve Buscemi, Kelly MacDonald, Michael Shannon…; Further episodes from the marquee HBO production, centred on the Prohibition–era empire surrounding corrupt Atlantic treasurer Enoch "Nucky"…
Bomb Girls (TV Series) (2012): Feat. Meg Tilly, Jodi Balfour, Ali Liebert…; A first–rate Canadian drama centred on the lives of women on the home–front who were recruited to work in dangerous munitions factories…
Boot Tracks (2012): Dir. David Jacobson
Feat. Stephen Dorff, Michelle Monaghan, Willem Dafoe; Charlie Rankin, recently released from prison, seeks vengeance for his jail–house mentor William The Buddha Pettigrew. Along the way, he meets…
Breaking Bad - Season 5 (TV Series) (2012): Feat. Bryan Cranston, Aaron Paul, Anna Gunn…; Further episodes chronicling the deeds of anti–hero Walter White (Cranston), a high school chemistry teacher who turns to a life of…
Broken (2012): Dir. Rufus Norris
Feat. Cillian Murphy, Tim Roth, Eloise Laurence…; In Rufus Norris’s artfully constructed drama... there’s a lot to like, not least a striking central performance from newcomer Eloise Laurence.…
Call the Midwife (TV Series) (2012): Feat. Jessica Raine, Jenny Agutter, Miranda Hart…; Immensely popular BBC series follows – in fashionable period detail – the trials and tribulations of a newly–qualified midwife, who begins…
Careless Love (2012): Dir. John Duigan
Feat. Nammi Le, David Field, Peter O'Brien; A young Vietnamese Australian woman prostitutes herself as a way to both make ends meet and settle her family’s debts. John Duigan directs with…
Chasing Mavericks (2012): Dir. Curtis Hanson, Michael Apted
Feat. Gerard Butler, Jonny Weston, Elisabeth Shue…; A plucky teenager enlists the help of a local surfing guru (Gerard Butler) in his quest to tackle the mythic Mavericks surf break, one of the largest…
Cheerful 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.
Cloud Atlas (2012): Dir. Lilly Wachowski, Lana Wachowski, Tom Tykwer
Feat. Tom Hanks, Halle Berry, Jim Broadbent…; An awe–inspiring cinematic epic that adapts David Mitchell's ambitious and 'unfilmable' novel as an 'auteur blockbuster' and genuine…
Company You Keep, The (2012): Dir. Robert Redford
Feat. Robert Redford, Shia LaBeouf, Julie Christie…; Robert Redford directs and stars in this bristling thriller, about a former Weather Underground member, now in hiding, whose violent past comes back…
Compliance (2012): Dir. Craig Zobel
Feat. Ann Dowd, Dreama Walker, Pat Healy…; When a prank caller masquerading as a police officer convinces a fast food restaurant manager to interrogate an innocent young employee, no–one…
Cosmopolis (2012): Dir. David Cronenberg
Feat. Robert Pattinson, Juliette Binoche, Samantha Morton…; David Cronenberg adapts Don DeLillo's post–modern novel about a billionaire asset manager whose journey via limousine across a gridlocked…
Dangerous Liaisons (2012): Dir. Jin-ho Hur
Feat. Cecilia Cheung, Jang Dong-Gun, Zhang Ziyi; A sumptuous new adaptation of Choderlos de Laclos' famous novel, relocating the grand sexual conspiracy to opulent 1930s Shanghai, where two wealthy…
Darling 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…
Dead Europe (2012): Dir. Tony Krawitz
Feat. Marton Csokas, Ewen Leslie, Kodi Smit-McPhee; An Australian photographer journeys to Greece to explore his heritage and lay to rest his father's ashes, only to encounter a tide of hatred and the…
Desperate 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.
Disconnect (2012): Dir. Henry Alex Rubin
Feat. Jason Bateman, Hope Davis, Michael Nyqvist…; A suspenseful, topical ensemble drama that addresses the corrosive effect of the internet and social media on the lives of two generations of…
Door, The (2012): Dir. Istvan Szabo
Feat. Helen Mirren, Martina Gedeck, Karoly Eperjes; Helen Mirren excels in Istvan Szabo's (MEPHISTO) sombre drama of a housemaid's dark secret that threatens her employment.
Downton Abbey - A Journey To The Highlands (TV Mini-Series) (2012): Feat. Hugh Bonneville, Maggie Smith, Elizabeth McGovern…; The Crawley Family decamp to Scotland's Duneagle Castle for their summer holidays, whilst Carson attempts to keep the servants on a short leash back…
Downton Abbey - Series 3 (TV Series) (2012): Feat. Hugh Bonneville, Maggie Smith, Elizabeth McGovern…; Further episodes from ITV's immensely popular, top–of–the–range period drama, centred on the residents and staff of the titular…
Eden (2012): Dir. Megan Griffiths
Feat. Jamie Chung, Beau Bridges, Matt O'Leary; This harrowing true story of a Korean–American girl kidnapped into a prostitution ring is made all the more powerful by the measure and…
Electrick Children (2012): Dir. Rebecca Thomas
Feat. Julia Garner, Rory Culkin, Liam Aiken…; Luminous newcomer Julia Garner plays a 15–year–old Mormon girl who flees her Utah backwater for the downtown lights of Las Vegas after…
Emperor (2012): Dir. Peter Webber
Feat. Matthew Fox, Tommy Lee Jones, Eriko Hatsune; Matthew Fox and Tommy Lee Jones play Generals Bonner Fellers and Douglas MacArthur respectively in this solid dramatisation of the aftermath of the…
Farewell, My Queen (2012): Dir. Benoît Jacquot
Feat. Diane Kruger, Léa Seydoux, Virginie Ledoyen…; Benoît Jacquot’s film goes behind the scenes of Louis XVI and — more specifically — Marie Antoinette’s court during…
Fill the Void (2012): Dir. Rama Burshtein
Feat. Hadas Yaron, Yiftach Klein; A young woman negotiates the fraught rite of arranged marriage in this austere insight into rituals of an Orthodox Hassidic family in Tel Aviv.
Filly Brown (2012): Dir. Youssef Delara, Michael D. Olmos
Feat. Gina Rodriguez, Lou Diamond Phillips, Edward James Olmos; A vividly performed and evoked L.A. story of a talented Latina hip–hop artist hoping to crack the big time.
Flight (2012): Dir. Robert Zemeckis
Feat. Denzel Washington, Don Cheadle, Kelly Reilly…; Denzel Washington plays a lauded pilot whose heroic landing of a crippled airliner is called into question when a history of alcoholism and substance…
Foxfire (2012): Dir. Laurent Cantet
Feat. Raven Adamson, Katie Coseni; From a Joyce Carol Oates story, Laurent Cantet (THE CLASS) directs this plucky period drama of a girl gang who rally against male oppression in 1950s…
Frances 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 Samples (2012): 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…
Game Change (2012): Dir. Jay Roach
Feat. Julianne Moore, Woody Harrelson, Ed Harris…; Julianne Moore is uncanny as John McCain's notorious 2008 presidential running mate in this revealing biopic of Alaska Governor turned right wing…
Game of Thrones - Season 2 (TV Series) (2012): Feat. Peter Dinklage, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Michelle Fairley…; Further episodes from the justifiably acclaimed HBO medieval series, with realism and violence dictating its dark hued, anti–romantic take on…
Ginger & Rosa (Ginger and Rosa) (2012): Dir. Sally Potter
Feat. Elle Fanning, Alice Englert, Christina Hendricks…; Two London teenagers explore rebellion, activism, and the limits of their friendship in this evocative coming–of–age drama from dir.…
Girl 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…
Girl, The (2012): Dir. Julian Jarrold
Feat. Toby Jones, Sienna Miller; A speculative and quite sensational depiction of Alfred Hitchcock's alleged infatuation and obsession with model–turned–actress Tippi…
Girls - Season 1 (TV Series) (2012): 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…
Good Cop (TV Series) (2012): Feat. Warren Brown, Kerrie Hayes; A hard–hitting police procedural about a run–down Liverpool constable who turns to increasingly violent and unlawful means in his line of…
Good Vibrations (2012): Dir. Lisa Barros D'Sa, Glenn Leyburn
Feat. Richard Dormer, Jodie Whittaker, Liam Cunningham…; An idealistic rocker and record store owner in 1970s Belfast discovers punk rock and its galvanizing properties amidst Northern Ireland's political…
Gospel of Us, The (2012): Dir. Dave McKean
Feat. Michael Sheen; Michael Sheen plays a modern day Jesus in this experimental adaptation of the National Theatre of Wales' acclaimed production of 'The Passion', which…
Greetings From Tim Buckley (2012): Dir. Daniel Algrant
Feat. Penn Badgley, Imogen Poots, William Sadler; Avoiding the simplistic trappings of the music 'biopic', this is a sensitively handled elegy for the late Jeff Buckley, here portrayed with…
Grey's Anatomy (TV Series) - Season 8 (2012): Feat. Patrick Dempsey, Ellen Pompeo, Justin Chambers…; Eighth season of the popular female–driven medical soap, continuing the trials and tribulations of five first–year interns as they juggle…
Hannah Arendt (2012): Dir. Margarethe von Trotta
Feat. Barbara Sukowa, Janet McTeer, Julia Jentsch…; Barbara Sukowa portrays famed German–American political theorist Hannah Arendt during her response to the 1961 trial of ex–Nazi Adolf…
Haute 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 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…
Hemingway & Gellhorn (2012): Dir. Philip Kaufman
Feat. Nicole Kidman, Clive Owen, David Strathairn…; Clive Owen and Nicole Kidman spar in this highly mannered HBO biopic of famed war correspondent Martha Gellhorn's rocky romance with literary giant…
Hitchcock (2012): Dir. Sacha Gervasi
Feat. Anthony Hopkins, Helen Mirren, Scarlett Johansson…; Anthony Hopkins plays the one and only Master of Suspense in this polished recreation of the making of the director's most famous film,…
Hollow Crown, The (TV Series) (2012): Feat. Jeremy Irons, Ben Whishaw, Tom Hiddleston…; A star–studded, BAFTA–nominated mini–series of adaptations of Shakespeare's history plays: Richard II, Henry IV Parts One and Two,…
Hope 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…
Hotel Noir (2012): Dir. Sebastian Guitierrez
Feat. Malin Akerman, Rosario Dawson, Danny De Vito…; Cult dir. Guitierrez tries his hand at film noir pastiche with this luscious ensemble piece about a detective whose encounters with various…
Hour, The - Series 2 (TV Series) (2012): Feat. Dominic West, Romola Garai, Ben Whishaw…; Further episodes from this fascinating news hour drama maintains the standard set by the first, where vice and corruption continue to intrigue a team…
House - Season 8 (TV Series) (2012): Feat. Hugh Laurie; Final series of the Hugh Laurie–fronted hospital thriller, which involve his medical team having to unravel baffling cases, CSI–fashion,…
Hunt, The (2012): Dir. Thomas Vinterberg
Feat. Mads Mikkelsen, Thomas Bo Larsen; A hard–hitting moral drama of everyday persecution from dir. Thomas Vinterberg, starring Mads Mikkelsen as a teacher whose life is shattered by…
Hyde 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…
I, Anna (2012): Dir. Barnaby Southcombe
Feat. Charlotte Rampling, Gabriel Byrne, Hayley Atwell…; A modest, artfully unfurled London noir, centred on a glamourous sixty–something (Rampling) who falls in with a detective (Byrne) investigating…
Imaginaerum by Nightwish (2012): Dir. Stobe Harju
Feat. Marianne Farley, Quinn Lord, Francis X McCarthy; Based on the album of the same name by Finnish metallers Nightwish. A coma sends an old man into his childhood's sinister fantasy world, where he…
Impossible, The (2012): Dir. Juan Antonio Bayona
Feat. Naomi Watts, Ewan McGregor, Tom Holland…; A searing drama of human resilience, this up–close–and–personal disaster pic tells the true story of a vacationing family in…
In the Fog (2012): Dir. Sergey Loznitsa
Feat. Vladislav Svirskiy, Vladislav Abashin; Intense, slow burning Russian drama exploring the moralities of war through the story of a man wrongly accused of collaboration with the German…
In the House (2012): Dir. Francois Ozon
Feat. Fabrice Luchini, Kristin Scott Thomas, Emmanuelle Seigner…; Set in a literary milieu, this deliciously warped meta drama from dir. Francois Ozon concerns the writings of a precocious 16–year–old…
Inch'Allah (2012): Dir. Anaïs Barbeau-Lavalette
Feat. Evelyne Brochu, Sabrina Ouazani, Sivan Levy; A French Canadian doctor working in Ramallah experiences the conflict of the Israel–Palestine divide firsthand in this powerful…
Italian 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 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…
Jack & Diane (Jack and Diane) (2012): Dir. Bradley Rust Gray
Feat. Riley Keough, Juno Temple, Kylie Minogue…; Juno Temple and Riley Keough star in this romance between two teenage girls that quickly manifests as terrifying, violent and inexplicable.
Jackie (2012): Dir. Antoinette Beumer
Feat. Carice Van Houten, Jelka van Houten, Holly Hunter; Two Dutch sisters (played by real life siblings Carice and van Houten) trek from the Netherlands to mid–west America in aid of a mother they've…
Jayne 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.
Joyful Noise (2012): Dir. Todd Graff
Feat. Dolly Parton, Queen Latifah, Keke Palmer…; Bright, uplifting show choir musical from the dir. of CAMP concerns the rivalry between two big–voiced divas (Parton and Latifah) who must work…
Jump (2012): Dir. Kieron J Walsh
Feat. Nichola Burley, Martin McCann; A clever Irish drama of chance encounters and crime capers, this centres on a gangster's daughter and those who cross her path as she attempts to…
Just Like a Woman (2012): Dir. Rachid Bouchareb
Feat. Sienna Miller, Golshifteh Farahani, Roschdy Zem; Sienna Miller plays a Chicago housewife who joins a North African belly dancer en route to Santa Fe in this light comedy of…
Justified - Season 3 (TV Series) (2012): Feat. Timothy Olyphant, Walton Goggins, Joelle Carter…; Further episodes from the slick urban western about an old–school U.S. Marshal reassigned from Miami to his childhood home in the poor, rural…
Kiwi 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…
Kon-Tiki (2012): Dir. Espen Sandberg, Joachim Roenning
Feat. Pål Sverre Hagen; A rousing dramatisation of the 1947 voyage of the legendary Kon–Tiki, a balsa–wood raft lead across the Pacific by Norwegian explorer…
Labyrinth (TV Mini-Series) (2012): Dir. Christopher Smith
Feat. Jessica Brown-Findlay, Vanessa Kirby, John Hurt…; The search for the Holy Grail provides the link between two parallel story lines – one set in medieval France, the other during a modern day…
Last Sentence, The (2012): Dir. Jan Troell
Feat. Jesper Christensen, Pernilla August; Anchored by a superb Jesper Christensen, this serious and sombre biopic accurately reflects Swedish journalist Jesper Christensen's stubborn…
Last Tango in Halifax (TV Series) (2012): Feat. Derek Jacobi, Anne Reid, Sarah Lancashire…; Derek Jacobi and Anne Reid play childhood sweethearts reunited via Facebook in their seventies in this thoughtful and engaging depiction of…
Laurence Anyways (2012): Dir. Xavier Dolan
Feat. Melvil Poupaud, Suzanne Clément, Nathalie Baye…; Young French–Canadian actor/director Xavier Dolan stays behind the camera of his third film (made at 23 years of age, no less), an assured…
Les Miserables (2012): Dir. Tom Hooper
Feat. Hugh Jackman, Russell Crowe, Anne Hathaway…; Victor Hugo's classic novel set during the French revolution receives its latest big screen musical adaptation courtesy of dir. Tom Hooper (THE…
Letter, The (2012): Dir. Jay Anania
Feat. Winona Ryder, James Franco, Josh Hamilton; Discordant effort by James Franco's NYU professor has Winona Ryder as a playwright suffering paranoid hallucinations as she attempts to stage a new…
Liberal 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…
Life of Pi (2012): Dir. Ang Lee
Feat. Suraj Sharma, Irrfan Khan, Tabu …; An Indian storyteller recalls the events of his extraordinary life, beginning as a boy shipwrecked along with animals from his family's zoo, in this…
Lincoln (2012): Dir. Steven Spielberg
Feat. Daniel Day-Lewis, Sally Field, David Strathairn…; Daniel Day–Lewis portrays the famed U.S. President between 1861 and 1865 as he dealt with personal demons and politics during the Civil War in…
Little Red Wagon (2012): Dir. David Anspaugh
Feat. Anna Gunn, Frances O’Connor, Chandler Canterbury; An unapologetic tearjerker from the director of RUDY, about a determined eight–year–old whose mission to help the homeless inspires a…
Liz & Dick (Liz and Dick) (2012): Dir. Lloyd Kramer
Feat. Lindsay Lohan, Grant Bowler, Theresa Russell; Enjoyably trashy biopic of the torrid Hollywood romance of Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton with our own Grant Bowler gamely attempting Burton's…
LOL (2012): Dir. Lisa Azuelos
Feat. Miley Cyrus, Demi Moore, Jean-Luc Bilodeau…; Perfunctory remake of the hit French teen comedy casts Demi Moore and Miley Cyrus as lovelorn mother and daughter in the social media age.
Longmire (TV Series) (2012): Feat. Robert Taylor, Katee Sackhoff, Lou Diamond Phillips; A widowed sheriff returning to his jurisdiction within Wyoming's big sky country looks to crack down on crime in this involving period TV series,…
Looking 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…
Lore (2012): Dir. Cate Shortland
Feat. Saskia Rosendahl; A satisfyingly ambitious and haunting drama from the Australian dir. of SOMERSAULT, set in Europe in the aftermath of WWII. Following the arrest…
Love is All You Need (2012): Dir. Susanne Bier
Feat. Pierce Brosnan, Trine Dyrholm, Molly Blixt Egelind; Susanne Bier (AFTER THE WEDDING) directs this tender drama of mid–life romance, about an Englishman and a Danish woman who forge an unexpected…
Lucky One, The (2012): Dir. Scott Hicks
Feat. Zac Efron, Taylor Schilling, Blythe Danner…; Man–candy Zac Efron stretches the truth as a hardened Iraq war veteran who falls in love with a woman whose photo he credits with keeping him…
Mad Men - Season 5 (TV Series) (2012): Feat. Jon Hamm, Elisabeth Moss, Vincent Kartheiser…; Further episodes of the 60's–New–York–set television drama series focused on an ad exec basking in the glow of the golden age of…
Magic City (TV Series) (2012): Feat. Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Olga Kurylenko, Steven Strait…; Slavishly seductive period drama set in late 50s Florida, where a high–rolling hotel owner is forced to do business with a Miami mob boss in…
Magic 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…
Magic of Belle Isle, The (2012): Dir. Rob Reiner
Feat. Morgan Freeman, Virginia Madsen, Madeline Carroll…; Morgan Freeman plays against type as an alcoholic novelist trying to overcome writer's block by retreating to a remote lakeside community. Despite…
Man Who Laughs, The (2012): Dir. Jean-Pierre Améris
Feat. Gerard Depardieu, Marc-André Grondin, Emmanuelle Seigner…; Victor Hugo's classic tale of two orphans – one disfigured, one blind – who become popular entertainers compels in this handsomely…
Masquerade (2012): Dir. Chang-min Choo
Feat. Byung-hun Lee; A Chosun Dynasty monarch under threat of assassination recruits a jester who specialises in satrising royals to impersonate him in this richly…
Master, The (2012): Dir. Paul Thomas Anderson
Feat. Joaquin Phoenix, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Amy Adams…; Paul Thomas Anderson directs this mercurial period drama of a disaffected war veteran who falls under the spell of the charismatic leader of a…
Most Fun You Can Have Dying, The (2012): Dir. Kirstin Marcon
Feat. Matt Whelan, Roxane Mesquida, Pana Hema Taylor…; Sultry youth drama from first–time feature dir. Kirstin Marcon about a terminally ill young man who absconds overseas with the money raised for…
Motel Life, The (2012): Dir. Gabe Polsky, Alan Polsky
Feat. Emile Hirsch, Stephen Dorff, Dakota Fanning…; Two brothers hit the road after becoming involved in a fatal hit–and–run accident. Evocatively set between Reno and the Sierra Nevadas,…
Mr. Pip (2012): Dir. Andrew Adamson
Feat. Hugh Laurie, Florence Korokoro, Eka Darville…; In a remote Bougainville village, isolated by a rebellion over self–determination and mineral rights, the only remaining white man (Hugh…
Much Ado About Nothing (2012): 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.…
Mud (2012): Dir. Jeff Nichols
Feat. Matthew McConaughey, Tye Sheridan, Jacob Lofland…; Jeff Nichols (TAKE SHELTER) directs this thrilling backwoods adventure, about two boys who befriend a charismatic criminal in hiding on the…
My Brother the Devil (2012): Dir. Sally El Hosaini
Feat. James Floyd, Fady Elsayed, Said Taghmaoui; A tough–minded yet unusually sensitive portrayal of gangland ties, centred on two Arab brothers who are drawn into street crime from their…
My Straight Son (Azul y no tan rosa) (2012): Dir. Miguel Ferrari
Feat. Guillermo Garcia, Nacho Montes, Hilda Abrahamz; Venezuelan drama about a successful gay photographer living in Caracas whose teenage son from a past relationship comes to stay. Unfamiliar with the…
Mystery of a Hansom Cab, The (2012): This costume drama is based on the international best–selling crime novel by Fergus Hume. Set on the grimy streets of Melbourne during the…
Mystery of Edwin Drood, The (TV Mini-Series) (2012): Feat. Matthew Rhys, Julia McKenzie, Rory Kinnear…; An unfinished Dickens novel of obsessive love, betrayal and murder is sturdily adapted by the BBC, with the story's unknown ending fascinatingly…
Nashville (TV Series) (2012): Feat. Connie Britton, Hayden Panettiere, Clare Bowen; A juicy, broadly appealing showbiz drama about private and professional rivalries in the country music industry. Stars Connie Britton as a Bonnie…
Neighboring Sounds (Neighbouring Sounds) (2012): Dir. Kleber Mendonca Filho
Feat. Irandhir Santos, Maeve Jinkings, Gustavo Jahn; The striking feature debut of Brazilian director Kleber Mendonça Filho (BACURAU) depicting life on a sheltered prosperous street adjacent to a poor…
Newsroom, The (TV Series) (2012): Feat. Jeff Daniels, Emily Mortimer, John Gallagher, Jr.…; HBO and Aaron Sorkin team up for this quick–thinking workplace drama set behind the scenes at a fictional cable news network. Ambitious for…
No (2012): Dir. Pablo Larrain
Feat. Gael Garcia Bernal, Alfredo Castro; Gael Garcia Bernal plays an ad executive who conceives a campaign to defeat Augusto Pinochet in Chile's 1988 referendum in this unique celebration of…
Now is Good (2012): Dir. Ol Parker
Feat. Dakota Fanning, Jeremy Irvine, Paddy Considine…; Dakota Fanning plays a terminally ill teen determined to, among other bucket list necessities, lose her virginity before dying. A big, damp weepie…
Odd Life of Timothy Green, The (2012): Dir. Peter Hedges
Feat. Jennifer Garner, Joel Edgerton, CJ Adams…; A married couple struggling to start a new family are greeting in the aftermath of a storm by a curious young boy on their doorstep in this…
Oh Boy (A Coffee in Berlin) (2012): Dir. Jan Ole Gerster
Feat. Tom Schilling, Katharina Schüttler; A college dropout wanders the streets of Berlin contemplating his place in the world in this ironic portrait of early adulthood.
On 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…
On the Road (2012): Dir. Walter Salles
Feat. Sam Riley, Garrett Hedlund, Kristen Stewart…; Handsomely mounted adaptation of Kerouac's counter–culture classic of a young writer whose life is profoundly shaken by the arrival of the…
Other Son, The (2012): Dir. Lorraine Levy
Feat. Emmanuelle Devos, Pascal Elbé, Jules Sitruk…; Two families on either side of the Israeli–Palestinian divide learn that their sons were switched at birth in this moving human drama.
Parade's End (TV Mini-Series) (2012): Dir. Susanna White
Feat. Benedict Cumberbatch, Rebecca Hall, Roger Allam…; Benedict Cumberbatch plays an English aristocrat torn between loyalty to his beautiful but manipulative wife, and a young, passionate suffragette on…
Paradise, The (TV Series) (2012): Feat. Emun Elliott, Joanna Vanderham, Elaine Cassidy…; The BBC's answer to MR SELFRIDGE, this delightful period drama set in a Victorian–era department store revolves around a blossoming romance…
Paradise: Faith (Paradise Faith) (2012): Dir. Ulrich Seidl
Feat. Maria Hofstatter, Nabil Saleh, Natalija Baranova; The second installment of Ulrich Seidl's PARADISE trilogy follows Anna Maria, the sister of Teresa (in PARADISE: LOVE), a single woman in her 50s…
Paradise: Love (Paradise Love) (2012): Dir. Ulrich Seidl
Feat. Margarethe Tiesel; The first chapter of the Ulrich Seidl's PARADISE trilogy is a provocative take on exotic romance in which a middle–aged Austrian woman plays…
Patience Stone, The (2012): Dir. Atiq Rahimi
Feat. Golshifteh Farahani, Hami Djavadan; Atiq Rahimi's adapts his own bestselling novel about a Muslim woman whose paralyzed husband offers quiet relief amid the sorrows of life in a…
People Like Us (2012): Dir. Alex Kurtzman
Feat. Chris Pine, Elizabeth Banks, Michelle Pfeiffer…; Chris Pine plays an unscrupulous business man forced to reassess his commitments after his father dies and leaves him, along with a large…
Performance (A Late Quartet) (2012): Dir. Yaron Zilberman
Feat. Catherine Keener, Christopher Walken, Philip Seymour Hoffman…; A celebrated string quartet in New York struggle to stay together through a combination of illness and relationship woes in this nuanced ensemble…
Perks of Being a Wallflower, The (2012): Dir. Stephen Chbosky
Feat. Logan Lerman, Emma Watson, Ezra Miller…; An introverted teen with a troubled past is embraced by an eccentric clique of friends in this deeply–felt coming–of–age drama,…
Petunia (2012): Dir. Ash Christian
Feat. Thora Birch, Brittany Snow, Eddie Kaye Thomas…; Biting comedy weaves together the lives of three differently dysfunctional New York brothers as they strive to unlearn everything their psychoanalyst…
Picture 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…
Pieta (2012): Dir. Kim Ki-Duk
Feat. Min-soo Jo, Jung-Jin Lee; Kim Ki–Duk directs this controversial Golden Lion winner, about a debt–collecting thug who is forced to confront his violent ways when a…
Place Beyond the Pines, The (2012): Dir. Derek Cianfrance
Feat. Ryan Gosling, Eva Mendes, Bradley Cooper…; Ryan Gosling re–teams with the dir. of BLUE VALENTINE for this equally arresting crime saga that unfolds after a motorcycling drifter's…
Political Animals (TV Mini-Series) (2012): Feat. Sigourney Weaver, Carla Gugino, James Wolk…; Meaty White House drama with Sigourney Weaver, in a clear nod to Hillary Clinton, playing a divorced former First Lady now making waves as Secretary…
Private Peaceful (2012): Dir. Pat O'Connor
Feat. Jack O'Connell, George MacKay, Alexandra Roach…; This sensitive, small scale contrast to Spielberg's WAR HORSE (also from a Michael Morgpurgo novel) centres on two brothers who are compelled to put…
Promised Land (2012): Dir. Gus Van Sant
Feat. Matt Damon, Frances McDormand, John Krasinski…; Matt Damon plays a natural–gas representative who has the best interests of a small–town community at heart despite his company's…
Puberty Blues (TV Series) (2012): Feat. Claudia Karvan, Ashleigh Cummings, Jeremy Lindsay Taylor; Two inseparable teenage girls growing up on the beaches of Cronulla come of age in this acclaimed TV adaptation of the seminal late 70s Australian…
Pusher (2012): Dir. Luke Prieto
Feat. Richard Coyle, Bronson Webb, Agyness Deyn…; Slick remake of the Nicolas Winding Refn thriller with Richard Coyle as a street dealer who's life spins out of control after losing a drug shipment.
Quartet (2012): 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)…
Reality (2012): 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…
Red House, The (2012): Dir. Alyx Duncan; A breakthrough for New Zealand's fledgling art cinema, this impressive first feature finds a beguiling middle ground between fiction and documentary…
Renoir (2012): Dir. Gilles Bourdos
Feat. Michel Bouquet, Christa Theret, Vincent Rottiers…; Sumptuous, sun–kissed art biopic based on the last years of impressionist painter Auguste Renoir (Bouquet) during World War I, and the…
Restless (TV Mini-Series) (2012): Dir. Edward Hall
Feat. Hayley Atwell, Rufus Sewell, Michelle Dockery…; A fine small screen adaptation of William Boyd's espionage novel, about a young woman who learns that her mother was recruited as a spy during World…
Rita (TV Series) (2012-2015): 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…
Robot and Frank (Robot & Frank) (2012): Dir. Jake Schreier
Feat. Frank Langella, James Marsden, Liv Tyler…; Sentimental futurism finds aging Frank Langella search for companionship and purpose in (late) life in the robot servant purchased for him by his…
Rust and Bone (2012): Dir. Jacques Audiard
Feat. Marion Cotillard, Matthias Schoenaerts, Celine Sallette…; Jacques Audiard (A PROPHET) directs this searing drama of a broken woman (Marion Cotillard) who rediscovers the will to live through an itinerant man…
Sapphires, The (2012): Dir. Wayne Blair
Feat. Deborah Mailman, Jessica Mauboy, Shari Sebbens…; The upbeat story of four talented indigenous women, whose exploits entertaining U.S. troops during the Vietnam era made them Australia’s answer to…
Satellite Boy (2012): Dir. Catriona McKenzie
Feat. David Gulpilil, Cameron Wallaby; This warm, gorgeously lensed traipse throughout the Australian outback centres on a ten–year–old boy who lives with his grandfather…
Scandal (TV Series) (2012-2016): Feat. Kerry Washington, Columbus Short, Tony Goldwyn; Kerry Washington plays a 'professional fixer' whose former life as a White House staffer draws her back into the world of political…
Scapegoat, The (2012): Dir. Charles Sturridge
Feat. Matthew Rhys, Andrew Scott, Eileen Atkins…; An involving, atmospheric tale of deceit, this period drama centres on a down–on–his–luck teacher (Rhys) who inadvertently meets…
Secret of Crickley Hall, The (TV Mini-series) (2012): Dir. Joe Ahearne
Feat. Suranne Jones, Tom Ellis, Douglas Henshall…; Atmospheric 3–part BBC adaptation of the novel by prolific British horror writer James Herbert that connects a supernatural mystery between two…
Sessions, The (2012): Dir. Ben Lewin
Feat. John Hawkes, Helen Hunt, William H. Macy…; A compassionate, entertaining drama adapted from the memoir of a writer whose lifelong confinement to an iron lung compels him to lose his virginity…
Shackleton's Captain (2012): Dir. Leanne Pooley
Feat. Craig Parker; The Endurance's ship captain, Frank Worsley, is given the spotlight in this searing reenactment of Ernest Shackleton’s troubled expedition to the…
Sherlock - Series 2 (TV Series) (2012): Dir. Paul McGuigan
Feat. Benedict Cumberbatch, Martin Freeman, Mark Gatiss…; Further episodes from this ingenious update of the master detective, with Benedict Cumberbatch's idiosyncratic take on the character nicely…
Silent Youth (2012): Dir. Diemo Kemmesies
Feat. Martin Bruchmann, Josef Mattes, Linda Schule; Low key German indie drama offering a story of gay first love, replete with palpable sexual tension and interesting, honest performances. Like so…
Silver Linings Playbook (2012): 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…
Sister (2012): Dir. Ursula Meier
Feat. Léa Seydoux, Kacey Mottet Klein, Martin Compston…; On the slopes of a Swiss ski resort, a resourceful 12–year–old boy steals to support his troubled older sister in this fine…
Smash (TV Series) (2012): Feat. Debra Messing, Jack Davenport, Anjelica Huston…; A superior, adult–minded alternative to GLEE, this focuses on the creative talent both on–stage and behind–the–scenes of a…
Smashed (2012): Dir. James Ponsoldt
Feat. Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Aaron Paul, Nick Offerman…; Riveting portrait, much acclaimed at Sundance, of a married couple mutually dependent on alcohol who attempt to start the long road to recovery.
Song for Marion (Unfinished Song) (2012): Dir. Paul Andrew Williams
Feat. Terence Stamp, Vanessa Redgrave, Gemma Arterton…; A dying woman (Vanessa Redgrave) inspired by her Young at Heart–style choir convinces her depressed husband to join the group as an ode to her…
Spartacus: Vengeance (TV Series) (2012): Feat. Liam McIntyre, Manu Bennett, Peter Mensah…; Series two of the outlandish sword–and–sandal serial features Lucy Lawless and a line–up of Kiwi faces in various states of…
Spike Island (2012): Dir. Mat Whitecross
Feat. Elliot Tittensor, Nico Mirallegro, Jordan Murphy…; A rising indie band travels to Spike Island, Cheshire, in May of 1990 to see The Stone Roses.
Spring Breakers (2012): Dir. Harmony Korine
Feat. Selena Gomez, Vanessa Anne Hudgens, Ashley Benson…; "Disney Gone Wild" is the catchall for this fleshy coed drama from enfant terrible Harmony Korine, about four spring–breaking girls who become…
Standing Up (Goat Island) (2012): Dir. D. J. Caruso
Feat. Chandler Canterbury, Annalise Basso, Radha Mitchell…; Uplifting and morally salient adventure story about a pair of shy 12 year old kids who find strength and confidence together after a cruel prank…
Starlet (2012): Dir. Sean Baker
Feat. Dree Hemingway, Besedka Johnson, Stella Maeve; Understated indie drama from director trailblazing director Sean Baker (TANGERINE, THE FLORIDA PROJECT), about an unlikely friendship between an…
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…
Step Up 4: Miami Heat (Step Up Revolution) (2012): Dir. Scott Speer
Feat. Ryan Guzman, Cleopatra Coleman; The latest step down sees a young couple, who lead a dance crew in elaborate flash mobs "turn their performance art into protest art" when a wealthy…
Still Mine (2012): Dir. Michael McGowan
Feat. James Cromwell, Genevieve Bujold, Campbell Scott; A devoted octogenarian husband (Cromwell) sets out to build a new home for his ailing wife (Bujold), only to come up against a bureaucratic…
Suskind (2012): Dir. Rudolf van den Berg
Feat. Karl Markovics, Jeroen Spitzenberger; A serious, respectful historical dramatisation of the deeds of Walter Sueskind, a Jewish industrialist in Amsterdam who used his leverage as an…
Tabu (2012): Dir. Miguel Gomes
Feat. Teresa Madruga, Laura Soveral, Ana Moreira…; A retired woman seeks out a man with a secret connection to her past life as a plantation owner in Africa in this a beguiling black and white mystery.
Tar (2012): Dir. Various
Feat. James Franco, Mila Kunis, Jessica Chastain…; In this impressionistic biopic, James Franco portrays C.K. Williams across several decades via a series of 11 short films directed by 12 N.Y.U. film…
Taste of Money, The (2012): Dir. Sang-soo Im
Feat. Kang-woo Kim, Yoon-sik Baek, Yuh-jung Youn; The dir. of THE HOUSEMAID buffs this heady class critique of Korea's impudent elite to a high sheen, with the lust and corruption of a wealthy family…
Teddy Bear (10 Timer til Paradis) (2012): Dir. Mads Matthiesen
Feat. Kim Kold; Real life body–builder Kim Kold stars as a shy and awkward 38 year–old Danish bodybuilder who still lives with his mum, but decides to…
Thanks 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…
Thérèse Desqueyroux (Therese Desqueyroux) (2012): Dir. Claude Miller
Feat. Audrey Tautou, Gilles Lellouche, Anaïs Demoustier; In pre–war France, a free–spirited woman joins a wealthy landowner in a loveless marriage. Audrey Tautou dials down the cute to deliver…
Third Half, The (2012): Dir. Darko Mitrevski
Feat. Katarina Ivanovska, Sasko Kocev; A Macedonian football club hires a German coach to galvanize the team as Nazis prepare to enter the country in this wartime occupation drama.
Tiger Eyes (2012): Dir. Lawrence Blume
Feat. Willa Holland, Cynthia Stevenson, Tatanka Means…; This sensitively observed teen drama – the first ever screen adaptation of a Judy Blume novel – centres on a 17–year–old girl…
Titanic (TV Mini-series) (2012): Dir. Jon Jones
Feat. Linus Roache, James Wilby, Timothy West…; Four–part serial from the pen of DOWNTON ABBEY creator Julian Fellowes that tells the story of the doomed ship through four very different…
To the Wonder (2012): Dir. Terrence Malick
Feat. Ben Affleck, Olga Kurylenko, Rachel McAdams…; Terrence Malick's latest rapturous odyssey is centred on the strained love between an American and a Ukrainian struggling to build a life together in…
Tortoise 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…
Touch (TV Series) (2012): Feat. Kiefer Sutherland, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, David Mazouz; Supernatural drama about a widower who is struggling to raise his mute son, a child whose fascination with numbers and patterns leads his father to…
Town, The (TV Mini-Series) (2012): Feat. Andrew Scott, Martin Clunes, Kelly Adams…; A Londoner returns home following his parents' double–suicide, where he begins to suspect foul play in a town full of secrets in this…
Treme - Season 3 (TV Series) (2012): Feat. Khandi Alexander, Clarke Peters, Steve Zahn…; Further episodes from David Simon's superb dramatic study of post–Katrina New Orleans, focusing on a community of musicians, chefs, and…
Tricky Business (TV Series) (2012): Feat. Antony Starr, Gigi Edgley, Lincoln Lewis; A family of debt collectors grapple with the financial, emotional, professional, and personal problems inherent in their line of work in this lively…
Trouble with the Curve (2012): Dir. Robert Lorenz
Feat. Clint Eastwood, Amy Adams, Justin Timberlake…; Clint Eastwood lounges as another grizzled veteran at odds with the modern world in this pretenseless baseball drama. An unapologetic romance…
True Blood - Season 5 (TV Series) (2012): Feat. Anna Paquin, Stephen Moyer, Sam Trammell…; Further episodes of the acclaimed series from SIX FEET UNDER creator Alan Ball, set in a world where vampires have 'come out' as members of modern…
Twice Born (2012): Dir. Sergio Castellitto
Feat. Penelope Cruz, Emile Hirsch; The memory of a passionate love affair with an American photographer and its harrowing aftermath is rekindled when a woman returns to Sarajevo with…
Two Jacks (2012): Dir. Bernard Rose
Feat. Danny Huston, Jacqueline Bisset, Jack Huston…; Danny Huston and dir. Bernard Rose reunite for another Hollywood–set riff on Tolstoy. Based on the story 'The Two Hussars', it tells the story…
Upside Down (2012): Dir. Juan Solanas
Feat. Kirsten Dunst, Jim Sturgess, Timothy Spall; Two star–crossed lovers separated by opposite worlds attempt to overcome interplanetary boundaries in this head–turning sci–fi…
Vow, The (2012): Dir. Michael Sucsy
Feat. Rachel McAdams, Channing Tatum, Jessica Lange…; More fodder for helpless romantics, with beefcake romeo Channing Tatum losing his new bride (Rachel McAdams, naturally) to amnesia via a car…
Wadjda (2012): Dir. Haifaa Al-Mansour
Feat. Waad Mohammed, Reem Abdullah; This humanist triumph is the first ever feature to be shot in Saudi Arabia, centering on a plucky young girl who attempts to raise money for a…
War Witch (Rebelle) (2012): Dir. Kim Nguyen
Feat. Rachel Mwanza; A remarkable magical realist portrayal of the tragedy of child soldiering in one of Africa’s many civil wars, with the phenomenal Rachel Mwanza as…
We and the I, The (2012): Dir. Michel Gondry
Feat. Michael Brodie, Teresa Lynn, Raymond Delgado; Michel Gondry masters the docu–drama narrative with surprising ease, here directing an affecting and unsentimental look at a bus full of Bronx…
Welcome Aboard (2012): Dir. Jean Becker
Feat. Patrick Chesnais, Jeanne Lambert, Miou-Miou; No stranger to movies about unlikely friendships, dir. Jean Becker balances sentiment with pathos in this finely drawn character study of a…
What Maisie Knew (2012): Dir. Scott McGehee, David Siegel
Feat. Julianne Moore, Steve Coogan, Alexander Skarsgard…; A six–year–old girl is caught in the middle of her estranged parents' bitter custody battle in this thought–provoking drama,…
What Really Happened: Votes for Women (2012): Feat. Sara Wiseman, Craig Hall, Stephen Lovatt; Another edifying take on a key turning point in New Zealand history (following What Really Happened: Waitangi), this Sunday Theatre commission…
What Richard Did (2012): Dir. Lenny Abrahamson
Feat. Jack Reynor, Róisín Murphy, Sam Keeley…; Understated but highly compelling moral drama in which an exemplary teenager experiences a fall from grace after an impulsive incident at a college…
What to Do When Someone Dies (Without You) (2012): Feat. Anna Friel, Marc Warren; A love story morphs into a psychological thriller in this compelling tale of a happily married woman whose husband is inexplicably killed in a car…
White Elephant (2012): Dir. Pablo Trapero
Feat. Ricardo Darín, Jeremie Renier, Martina Gusman; Two priests determined to build a hospital in a Buenos Aires shantytown encounter violent resistance from local drug lords in this superb social…
White Heat (TV Series) (2012): Dir. John Alexander
Feat. MyAnna Buring, Sam Claffin, Lee Ingleby…; British TV drama from writer Paula Milne (THE POLITICIAN'S WIFE) following seven students who first meet while flatting in London in 1965. The six…
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…
Wolf Children (2012): Dir. Mamoru Hosoda; This beautiful, serious–minded take on werewolf folklore focuses on a young woman and her struggle to raise two children of mixed…
Won't Back Down (2012): Dir. Daniel Barnz
Feat. Maggie Gyllenhaal, Viola Davis, Oscar Isaac…; A well–meaning but preachy social drama of community action, centred on two spirited mothers determined to bring change to an ailing inner city…
Words, The (2012): Dir. Brian Klugman, Lee Sternthal
Feat. Bradley Cooper, Zoe Saldana, Dennis Quaid…; Bradley Cooper plays a struggling writer whose conscience gets the better of him when a found manuscript he passes off as his own achieves great…
World Without End (TV Series) (2012): Dir. Michael Caton-Jones
Feat. Ben Chaplin, Charlotte Riley, Nora von Waldstätten…; Thinly drawn companion piece to THE PILLARS OF THE EARTH nonetheless makes for essential viewing for fans of the original historical series. Also…
Yossi (2012): Dir. Eytan Fox
Feat. Ohad Knoller; A satisfying, exploratory follow–up to Israeli gay drama YOSSI AND JAGGER, this catches up with the titular Yossi, now ten years older and no…
10 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…
360 (2011): Dir. Fernando Meirelles
Feat. Rachel Weisz, Jude Law, Anthony Hopkins…; Fernando Meirelles (CITY OF GOD) directs this kaleidoscopic ensemble drama set in seven cities across the globe, concerning a disparate set of…
50/50 (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 Dangerous Method (2011): Dir. David Cronenberg
Feat. Michael Fassbender, Keira Knightley, Viggo Mortensen…; Psychodrama auteur David Cronenberg directs this stimulating, if not entirely satiating exploration of the intense relationship between Carl Jung and…
A 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.
Against the Wind (Headwinds) (2011): Dir. Jalil Lespert
Feat. Benoit Magimel, Isabelle Carré, Bouli Lanners…; Quality French drama explores the emotional wreck of a widower who tries to rebuild his life and make sense of his loss in the aftermath of his…
Ages 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…
Albert Nobbs (2011): Dir. Rodrigo Garcia
Feat. Glenn Close, Mia Wasikowska, Aaron Taylor-Johnson…; A magnificent Glenn Close elevates this otherwise downbeat period drama of a woman who dresses as a man in order to eke out a living in…
All Our Desires (2011): Dir. Philippe Lioret
Feat. Marie Gillain, Vincent Lindon; Well–meaning social melodrama from the dir. of WELCOME follows the determined fight by a judge to defend an impoverished woman from ruthless…
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…
Alphas (TV Series) (2011): Feat. David Strathairn, Ryan Cartwright, Warren Christie; David Strathairn leads this X–MEN–esque series about a group of people with superhuman powers – known as "alphas" – who are…
And 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…
Anonymous (2011): Dir. Roland Emmerich
Feat. Rhys Ifans, Vanessa Redgrave, David Thewlis…; Enjoyable hokum posits that the true writer of Shakespeare's plays was in fact the Earl of Oxford. Some of Britain's finest thesps – including…
Another Earth (2011): Dir. Mike Cahill
Feat. Brit Marling, William Mapother; The appearance of a parallel Earth hidden behind the Sun poses deep personal and philosophical questions for a troubled student in this superlative…
Another 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…
Appropriate Adult (TV Mini-series) (2011): Dir. Julian Jarrold
Feat. Emily Watson, Dominic West; Utterly riveting, BAFTA and Golden Globe winning mini–series that details the crucial part played by a trainee social worker in uncovering the…
Art of Getting By, The (2011): 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, The (2011): 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) (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…
Back to Stay (2011): Dir. Milagros Mumenthaler
Feat. María Canale, Martina Juncadella , Ailín Salas…; A spare, melancholic film that languidly reveals its narrative secrets as three bickering sisters clash in their neglected Buenos Aires family…
Beastly (2011): Dir. Daniel Barnz
Feat. Alex Pettyfer, Vanessa Anne Hudgens, Mary-Kate Olsen…; Tween stars Pettyfer and Hudgens angst up a storm in this modernised BEAUTY AND THE BEAST that will fill the gap nicely until the next TWILIGHT movie…
Beaver, The (2011): Dir. Jodie Foster
Feat. Mel Gibson, Jodie Foster, Anton Yelchin…; A haggard Mel Gibson adopts the persona of a beat–up hand puppet in an attempt to cope with his deteriorating mental health in this…
Beginners (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…
Beginning of the Great Revival (The Founding of a Party) (2011): Dir. Sanping Han, Jianxin Huang
Feat. Andy Lau, Chow Yun-Fat, Daniel Wu…; In the tradition of unashamedly jingoistic cinema comes this state–sanctioned celebration of ninety years of Chinese Communist Party rule.…
Bellflower (2011): Dir. Evan Glodell
Feat. Evan Glodell, Tyler Dawson, Jessie Wiseman; Genuine oddity with two slackers spending their time building flamethrowers and various other weapons in the hope that the apocalypse is imminent.
Beloved (2011): Dir. Christophe Honore
Feat. Chiara Mastroianni, Catherine Deneuve, Ludivine Sagnier…; An expressive, cosmopolitan musical about the life and loves of a mother and daughter spanning four decades, played by the Real McCoy, Catherine…
Bernie (2011): 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, The (2011): 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…
Billy (2011): Dir. Peter Burger
Feat. Tainui Tukiwaho, Morgana O’Reilly; A sound, praiseworthy biopic of New Zealand's greatest ever comedian, played here by Tainui Tukiwaho with equal parts sobriety and jolly…
Black Mirror (TV Series) (2011-2013): Feat. Rory Kinnear, Lindsay Duncan, Rupert Everett…; A brilliantly conceived anthology of science fiction stories in the tradition of THE TWILIGHT ZONE, this compelling British series explores the…
Black 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…
Blackthorn (2011): Dir. Mateo Gil
Feat. Sam Shepard, Eduardo Noriega, Stephen Rea…; Rugged western with Sam Shepard as a decidedly grizzled Butch Cassidy living out his days in Bolivia and venturing out for one more adventure.…
Bliss: The Beginning of Katherine Mansfield (2011): Dir. Fiona Samuel
Feat. Kate Elliot, Sarah Peirse, Peter Elliot…; Revealing portrait of the early years of New Zealand's most celebrated writer Katharine Mansfield, movingly played by Kate Elliot.
Blood and Country (There Be Dragons) (2011): Dir. Roland Joffe
Feat. Charlie Cox, Wes Bentley, Dougray Scott…; Roland Joffe (THE KILLING FIELDS) directs this epic, if overambitious Spanish Civil War drama spread across three different storylines: two…
Boardwalk Empire - Season 2 (TV Series) (2011): Feat. Steve Buscemi, Michael Pitt, Kelly MacDonald…; Further episodes from the marquee HBO production, centred on the Prohibition–era empire surrounding corrupt Atlantic treasurer Enoch "Nucky"…
Body of Proof (TV Series) (2011): Feat. Dana Delany, John Carroll Lynch, Jeri Ryan…; Dana Delany graduates from Desperate Housewife to ace medical examiner in this formulaic hybrid of hospital melodrama and homicide procedural. Watch…
Bombay Beach (2011): Dir. Alma Har’el; Hypnotic and highly innovative documentary about a ghost town on the Salton Sea in Southern California, which is home to a failed 1950's development…
Booth At The End, The (2011): Dir. Christopher Kubasik
Feat. Xander Berkeley, Matt Boren, Matt Nolan; A man who may or may not be the devil, holds court in a diner booth where he is visited by those who've heard he is able to grant desires –…
Borgen - Series 2 (TV Series) (2011): Feat. Sidse Babett Knudsen, Birgitte Hjort Sørensen, Pilou Asbæk; Further episodes from the Bafta–winning Danish political drama in which an idealistic prime minister's rise to power brings with it a web of…
Borgias, The (TV Series) (2011): Feat. Jeremy Irons, François Arnaud, Holliday Grainger…; Sumptuous chronicling of the notorious Borgia family and their rise to the pinnacle of the Roman Catholic Church. Created by Neil Jordan.
Boss (TV Series) (2011): Feat. Kelsey Grammer, Connie Nielsen; In this tough political series, Kelsey Grammer is magnetic as a gritty Chicago mayor fighting for his city and his seat in office despite the onset…
Breaking Bad - Season 4 (TV Series) (2011): Feat. Bryan Cranston, Aaron Paul, Anna Gunn…; Further episodes chronicling the deeds of anti–hero Walter White (Cranston), a high school chemistry teacher who turns to a life of…
Bunohan (Return to Murder) (2011): Dir. Dain Said
Feat. Zahiril Adzim, Faizal Hussein, Wan Hanafisu…; Somber martial–arts flick with three estranged brothers returning to their hometown to care for their ailing father. Interesting hybrid of…
Burning 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…
Café de Flore (2011): Dir. Jean-Marc Vallée
Feat. Vanessa Paradis, Kevin Parent; Two parallel stories of love and hope transcend their time difference in this fantastical juggling act from French–Canadian filmmaker…
Carnage (2011): 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 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 Takeaway (2011): 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.
Christmas at Downton Abbey (TV Mini-Series) (2011): Feat. Hugh Bonneville, Maggie Smith, Elizabeth McGovern…; Lavish Christmas Special sees the Downton Abbey residents and staff hosting a spiffy holiday party, only for murder and jealously to cloud the…
Cinema Verite (2011): Dir. Shari Springer Berman, Robert Pulcini
Feat. Diane Lane, Tim Robbins, James Gandolfini…; Crisply realised HBO production on the making of the world's first ever Reality TV series, PBS's landmark 1973 miniseries 'An American…
Circumstance (2011): Dir. Maryam Keshavarz
Feat. Sarah Kazemy, Nikohl Boosheri, Reza Sixo Safai…; A wealthy Iranian family struggles to contain a teenager's growing sexual rebellion and her brother's dangerous obsession in this courageous, if…
Cloudburst (2011): Dir. Thom Fitzgerald
Feat. Olympia Dukakis, Brenda Fricker, Ryan Doucette; A longtime lesbian couple hit the road for Canada so they can legally marry in this moving road movie.
CloudStreet (TV Mini-series) (2011): Dir. Matthew Saville
Feat. Essie Davis, Emma Booth, Geoff Morrell…; Big, bold prestige production adapted from acclaimed Australian author Tim Winton's novel of the same name, about a pair of tragedy–stricken…
Collaborator (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.
Coriolanus (2011): Dir. Ralph Fiennes
Feat. Ralph Fiennes, Gerard Butler, Jessica Chastain…; Ralph Fiennes directs this fierce adaptation of Shakespeare's second–longest play, transposing the Bard's text to modern day Rome, where…
Corpo Celeste (2011): Dir. Alice Rohrwacher
Feat. Salvatore Cantalupo, Anita Caprioli; A thirteen–year–old girl moves back to southern Italy with her mother and older sister and struggles to find her place, restlessly…
Crimson Petal and the White, The (TV Mini-Series) (2011): Dir. Marc Munden
Feat. Romola Garai, Chris O'Dowd, Amanda Blake…; An intensely realised adaption of Michel Faber's novel about an aspiring novelist (Romola Garai) who is unable to free herself from a life as a…
Curry 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.
Dark Horse (2011): Dir. Todd Solondz
Feat. Jordan Gelber, Selma Blair, Mia Farrow…; Todd Solondz's latest black comedy of discomfort, about a toy–obsessed thirty–something who enters into a relationship with a chronic…
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…
Death of a Superhero (2011): Dir. Ian Fitzgibbon
Feat. Thomas Brodie-Sangster, Andy Serkis, Aisling Loftus; A 15–year–old terminal cancer patient retreats to the world of superhero fantasy through his own comic book drawings in this measured,…
Declaration of War (2011): Dir. Valérie Donzelli
Feat. Valérie Donzelli, Jérémie Elkaïm; A young couple go to war for their cancer–stricken child in this galvanizing drama, based on dir. Valérie Donzelli's fight for the life of her…
Deep Blue Sea, The (2011): Dir. Terence Davies
Feat. Rachel Weisz, Tom Hiddleston, Simon Russell-Beale…; Post–war romantic drama in which Rachel Weisz plays the wife of a British Judge caught in a self–destructive love affair with a Royal Air…
Descendants, The (2011): Dir. Alexander Payne
Feat. George Clooney, Shailene Woodley, Amara Miller…; George Clooney plays a land heir attempting to reconnect with his family after a serious accident befalls his wife in this seriocomic mid–life…
Desperate 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.
Detachment (2011): Dir. Tony Kaye
Feat. Adrien Brody, Marcia Gay Harden, James Caan…; The magnetic Adrien Brody plays gifted but disillusioned substitute teacher who connects with troubled students, teachers and a young prostitute in…
Details, 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…
Devil's Double, The (2011): Dir. Lee Tamahori
Feat. Dominic Cooper, Ludivine Sagnier; An Iraqi foot solider is selected as the body double for Saddam Hussein's ruthless son Uday in this violent docu–drama from Kiwi dir. Lee…
Dilemma, 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.
Downton Abbey - Series 2 (TV Series) (2011): Feat. Hugh Bonneville, Maggie Smith, Elizabeth McGovern…; Further episodes from ITV's immensely popular, top–of–the–range period drama, centred on the residents and staff of the titular…
Ecstasy (Irvine Welsh's Ecstasy) (2011): Dir. Rob Heydon
Feat. Adam Sinclair, Kristin Kreuk, Billy Boyd…; The questionable prose of Irvine Welsh (TRAINSPOTTING) is again the source for another throbbing Brit club culture movie, this time about a lonely…
Elena (2011): Dir. Andrei Zvyagintsev
Feat. Nadezhda Markina, Andrey Smirnov, Aleksey Rozin; An old fashioned mortality play told through the eyes of Russia's new monied class, centred on the wife of a wealthy businessman whose sudden death…
Elles (2011): Dir. Malgorzata Szumowska
Feat. Juliette Binoche, Anaïs Demoustier, Joanna Kulig; Juliette Binoche plays an investigative reporter who becomes entangled in the world of student prostitution in this serious erotic thriller.
Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close (2011): Dir. Stephen Daldry
Feat. Tom Hanks, Sandra Bullock, Thomas Horn…; The grief and curiosity of a nine–year–old autistic boy is explored in this tough, but tender drama set in the aftermath of the September…
Eye of the Storm, The (2011): Dir. Fred Schepisi
Feat. Charlotte Rampling, Geoffrey Rush, Judy Davis…; A prodigal son and daughter attend to their dying mother in order to ensure their inheritances in this powerfully performed adaptation of Patrick…
Face to Face (2011): Dir. Michael Rymer
Feat. Vince Colosimo, Matthew Newton, Luke Ford…; Set in a single room this keenly written drama explores the dynamics of conflict resolution as a young man charged with vandalising his bosses car…
Falling Overnight (2011): Dir. Conrad Jackson
Feat. Parker Croft, Emilia Zoryan; A shy young man spends his last night before brain surgery with a spontaneous, free–spirited artist in this modest miniature romance, a fine…
Field of Blood, The (TV Mini-Series) (2011): Dir. David Kane
Feat. Jayd Johnson, David Morrissey, Peter Capaldi…; Grim, girl–powered crime drama shot through with impeccable period detail. Set in the male–dominated world of British journalism in the…
Flowers of War, The (2011): Dir. Zhang Yimou
Feat. Christian Bale, Ni Ni, Paul Schneider; Dir. Zhang Yimou tackles the Nanking massacre with equal parts grim realism and stylish melodrama – befitting of a lavish wartime epic, less so…
Footloose (2011): Dir. Craig Brewer
Feat. Kenny Wormald, Julianne Hough, Dennis Quaid…; Kick off your Sunday shoes once more for this none–too–shabby remake of the eighties fave. Kenny Wormald is the city kid who just wants…
Footnote (2011): 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…
Forgiveness of Blood, The (2011): Dir. Joshua Marston
Feat. Tristan Halilaj, Refet Abazi, Zana Hasaj; Dir. Joshua Marston (MARIA FULL OF GRACE) helms this engrossing Albanian drama of family blood feuds and the tensions between tradition and…
Foster (2011): Dir. Jonathan Newman
Feat. Toni Collette, Ioan Gruffudd, Richard E. Grant…; Grade–A weepie follows a childless couple's quest to adopt a baby, only for a precocious seven–year–old boy to turn up on their…
From up on Poppy Hill (2011): Dir. Goro Miyazaki
Feat. Masami Nagasawa, Jun'ichi Okada; Studio Ghibli's latest offering is an affecting, nostalgia–laden drama of teenage idealism and high school romance, set during the lead up to…
Future, The (2011): 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…
Game of Thrones - Season 1 (TV Series) (2011): Feat. Sean Bean, Mark Addy, Michelle Fairley…; Justifiably acclaimed medieval series applies the magic HBO touch to the often–ridiculed world of sword and sorcery, with realism and violence…
Giants, The (2011): Dir. Bouli Lanners
Feat. Zacharie Chasseriaud, Martin Nissen, Paul Bartel; The misadventures of two teenage brothers and a local misfit are engagingly recounted in this balmy Belgium picaresque.
Girl 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 America (2011): 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…
Goodbye, First Love (2011): Dir. Mia Hansen-Love
Feat. Lola Créton, Sebastian Urzendowsky; The director of FATHER OF MY CHILDREN turns her nuanced lens on the passionate but slow–maturing romance between a couple who break up in their…
Great Expectations (Mini-Series) (2011): Dir. Brian Kirk
Feat. Ray Winstone, Gillian Anderson, David Suchet…; Suitably atmospheric and gripping three–part adaptation of Dickens' masterpiece following the twists and turns in the life of a young orphan.…
Green, The (2011): Dir. Steven Williford
Feat. Jason Butler Harner, Cheyenne Jackson, Illeana Douglas…; Drama about a gay couple who relocate from NYC to Connecticut seeking some quiet, but find their lives disrupted when one is accused of inappropriate…
Grey's Anatomy (TV Series) - Season 7 (2011): Feat. Patrick Dempsey, Ellen Pompeo, Justin Chambers…; Seventh season of the popular female–driven medical soap, continuing the trials and tribulations of five first–year interns as they…
Hail (2011): Dir. Amiel Courtin-Wilson
Feat. Daniel P. Jones, Leanne Campbell; A unique, visionary portrait of an ex–con who returns home to his lover, only to struggle with disturbing premonitions of the world.
Hara-Kiri: Death of a Samurai (2011): Dir. Takashi Miike
Feat. Koji Yakusho, Naoto Takenaka; The ever–versatile Takashi Miike changes tack from his rollicking samurai adventure, 13 ASSASSINS, to deliver a restrained and resonant tale of…
Hell on Wheels (TV Series) (2011): Feat. Anson Mount, Common , Colm Meaney…; The building of the transcontinental railroad serves as the backdrop for this ambitious western that centres on the efforts of a Confederate soldier…
Help, The (2011): Dir. Tate Taylor
Feat. Emma Stone, Viola Davis, Octavia Spencer…; Civil–rights drama based on the best–seller by Kathryn Stockett about an aspiring author who sets out to document the lives of…
Here (2011): Dir. Braden King
Feat. Ben Foster, Lubna Azabal, Peter Coyote; A cartographer strikes up a bond with a beautiful Armenian woman while surveying the country in this striking wanderlust romance.
Higher Ground (2011): Dir. Vera Farmiga
Feat. Vera Farmiga, Joshua Leonard, John Hawkes…; Vera Farmiga directs and stars in this heavy–hearted chronicle of one woman's lifelong struggle with faith from within the peaceful, yet…
Himizu (2011): Dir. Sion Sono
Feat. Shota Sometani, Tetsu Watanabe, Fumi Nikaido; Bleak coming–of–age story with two teens scraping out an existence in post–tsunami Japan and embarking on a campaign of violence…
Hook, Line and Sinker (Hook, Line & Sinker) (2011): Dir. Andrea Bosshard, Shane Loader
Feat. Rangimoana Taylor, Carmel McGlone, Geraldine Brophy; A blue–collar truck driver struggles to cope with his failing eyesight, despite the love and support of his family, in this grassroots gem from…
Hour, The - Series 1 (TV Series) (2011): Feat. Dominic West, Romola Garai, Ben Whishaw…; A team of journalists (lead by THE WIRE's Dominic West) front a groundbreaking news hour for the BBC, only to chance upon a high–level…
House of Pleasures (House of Tolerance) (2011): Dir. Bertrand Bonello
Feat. Hafsia Herzi, Jasmine Trinca, Noemie Lvovsky…; Richly designed elegy set in a Parisian bordello at the end of the 18th century follows the working lives of its varied inhabitants. Bonello's…
Hunky Dory (2011): Dir. Marc Evans
Feat. Minnie Driver; Feel–good period drama plays it safe in its rose–tinted remembrance of the '70s, where an earnest drama teacher (Driver) brings together…
Hunter, The (2011): Dir. Daniel Nettheim
Feat. Willem Dafoe, Sam Neill, Frances O’Connor…; Willem Dafoe plays a mercenary sent to hunt for an endangered Tasmanian tiger in this sparse, psychological showcase of the Australian wilderness.
Hysteria (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 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…
I Melt With You (2011): Dir. Mark Pellington
Feat. Thomas Jane, Jeremy Piven, Rob Lowe…; Latent hedonism grips four obnoxious college bros who reunite for a lost weekend of booze, blow, and anonymous sex. This mid–life crisis by way…
I Wish (2011): Dir. Kore-eda Hirokazu
Feat. Koki Maeda, Ohshiro Maeda, Yui Natsukawa…; Two brothers living in different cities because of their parents' separation conspire to reunite them through a mythical 'wish' in this delicate,…
Ides of March, The (2011): Dir. George Clooney
Feat. George Clooney, Ryan Gosling, Philip Seymour Hoffman…; Ryan Gosling plays an idealistic campaign worker forced to play dirty in a battle between opposing sides in a Democratic primary campaign in this…
In Darkness (2011): Dir. Agnieszka Holland
Feat. Robert Wieckiewicz, Agnieszka Grochowska, Kinga Preis; A stirring, endlessly suspenseful wartime resistance drama from dir. Agnieszka Holland (EUROPA, EUROPA), about the ordinary men and women surviving…
Intouchables, The (2011): 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…
Iron Lady, The (2011): Dir. Phyllida Lloyd
Feat. Meryl Streep, Jim Broadbent, Iain Glen…; Meryl Streep's Oscar–winning incarnation dominates this stylized biography of Margaret Thatcher, the conservative British Prime Minister who…
Italian 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…
J. Edgar (2011): Dir. Clint Eastwood
Feat. Leonardo DiCaprio, Naomi Watts, Judi Dench…; Heavyweight biopic from dir. Clint Eastwood, with Leonardo DiCaprio stepping into the shoes of controversial FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover, whose…
Jane Eyre (2011): Dir. Cary Joji Fukunaga
Feat. Mia Wasikowska, Michael Fassbender, Jamie Bell…; A delicate and atmospheric adaptation of the much–filmed Charlotte Bronte melodrama tragedy about a young governess who seals her tragic fate…
Jeff, Who Lives at Home (2011): 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…
Jess + Moss (Jess and Moss) (2011): Dir. Clay Jeter
Feat. Sarah Hagan, Austin Vickers, Haley Parker; Impressionistic portrait of two young teens spending one last summer wandering through the fields of Kentucky. Unconventional approach to narrative…
Jewel, The (2011): Dir. Andrea Molaioli
Feat. Toni Servillo, Remo Girone, Sarah Felberbaum; Mordant morality tale set in the world of big–business with Servillo as a very 'creative' accountant trying everything to keep his company…
Jury, The (The Jury 2) (2011): Feat. Julie Walters, John Lynch, Roger Allam…; A gripping court room drama regarded for its authenticity and attention to detail, which centres on a prolonged court room trial from the perspective…
Justified - Season 2 (TV Series) (2011): Feat. Timothy Olyphant, Walton Goggins, Joelle Carter…; Further episodes from the slick urban western about an old–school U.S. Marshal reassigned from Miami to his childhood home in the poor, rural…
Kathmandu Lullaby (2011): Dir. Iciar Bollain
Feat. Verónica Echegui; Determined to inspire change, an idealistic teacher journeys to a poverty–stricken area of the Himalayas in this earnest yet…
Ken Loach at the BBC (2011): Dir. Ken Loach; A six–disc box–set of the television plays that Ken Loach wrote and directed for the BBC between 1964 and 1977. A valuable collection of…
Kennedys, The (TV Mini-Series) (2011): Dir. Jon Cassar
Feat. Greg Kinnear, Barry Pepper, Katie Holmes…; The latest in a long line of dramatizations around the Kennedy legacy in US politics, shaded as always by tragedy and scandal. While the…
Kid with a Bike, The (2011): Dir. Luc and Jean-Pierre Dardenne
Feat. Thomas Doret, Cecile De France, Jeremie Renier…; Yet another impressive work of contemporary social realism from Belgian duo Jean–Luc and Pierre Dardenne, this time observing the growing pains…
Killing Bono (2011): Dir. Nick Hamm
Feat. Ben Barnes, Robert Sheehan, Krysten Ritter…; Rock critic Neil McCormick recounts his close brush with stardom in this crowd–pleasing tall story of two brothers whose high school band comes…
King of Pigs, The (2011): Dir. Sang-ho Yeon; A tough, hard–glancing Korean anime about two adults who recall their violent school days as both purveyors and victims of systemic bullying.…
Kiss Me (Kyss mig, aka With Every Heartbeat) (2011): Dir. Alexandra-Therese Keining
Feat. Ruth Vega Fernandez, Liv Mjönes, Krister Henriksson; Heartfelt romantic drama about a woman who is engaged to be married when she finds herself falling for her soon–to–be stepmother's…
Lady, The (2011): Dir. Luc Besson
Feat. Michelle Yeoh, David Thewlis, Benedict Wong; Luc Besson directs this stirring biopic of Burmese pro–democracy activist turned political prisoner Aung San Suu Kyi.
Lan Kwai Fong (2011): Dir. Wilson Chin
Feat. Shiga Lin; Hong Kong's answer to SEX AND THE CITY set in its central nightlife district, where lust is rampant and love elusive for an ensemble of handsome…
Las Acacias (2011): Dir. Pablo Giorgelli
Feat. Germán de Silva, Hebe Duarte; An improbable gem of the road movie genre, about the slow–forming relationship between a long–haul truck driver and the woman (and…
Late Bloomers (2011): Dir. Julie Gavras
Feat. William Hurt, Isabella Rossellini, Joanna Lumley…; A breezy depiction of the late–life crisis, with old married couple William Hurt and Isabella Rossellini scrambling in opposite directions when…
Le Havre (2011): 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…
Life Without Principle (2011): Dir. Johnnie To
Feat. Lau Ching-wan, Terence Yin, Richie Ren; Hong Kong's master of suspense crafts this swirling triumvirate of stories centred on unraveling lives amidst the global financial crisis. Combing…
Life, Above All (2011): Dir. Oliver Schmitz
Feat. Khomotso Manyaka, Keaobaka Makanyane; Heartrending tale of a headstrong 12–year–old girl who struggles to hold together her broken, AIDS–ridden family in modern day…
Like Crazy (2011): Dir. Drake Doremus
Feat. Anton Yelchin, Felicity Jones, Jennifer Lawrence; Not to be mistaken for another Nicholas Sparks spin–off, this poignant, intelligently crafted indie romance intimately examines the young love…
Lincoln Lawyer, The (2011): Dir. Brad Furman
Feat. Matthew McConaughey, Ryan Phillippe, Marisa Tomei…; Matthew McConaughey plays a low–rent lawyer to low–life clients whose latest case – the defense of a rich playboy (Phillippe) accused…
Loneliest Planet, The (2011): Dir. Julia Loktev
Feat. Gael Garcia Bernal, Hani Furstenberg; A twentysomething couple backpacking through Eurasia witness a shocking incident while climbing the Caucasus Mountains in this powerful minimalist…
Lost Christmas (2011): Dir. John Hay
Feat. Eddie Izzard, Jason Flemyng; BBC drama set in Manchester over two Christmases that shows a group of people who are brought together by a mysterious drifter who helps them find…
Love Exposure (2011): Dir. Sion Sono
Feat. Takahiro Nishijima, Hikari Mitsushima; Notorious cinematic oddity from Japanese director Sion Sono (WHY DON'T YOU PLAY IN HELL), following the adventures of a Catholic teenage boy who…
Machine Gun Preacher (2011): Dir. Marc Forster
Feat. Gerard Butler, Michelle Monaghan, Michael Shannon…; A surprisingly solid – and notwithstanding its sensationalist title – serious movie (amid splashes of gun–toting action) about the plight…
Mad Dogs (TV Series) (2011): Feat. John Simm, Marc Warren, Max Beesley…; Oddly unsettling and engaging in equal measure, this mid–life black comedy centres on four middle–aged blokes who reunite to celebrate…
Marchlands (TV Series) (2011): Dir. James Kent
Feat. Jodie Whittaker, Denis Lawson, Alex Kingston…; Time–switching supernatural drama where three separate families who have lived in the same Yorkshire house in 1968, 1987 and the present day,…
Margaret (2011): Dir. Kenneth Lonergan
Feat. Anna Paquin, Mark Damon, Mark Ruffalo…; Anna Paquin gives a tour de force at the eye of this stormy ensemble drama from dir. Kenneth Lonergan (YOU CAN COUNT ON ME), about the vortex of…
Margin Call (2011): Dir. J.C. Chandor
Feat. Zachary Quinto, Kevin Spacey, Paul Bettany…; Something of a coup d'etat for its first time feature writer–director, this is a staggeringly assured drama that details white–collar…
Martha Marcy May Marlene (2011): Dir. Sean Durkin
Feat. Elizabeth Olsen, Sarah Paulson, Hugh Dancy…; A damaged young woman struggles to re–assimilate with her sister after fleeing an abusive cult in this unnerving, suggestive psycho–drama…
Melancholia (2011): Dir. Lars Von Trier
Feat. Kirsten Dunst, Charlotte Gainsbourg, John Alexander…; A wedding party celebrating the marriage of a young couple is overshadowed by the threat of a planet on a collision course with Earth in this…
Michael (2011): Dir. Markus Schleinzer
Feat. Michael Fuith; Brilliant and disturbingly macabre directorial debut from Markus Schleinzer, observing a man who has imprisoned a 10–year old boy in his…
Midnight in Paris (2011): 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…
Mildred Pierce (TV Mini-Series) (2011): Dir. Todd Haynes
Feat. Kate Winslet, Guy Pearce, Evan Rachel Wood…; Kate Winslet gives a towering performance as the titular housewife of James M. Cain's classic noir novel of Depression Era desperation and…
Mill and the Cross, The (2011): Dir. Lech Majewski
Feat. Rutger Hauer, Michael York, Charlotte Rampling; Polish experimental auteur Lech Majewski offers a breathtaking, elegantly construed anatomy of Pieter Bruegel's epic 1564 painting ''The Procession…
Minister, The (2011): Dir. Pierre Schöller
Feat. Olivier Gourmet, Michel Blanc, Zabou Breitman…; Nuanced political drama follows the daily process of governance from the vantage point of of the French Transport Minister as he negotiates the…
Moneyball (2011): Dir. Bennett Miller
Feat. Brad Pitt, Jonah Hill, Philip Seymour Hoffman…; The business of professional sport is examined with cracking insight by screenwriter Aaron Sorkin in this biopic of Oakland A’s manager Billy…
Monroe (TV Series) (2011): Feat. James Nesbitt, Sarah Parish, Tom Riley; James Nesbitt stars as a wise cracking, chain smoking neurosurgeon in this slick hospital drama that has been called the British HOUSE.
Monsieur Lazhar (2011): 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 Best Enemy (2011): Dir. Wolfgang Murnberger
Feat. Moritz Bleibtreu, Georg Friedrich, Ursula Strauss; A Jewish man switches places with his Nazi best friend in order to survive, in this dark WWII drama.
My Piece of the Pie (2011): Dir. Cedric Klapisch
Feat. Karin Viard, Gilles Lellouche; A Capra–esque satire shot in the mode of a French romantic comedy, replete with clunky political statements and glossy Euro visuals. Karin…
My Wedding and Other Secrets (2011): 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…
My Week With Marilyn (2011): Dir. Simon Curtis
Feat. Michelle Williams, Kenneth Branagh, Julia Ormond…; Michelle Williams evokes Hollywood's most famous screen siren in this stylish and satisfying biopic centred on the production of THE PRINCE AND THE…
Natural Selection (2011): Dir. Robbie Pickering
Feat. Rachael Harris, Matt O'Leary, John Diehl; A devout Christian locked in a sexless marriage forms an unlikely bond with a troubled man conceived from her husband's sperm donations in this…
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…
Off Hours, The (2011): Dir. Megan Griffiths
Feat. Amy Seimetz, Ross Partridge, Scoot McNairy; Downbeat, deliberately–paced indie about a directionless waitress working the night shift at a roadside diner in a small, industrial town who…
Once Upon a Time (TV Series) (2011): Feat. Ginnifer Goodwin, Jennifer Morrison, Joshua Dallas…; A mature, densely layered serial based on popular folklore, set in a fictional seaside town where characters from various fairy tales have been…
One Day (2011): Dir. Lone Scherfig
Feat. Anne Hathaway, Jim Sturgess, Patricia Clarkson…; Tear–duct bursting romance based on the best–selling novel follows a couple's relationship as it flits between friendship and romance.
Oranges, 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…
Orator, The (O le tulafale) (2011): Dir. Tusi Tamasese
Feat. Fiaula Sanote, Tausili Pushparaj; In this superlative Polynesian drama – the first Samoan language feature film – tradition and modernity collide on the island of Upolu, where a…
Pan Am (TV Series) (2011-2012): Feat. Margot Robbie, Christina Ricci, Karine Vanasse…; Named for the iconic Pan American World Airways, this fictionalised period drama series revolves around the stories of the pilots and stewardesses of…
Paper Giants: The Birth Of Cleo (TV Mini-series) (2011): Dir. Daina Reid
Feat. Asher Keddie, Rob Carlton, Tony Barry…; Drama charting the creation of CLEO magazine and the unlikely alliance between Ita Buttrose and Kerry Packer.
Peace, 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.
Perfect Sense (2011): Dir. David Mackenzie
Feat. Ewan McGregor, Eva Green; The director and star of YOUNG ADAM return for this unusual take on the pandemic sub–genre, set in their Scottish homeland. Centred around…
Personal War, A (The Kiwi Who Saved Britain) (2011): Three short dramatic accounts of war stories as a memorial to all those who have fought and lost their lives for New Zealand as soldiers. THE KIWI…
Play (2011): Dir. Ruben Östlund; Ruban Östlund (THE SQUARE) directs this acute observation of bullying based on true events, in which a group of adolescent boys robbed other…
Policeman (2011): Dir. Nadav Lapid
Feat. Yiftach Klein; With contemporary Israel as its disquieting backdrop, this sharp and incisive account of revolutionary action, witnessed through the eyes of a…
Polisse (2011): Dir. Maïwenn
Feat. Karin Viard, Marina Fois, Nicolas Duvauchelle …; A tough, unglamorous insight into the police work of a Parisian Juvenile Protection Unit, whose officers grapple with the moral and personal dilemmas…
Prince of Broadway (2011): Dir. Sean Baker
Feat. Prince Adu, Karren Karagulian; Terrific social–realist drama from independent filmmaker Sean Baker (FLORIDA PROJECT) set in New York City's Flatiron District, where illegal…
Promise, The (TV Series) (2011): Dir. Peter Kosminsky
Feat. Claire Foy, Christian Cooke, Itay Tiran…; Intelligent, finely balanced drama alternates between storylines set in 1940s Palestine and present day Israel in its address of the contentious…
Puncture (2011): Dir. Adam Kassen
Feat. Chris Evans, Vinessa Shaw, Brett Cullen…; Chris Evans jitters his way through this aggressive legal drama with a motive, ostensibly about a cocaine–addicted lawyer fighting battles both…
Rage (Rage1981) (2011): Dir. Danny Mulheron
Feat. Maria Walker, Ryan O’Kane, Paul Harrop…; Vividly–realised telemovie depicting a star–crossed romance against the turbulent and controversial 1981 Springbok Rugby Tour of New…
Red Dog (2011): Dir. Kriv Stenders
Feat. Josh Lucas, Rachael Taylor, Keisha Castle-Hughes…; True blue Ocker hit inspired by the "true story" (ie. legend) of a charismatic kelpie who united a disparate local mining community before roaming…
Red Riding Hood (2011): Dir. Catherine Hardwicke
Feat. Amanda Seyfried, Gary Oldman, Billy Burke…; Amanda Seyfried plays the eponymous fairytale heroine lusted after by a sinister werewolf in this deliriously overheated horror–fantasy pitched…
Remembrance (Die Verlorene Zeit) (2011): Dir. Anna Justice; A powerful, decades long Holocaust tale of two lovers who endure the horrors of concentration camps, only to be separated by the chaos of the war.
Resistance (2011): Dir. Amit Gupta
Feat. Andrea Riseborough, Tom Wlaschiha; A restrained, understated war drama shot through the lens of an alternate history, where the Germans have gained the upper hand and begun to invade…
Restless (2011): Dir. Gus Van Sant
Feat. Mia Wasikowska, Henry Hopper, Ryo Kase…; Languid tween romance from dir. Gus Van Sant, about a terminally ill girl (Wasikowska) who falls in love with an eccentric boy with a compulsion for…
Return, The (2011): Dir. Liza Johnson
Feat. Linda Cardellini, Michael Shannon, John Slattery…; Linda Cardellini excels as a soldier returning to her family, friends, and old job after a tour of duty, who finds herself struggling to find her…
Rum Diary, The (2011): Dir. Bruce Robinson
Feat. Johnny Depp, Aaron Eckhart, Amber Heard…; Johnny Depp returns to the world of Hunter S. Thompson in this adaptation of the Gonzo journalist's "lost" autobiographical novel of the same name,…
Sal (2011): Dir. James Franco
Feat. Val Lauren, Jim Parrack, James Franco; James Franco directs this chronicle of the final hours of the life of actor Sal Mineo, one–time teen idol and star of the blockbuster film…
Salmon Fishing in the Yemen (2011): 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…
Separation, A (2011): Dir. Asghar Farhadi
Feat. Peyman Moaadi, Leila Hatami, Sareh Bayat…; Winner of the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film, this masterfully layered domestic drama sees the wheels of justice turn slowly against a…
Shame (2011): Dir. Steve McQueen
Feat. Michael Fassbender, Carey Mulligan, James Badge Dale…; The virtuoso director of HUNGER tackles the ills of sex addiction in this arresting portrait of a white collar New Yorker whose private shame is…
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…
Silk (TV Series) (2011): Feat. Maxine Peake, Rupert Penry-Jones, Tom Hughes…; Fascinating, if somewhat glossy insider's guide to the competitive and pressure–filled world of London barristers, who are driven in this…
Skins (TV Series, US) (2011): Feat. James Newman, Sofia Black-D'Elia; Produced by MTV, this gritty stateside remake of the hit Brit series translates the angst and attitude of the modern teen experience for US audiences…
Slap, The (TV Series) (2011): Feat. Alex Dimitriades, Melissa George, Jonathan LaPaglia…; Confronting, layered exploration of the human condition that traces the repercussions for a group of friends and family when a child is slapped at a…
Sleeping Beauty (2011): Dir. Julia Leigh
Feat. Emily Browning, Rachael Blake, Ewen Leslie; Award–winning Australian author Julia Leigh makes her directorial debut with this unsettling erotic fairy tale of a young university student…
Snowtown (2011): Dir. Justin Kurzel
Feat. Lucas Pittaway, Daniel Henshall, Louise Harris…; Australian serial killer John Bunting is the controversial subject of this disturbing yet persuasively told recreation of the 'scum' murders that…
Something 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.
Soul Surfer (2011): Dir. Sean McNamara
Feat. Helen Hunt, Dennis Quaid, AnnaSophia Robb…; A courageous teenage surfing champ loses her arm after a shark attack, and must call upon all her strength and Christian faith to get back in the…
Sound of My Voice (2011): Dir. Zal Batmanglij
Feat. Brit Marling, Christopher Denham, Nicole Vicius; A couple working on a documentary exposé find their skepticism tested as they submit themselves to a rigorous indoctrination into a secretive cult…
Source, 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…
South Riding (TV Mini-Series) (2011): Dir. Diarmuid Lawrence
Feat. Anna Maxwell Martin, David Morrissey, Penelope Wilton; Seasoned period drama scribe Andrew Davies (BLEAK HOUSE) adapts Winifred Holtby’s classic novel about a feisty young headmistress who imports…
Spark 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…
Spartacus: Gods of the Arena (TV Series) (2011): Feat. John Hannah, Manu Bennett, Peter Mensah…; Brawny mini–series prequel to the sordid Roman empire serial tones down the show's infamous sex and violence while improving considerably on…
Suits (TV Series) (2011): 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,…
Sunset Limited, The (2011): Dir. Tommy Lee Jones
Feat. Tommy Lee Jones, Samuel L. Jackson; Cormac McCarthy's one–room play is animated by the mesmerizing acting of Tommy Lee Jones and Samuel L. Jackson in this intense two–hander…
Super 8 (2011): Dir. J.J. Abrams
Feat. Kyle Chandler, Elle Fanning, Riley Griffiths…; A young group of film–loving friends witness a train crash and suspect it was not an accident and their suspicions are fueled by a series of…
Take Shelter (2011): Dir. Jeff Nichols
Feat. Michael Shannon, Jessica Chastain, Shea Whigham…; Plagued by a series of apocalyptic visions, a young family man questions whether to shelter his wife and daughter from the spectre of a coming storm,…
Take This Waltz (2011): Dir. Sarah Polley
Feat. Michelle Williams, Seth Rogen, Luke Kirby…; Sarah Polley (AWAY FROM HER) directs Michelle Williams in this soft–spoken indie about a happily married woman who falls for her next door…
Tangiwai: A Love Story (2011): Dir. Charlie Haskell
Feat. Ryan O' Kane, Rose McIver, Miranda Harcourt…; Stirring chronicle of our worst rail disaster in which 151 lives were lost, and the extraordinary events that played out during New Zealand's cricket…
Terri (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…
This is England '88 (TV Mini-Series) (2011): Dir. Shane Meadows
Feat. Thomas Turgoose, Stephen Graham, Jo Hartley…; A further set of adventures for Shane Meadows's unforgettable cast of lapsed skinheads, here still struggling to find a foothold as young adults…
This Must Be the Place (2011): Dir. Paolo Sorrentino
Feat. Sean Penn, Frances McDormand, Judd Hirsch…; Sean Penn is all affectation as a retired, depressed glam rocker who sets off on an American road trip in search of a Nazi war criminal in this…
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (2011): Dir. Tomas Alfredson
Feat. Gary Oldman, Mark Strong, John Hurt…; An enthralling, impeccably cast screen adaptation of John Le Carre’s quintessential cold war spy novel, centred on a retired George Smiley (Oldman)…
Tomboy (2011): Dir. Céline Sciamma
Feat. Zoé Héran, Malonn Lévana; An androgynous ten–year–old girl passes herself off as a boy during the summer holidays in this tender coming–of–age tale.
Too Big to Fail (2011): Dir. Curtis Hanson
Feat. James Woods, John Heard, William Hurt…; HBO throw the kitchen sink at the 2008 financial crisis with this heavy–hitting reenactment of events leading up to the TARP bailout. The…
Toomelah (2011): Dir. Ivan Sen
Feat. Daniel Connors, Michael Conners; Heartrending portrait of a sensitive but troubled Aboriginal boy who yearns to be a gangster like the other male figures in his life. Like SAMSON…
Top Boy (TV Series) (2011): Dir. Yann Demange
Feat. Ashley Walters; Hard–hitting urban drama set in a fictional British housing estate beset with drug and gang–related problems. Regularly compared to THE…
Tree of Life, The (2011): Dir. Terrence Malick
Feat. Brad Pitt, Sean Penn, Jessica Chastain; Terrence Malick’s astonishing Cannes–winning epic, centred ostensibly on the life of a Midwestern family in the 50s (presided over by a gruff…
Treme - Season 2 (TV Series) (2011): Feat. Khandi Alexander, Clarke Peters, Steve Zahn…; Further episodes from David Simon's superb dramatic study of post–Katrina New Orleans, focusing on a community of musicians, chefs, and…
Trishna (2011): Dir. Michael Winterbottom
Feat. Freida Pinto, Riz Ahmed; Freida Pinto stars in this rich, authentic India–set modernization of Thomas Hardy's tragidrama, 'Tess of the d'Urbervilles'.
True Blood - Season 4 (TV Series) (2011): Feat. Anna Paquin, Stephen Moyer, Sam Trammell…; Further episodes of the acclaimed series from SIX FEET UNDER creator Alan Ball, set in a world where vampires have 'come out' as members of modern…
Turin Horse, The (2011): Dir. Bela Tarr
Feat. Janos Derzsi, Erika Bok; A final, uncompromising vision from Hungarian master Bela Tarr, whose ominous vision of two deathly souls hunkered down during a windstorm takes its…
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.
Twilight: Breaking Dawn Part 1 (2011): Dir. Bill Condon
Feat. Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson, Taylor Lautner…; Penultimate installment of the Gothic fantasy phenomenon teases out the conclusion to the romantic saga in lucrative and popular fashion with Bella…
Two Years at Sea (2011): Dir. Ben Rivers
Feat. Jake Williams; A man who lives in a remote Scottish house in the pine forests of Aberdeenshire is the subject of this beautifully reflective,…
Tyrannosaur (2011): Dir. Paddy Considine
Feat. Peter Mullan, Olivia Colman, Eddie Marsan; A violent alcoholic is drawn to a saintly thrift shop worker in this harrowing but redemptive kitchen sink drama from…
Underbelly - Season 4 (TV Mini-series) (Land of the Long Green Cloud) (2011): Feat. Daniel Musgrove, Damien Avery, Grae Burton…; World famous in New Zealand, drug trafficker Marty Johnstone – aka, Mr. Asia – steals the Underbelly spotlight in this locally made…
United (2011): Dir. James Strong
Feat. David Tennant, Dougray Scott, Jack O'Connell…; Sensitive telling of the Munich Air Tragedy in which over half of Manchester United were killed in a plane crash. Tennant plays the coach who finds…
W.E. (2011): Dir. Madonna
Feat. Abbie Cornish, Andrea Riseborough, James D'Arcy…; Madonna directs this flawed but evocative film of erstwhile longing, about a New York woman's obsession with the relationship between Edward VIII and…
War Horse (2011): Dir. Steven Spielberg
Feat. Jeremy Irvine, Peter Mullan, Emily Watson…; Steven Spielberg revives the magic of Old Hollywood with this rousing saga of a plucky farm stallion who goes on to inspire soldiers and citizens…
Warrior (2011): Dir. Gavin O'Connor
Feat. Joel Edgerton, Tom Hardy, Nick Nolte…; Dramatically sound underdog story of two estranged brothers who battle domestic struggles while fighting to compete in a lucrative mixed martial arts…
Water for Elephants (2011): Dir. Francis Lawrence
Feat. Robert Pattinson, Reese Witherspoon, Christoph Waltz…; Polished romantic drama set in The Great Depression with Pattinson finding love and tragedy after joining the circus. Handsomely mounted weepie…
We Are What We Are (Somos lo que hay) (2011): Dir. Jorge Michel Grau
Feat. Daniel Giménez Cacho, Paulina Gaitan, Carmen Beato; Mexican horror about a family of cannibals who attempt to retain their rituals of kidnapping and eating other humans after their family patriarch…
We Bought a Zoo (2011): Dir. Cameron Crowe
Feat. Matt Damon, Scarlett Johansson, Thomas Haden Church…; A grieving father attempts foolhardily to rebuild his life by investing in a run–down zoo, in this bright, family–friendly dramedy from…
We Have a Pope (Habemus Papam) (2011): Dir. Nanni Moretti
Feat. Michel Piccoli, Nanni Moretti, Margherita Buy; Michel Piccoli plays a reluctant successor to the recently deceased pope in this comic look inside the Vatican Church.
We Need to Talk About Kevin (2011): Dir. Lynne Ramsay
Feat. Tilda Swinton, John C. Reilly, Ezra Miller; Tilda Swinton struggles to cope with the grief and guilt of mothering a deeply troubled child in Lynne Ramsay's unflinching, stylistic adaptation of…
Weekend (2011): Dir. Andrew Haigh
Feat. Tom Cullen, Chris New, Kieran Hardcastle; A thematically rich, dramatically articulate gay romance between a semi–closeted man and a free–spirited cynic who casually hook up over…
Weekender (2011): Dir. Karl Golden
Feat. Jack O'Connell, Zawe Ashton, Emily Barclay…; Dancing to a repetitive beat, nostalgic headtrippers can look forward to reliving the British clubbing scene in this slavish, drug–fueled…
Well-Digger's Daughter, The (2011): Dir. Daniel Auteuil
Feat. Daniel Auteuil, Kad Merad, Sabine Azema…; Daniel Auteuil covets the art house with his directorial debut, a bright, old–fashioned adaptation of a Marcel Pagnol novel centred on a feud…
Whore, The (2011): Dir. Hansjörg Thurn
Feat. Alexandra Neldel, Thure Riefenstein; A young woman falsely accused of harlotry on the eve of her wedding, takes up with a group of traveling whores and seeks revenge on those who've…
Wild Bill (2011): Dir. Dexter Fletcher
Feat. Charlie Creed-Miles, Will Poulter, Andy Serkis…; An ex–con returns home only to find his two sons have been abandoned by their mother and forced to stay with them he struggles with the demands…
William and Kate - The Movie (2011): Dir. Mark Rosman
Feat. Nico Evers-Swindell, Camilla Luddington; Made–for–TV biopic to mark the nuptials of Wills and Kate charts the ups and downs of the couple's public and private romance in the…
Win 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) (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…
Wunderkinder (2011): Dir. Markus Rosenmüller
Feat. Gedeon Burkhard, Natalia Avelon; A history of Germany in broad strokes, this heartrending coming–of–age tale charts the upheaval of WWII through the eyes of three child…
Wuthering Heights (2011): Dir. Andrea Arnold
Feat. James Howson, Kaya Scodelario; Dir. Andrea Arnold (FISH TANK) offers a bleak, modernist vision of Emily Bronte's classic novel about the doomed love between its heroine, Catherine…
You Will Be My Son (2011): Dir. Gilles Legrand
Feat. Niels Arestrup, Lorànt Deutsch; An intense, boldly flavoured father–son melodrama centred on a prestigious French wine label, whose arrogant owner (Arestrup) begins to groom…
Your Sister's Sister (2011): Dir. Lynn Shelton
Feat. Emily Blunt, Rosemarie DeWitt, Mark Duplass; A note–perfect indie drama from the dir. of HUMPDAY, this 'chick flick' may well appeal as much to male audiences with its engaging cast and…
127 Hours (2010): Dir. Danny Boyle
Feat. James Franco, Amber Tamblyn, Kate Mara…; Vivid, imaginatively conceived reenactment of Aron Ralston’s remarkable true story of survival, in which the adventurer performed the unthinkable…
18 Years Later (Diciotto anni dopo) (2010): Dir. Edoardo Leo
Feat. Edoardo Leo, Marco Bonini; Picturesque road trip movie following two estranged brothers (played by writer and co–writer/director Marco Bonini and Edoardo Leo) who take a…
20 Cigarettes (2010): Dir. Aureliano Amadei
Feat. Vinicio Marchioni, Carolina Crescentini, Giorgio Colangeli; Wry autobiographical story about an assistant director who receives an offer to fly to Iraq in order to shoot a film, surprisingly sincere.
3 (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…
A Marine Story (2010): Dir. Ned Farr
Feat. Dreya Weber, Paris Pickard, Christine Mourad; Set against the "don't ask, don't tell" policy of the US Military, a Marine officer, who has unexpectedly returned home from Iraq, is recruited to…
A Quiet Life (2010): Dir. Claudio Cupellini
Feat. Toni Servillo, Marco D'Amore, Francesco Di Leva…; Moody thriller with Servillo –outstanding once again– as a restauranteur who's past resurfaces after a chance encounter with two…
Abel (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…
Africa United (2010): Dir. Debs Paterson
Feat. Eriya Ndayambaje, Roger Nsengiyumva; An aspiring Rwandan footballer attracts a throng of like–minded soccer fans on a road trip to Johannesburg for the opening ceremony of the 2010…
After 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…
After the Waterfall (2010): Dir. Simone Horrocks
Feat. Antony Starr, Cohen Holloway, Michelle Langstone…; The debut feature of dir. Simone Horrocks is an intimate portrait of a man's grief as he struggles to put his life back together after the…
Aftershock (2010): Dir. Feng Xiaoning
Feat. Xu Fan, Daoming Chen, Chen Li…; Tear duct busting melodrama of a young mother forced to make a horrifying decision in the wake of the 1976 Tangshan earthquake. Maintaining…
All Good Things (2010): Dir. Andrew Jarecki
Feat. Ryan Gosling, Kirsten Dunst, Frank Langella…; Bizarre account of a notorious unsolved murder with Ryan Gosling as an eccentric business heir who's wife mysteriously disappears in the…
Angele and Tony (2010): Dir. Alix Delaporte
Feat. Clotilde Hesme, Gregory Gadebois, Evelyne Didi; This quality, character–driven courtship between a prostitute with a past and a plainspoken fisherman successfully plays down obvious emotion…
Animal Kingdom (2010): Dir. David Michod
Feat. Ben Mendelsohn, Joel Edgerton, Guy Pearce…; The deadly underworld politics of a Melbourne crime family come under the microscope in this outstanding Australian gangland thriller. Framed…
Another 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…
Another Year (2010): Dir. Mike Leigh
Feat. Jim Broadbent, Ruth Sheen, Lesley Manville…; A happily married middle–aged couple attempt to fix up their cheery, if secretly depressed friend in this honest domestic drama, another winner…
Anton Chekhov's The Duel (2010): Dir. Dover Koshashvili
Feat. Andrew Scott, Fiona Glascott, Tobias Menzies…; Quietly absorbing and witty adaptation of a Chekhov novella with a young aristocrat's fickle relationship with a married woman leading to potential…
Any Human Heart (TV Mini-series) (2010): Feat. Jim Broadbent, Matthew MacFadyen, Sam Claflin…; Exquisite four–part British miniseries about a novelist's life that ricochets from 1920s Paris to '50s New York and '80s London. Along the way…
Ao: The Last Neanderthal (Ao: The Last Hunter) (2010): Dir. Jacques Malaterre
Feat. Simon Paul Sutton, Aruna Shields; Grounded in a semblance of reality and anthropology, this dramatic reimagining of the lives of Neanderthals speculates on the behaviors of homo…
April Showers (2010): Dir. Andrew Robinson
Feat. Kelly Blatz, Daryl Sabara, Ellen Woglom…; Sad–eyed dramatization of the Columbine High School massacre follows one particular student as he struggles to deal with the aftermath and the…
Archipelago (2010): Dir. Joanna Hogg
Feat. Tom Hiddleston, Kate Fahy; This smart, wryly observed family–disfunction drama set in the idyllic Isles of Scilly marks director Joanna Hogg as a highly distinctive voice…
Bang Bang Club, The (2010): Dir. Steven Silver
Feat. Ryan Phillippe, Malin Akerman, Taylor Kitsch…; Lacerating portrait of the notorious group of war photographers who made their name during South Africa's turbulent transition out of Apartheid.…
Barney's Version (2010): 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…
Beautiful Boy (2010): Dir. Shawn Ku
Feat. Maria Bello, Michael Sheen, Alan Tudyk…; A serious–minded, refreshingly un–histrionic drama which deals with the oft–explored theme of grief via otherwise sensational…
Beyond (2010): Dir. Pernilla August
Feat. Noomi Rapace, Ville Virtanen, Outi Maenpaa…; Bruising family drama of a young woman's childhood (played by the Millennium Trilogy's Noomi Rapace) in a family torn apart by alcoholism and…
Big C, The (TV Series) (2010): Feat. Laura Linney, Oliver Platt, John Benjamin Hickey…; Another gutsy Showtime drama centred on a woman in mid–life peril (a la WEEDS, NURSE JACKIE), starring Laura Linney as a high school teacher…
Biutiful (2010): Dir. Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu
Feat. Javier Bardem, Maricel Álvarez; Proffering a seldom–seen, distinctly un–beautiful view of the city of Barcelona, a dishevelled Javier Bardem ambles its streets as…
Black Swan (2010): Dir. Darren Aronofsky
Feat. Natalie Portman, Mila Kunis, Vincent Cassel…; Natalie Portman plays a ballerina losing her grip on reality, not to mention the lead role in a prestigious production of Swan Lake, in this…
Bloomington (2010): Dir. Fernanda Cardoso
Feat. Allison McAtee, Sarah Stouffer; Coming–of–age drama following a former child actress who decides to enroll in college to gain more independence, but is drawn away from…
Blue Bloods (TV Series) (2010-2020): Feat. Tom Selleck, Donnie Wahlberg, Bridget Moynahan; Character driven police procedural set in New York City where an Irish Catholic family has a history of work in law enforcement, with each family…
Blue Valentine (2010): Dir. Derek Cianfrance
Feat. Ryan Gosling, Michelle Williams; An intense indie drama that brings gratifying detail to its portrait of a tainted relationship over several time frames, with superb performances…
Boardwalk Empire - Season 1 (TV Series) (2010): Dir. Martin Scorsese, Tim Van Patten
Feat. Steve Buscemi, Michael Pitt, Kelly MacDonald…; Stunning period detail and the endless intrigue of organised crime characterize this marquee HBO production, centred on the empire surrounding…
Book Of Eli, The (2010): Dir. Albert Hughes, Allen Hughes
Feat. Denzel Washington, Gary Oldman, Mila Kunis…; Post–apocalyptic fable with attitude sees Denzel Washington play a hard–bitten prophet who must fight his way across America in order to…
Borgen - Series 1 (TV Series) (2010): Feat. Sidse Babett Knudsen, Birgitte Hjort Sørensen, Pilou Asbæk; Bafta–winning Danish political drama in which an idealistic prime minister's rise to power brings with it a web of consequences, sacrifices and…
Bouquet of Barbed Wire (TV Mini-Series) (2010): Dir. Ashley Pearce
Feat. Hermione Norris, Imogen Poots, Tom Riley…; Though this controversial classic, originally filmed for TV in the seventies, now resembles little more than a steamy soap opera episode, it has been…
Boy (2010): 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…
Breaking Bad - Season 3 (TV Series) (2010): Feat. Bryan Cranston, Aaron Paul, Anna Gunn…; Further episodes chronicling the deeds of anti–hero Walter White (Cranston), a high school chemistry teacher who turns to a life of…
Burlesque (2010): Dir. Steve Antin
Feat. Christina Aguilera, Cher, Eric Dane…; Christina Aguilera plays a small–town singer transformed into a diva by Cher, the owner of a glamorous L.A. nightclub in this flamboyant…
Burning Palms (2010): Dir. Christopher Landon
Feat. Jamie Chung, Rosamund Pike, Zoe Saldana…; Five sordid satires make up this extremely dark comedy with incest, rape, suicide, infanticide and an eternal fecal smell as plot devices. Obviously…
Butterfly Crush (2010): Dir. Alan Clay
Feat. Courtney Hale, Hayley Fielding, Sally Kelleher; Poppy local drama packed with tunes has the titular song and dance duo thrown into turmoil when one member becomes ensnared in a cult.
Carlos (Carlos the Jackal) (2010): Dir. Olivier Assayas
Feat. Édgar Ramírez, Nora von Waldstätten, Alexander Scheer; An explosive, globe–trotting biopic of Venezuelan terrorist and fugitive Ilich Ramírez Sánchez – aka Carlos the Jackal – whose exploits…
Casino 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) (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 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…
Certified Copy (2010): Dir. Abbas Kiarostami
Feat. Juliette Binoche, William Shimell; Juliette Binoche steals the company of an erudite author for an afternoon of conversation and consternation in this breezy, yet cerebral stroll…
Charlie St. Cloud (2010): Dir. Burr Steers
Feat. Zac Efron, Amanda Crew, Charlie Tahan…; Mawkish Zac Efron vehicle finds the former teen heartthrob overreaching for emotion and pathos in this story of a young man’s devastation after his…
Chicas (2010): Dir. Yasmina Reza
Feat. Carmen Maura, Emmanuelle Seigner, Andre Dussollier; Carmen Maura plays a gracefully aging widower who finds love in the twilight of her life, only for her new companion to be met with cold disapproval…
Chico & Rita (Chico and Rita) (2010): Dir. Tono Errando, Javier Mariscal, Fernando Trueba; A date move with a difference, this sensuous animated tale for adults traces the love affair of a big–dreaming piano player and a gifted singer…
Come Rain Come Shine (2010): Dir. David Drury
Feat. David Jason, Alison Steadman
Company Men, The (2010): Dir. John Wells
Feat. Ben Affleck, Chris Cooper, Tommy Lee Jones…; A trio of high–flying sales executives feel the effects of the Global Financial Crisis in this timely yet earnest drama. As the…
Conspirator, The (2010): Dir. Robert Redford
Feat. James McAvoy, Robin Wright, Tom Wilkinson…; Timely retelling of the aftermath of the Abraham Lincoln's assassination when boardinghouse owner Mary Surratt (Wright) was placed on trial for…
Conviction (2010): Dir. Tony Goldwyn
Feat. Hilary Swank, Sam Rockwell, Melissa Leo…; Worthy based–on–a–true–story drama of a solo mother who puts herself through law school in order to represent her wrongfully…
Copacabana (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…
Country Strong (2010): Dir. Shana Feste
Feat. Gwyneth Paltrow, Leighton Meester, Garrett Hedlund…; Middling drama in which sparks fly when a fledgling musician crosses paths with a fallen music star.
Dark Love (L'amore buio) (2010): Dir. Antonio Capuano
Feat. Luisa Ranieri, Irene de Angelis, Gabriele Agrio; Drama set in contemporary Naples in the aftermath of a brutal rape of a young woman by three teenage boys. Follows the experiences of both survivor…
Daydream 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…
Dear John (2010): Dir. Lasse Hallstrom
Feat. Channing Tatum, Amanda Seyfried, Richard Jenkins…; Another two–hankie tearjerker from the pages of Nicholas Sparks tells of the everlasting romance between an Iraq–bound solider (Tatum)…
Dear Mr. Gacy (2010): Dir. Svetozar Ristovski
Feat. William Forsythe, Jesse Moss, Emma Lahana; Haunting cautionary tale – based on a true story – chronicles the interactions between an ambitious college student and the notorious…
Deep, The (TV Mini-series) (2010): Dir. Jim O’Hanlon, Colm McCarthy
Feat. Minnie Driver, James Nesbitt, Goran Visnjic…; BBC adventure series following a research submarine beneath the Arctic that stumbles upon a terrifying secret with Earth–shattering…
Desert (2010): Dir. Stephen Kang
Feat. Jane Kim, Andrew Han; An impressive independent feature from Korean–New Zealand dir. Stephen Kang, whose Auckland–set film observes the quiet desperation of a…
Dog Pound (2010): Dir. Kim Chapiron
Feat. Adam Butcher, Shane Kippel, Mateo Morales…; Depressing drama set in a youth correctional facility follows three troubled teens as they struggle to adapt to life behind bars. Owing a large…
Downton Abbey - Series 1 (TV Series) (2010): Feat. Hugh Bonneville, Maggie Smith, Elizabeth McGovern…; Handsome, top–of–the–range ITV period drama centres on the residents and staff of the titular English manor in the years leading up…
Eat Pray Love (2010): Dir. Ryan Murphy
Feat. Julia Roberts, Javier Bardem, Billy Crudup…; Julia Roberts plays the divorced globetrotter of Elizabeth Gilbert's best–selling memoir in this gastro tiki tour of Italy, India, and Bali.…
El Narco (2010): Dir. Luis Estrada
Feat. Damian Alcazar, Joaquin Cosio, Ernesto Gomez Cruz…; Intense crime drama that offers a hellish version of Mexico and the drug war seen through the eyes of a man returning to his home country after…
Elektra 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…
Elena Undone (2010): Dir. Nicole Conn
Feat. Necar Zadegan, Traci Dinwiddie, Gary Weeks; Lesbian drama about a pastor's wife who falls in love with a well–known writer. The ensuing secret relationship upends her marriage just as she…
Enlightened (TV Series) (2010): 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…
Every Day (2010): Dir. Richard Levine
Feat. Liev Schreiber, Helen Hunt, Carla Gugino…; Domestic comedy about a television writer whose life goes haywire when his wife's estranged father comes to stay.
Everything Must Go (2010): Dir. Dan Rush
Feat. Will Ferrell, Laura Dern, Rebecca Hall…; Will Ferrell takes his turn with the male mid–life crisis in this honest and sobering dramatic portrait of a man whose comfortable life is…
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…
Extraordinary Measures (2010): Dir. Tom Vaughan
Feat. Harrison Ford, Brendan Fraser, Keri Russell…; Brendan Fraser and Keri Russell play desperate parents of a terminally ill child, whose only hope is in the research of a maverick medical scientist…
Fair Game (2010): Dir. Doug Liman
Feat. Naomi Watts, Sean Penn, Tom McCarthy…; A smart, ground level conspiracy thriller based on the true story of an undercover CIA operative (Watts) whose identity was suspiciously leaked after…
Father 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…
Fighter, The (2010): Dir. David O. Russell
Feat. Mark Wahlberg, Christian Bale, Amy Adams…; Mark Wahlberg comes out swinging in this tough–talking boxing chronicle of Irish–American slugger Micky Ward, who transforms his ailing…
First Assignment, The (2010): Dir. Giorgia Cecere
Feat. Isabella Ragonese, Francesco Chiarello, Alberto Boll; A young teacher who posted to a provincial town struggles to connect with the local children and pines for her aristocratic boyfriend.
First 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, 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…
For Colored Girls (For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide When the Rainbow Is Enuf) (2010): Dir. Tyler Perry
Feat. Kimberly Elise, Janet Jackson, Anika Noni Rose…; Potent, if melodramatic, adaptation of the acclaimed play that has an extraordinarily diverse cast exploring the lives of nine black women through…
Frankie & Alice (2010): Dir. Geoffrey Sax
Feat. Halle Berry, Stellan Skarsgard, Phylicia Rashad; A typically eye–catching performance from Halle Berry elevates this tough, though never quite focused, 70s melodrama of a stripper's struggles…
Gainsbourg (2010): Dir. Joann Sfar
Feat. Eric Elmosnino, Lucy Gordon, Sara Forestier…; Freewheeling biographical account of singer/composer/actor Serge Gainsbourg, an enduring iconic figure of French popular culture. Serves the…
Get 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.
Greenberg (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.…
Grey's Anatomy (TV Series) - Season 6 (2010): Feat. Patrick Dempsey, Ellen Pompeo, Katherine Heigl…; Sixth season of the popular female–driven medical soap, continuing the trials and tribulations of five first–year interns as they juggle…
Happy 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, 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…
Heartbeats (2010): Dir. Xavier Dolan
Feat. Xavier Dolan, Niels Schneider, Monia Chokri; A quick turnaround for precocious French Canadian dir. Xavier Dolan; his sophomore feature an equally painful and amusing bifurcated romance, in…
Henry The 4th (Henri 4, Henry of Navarre) (2010): Dir. Jo Baier
Feat. Julien Boisselier, Joachim Krol; Henry IV (of France) is the subject of this grand and involving German–produced epic, originally conceived as a mini–series framed by the…
Hereafter (2010): Dir. Clint Eastwood
Feat. Matt Damon, Cecile De France, Bryce Dallas Howard…; Clint Eastwood delves into the afterlife in this subdued supernatural drama that centers on three strangers whose lives are touched by death.
Hesher (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…
Holy Roller, The (2010): Dir. Patrick Gillies; Critically–mauled drama from the director of OFFENSIVE BEHAVIOUR about a debt–ridden preacher who is tricked into starting a church in a…
Holy Rollers (2010): Dir. Kevin Asch
Feat. Jesse Eisenberg, Justin Bartha, Ari Graynor; The true story of a disillusioned Orthodox Jew who turns to Ecstasy dealing is given an underwhelming treatment in this otherwise fascinating glimpse…
Home By Christmas (2010): Dir. Gaylene Preston
Feat. Tony Barry, Martin Henderson, Chelsie Preston-Crayford; The director of WAR STORIES returns to the subject for this deeply personal yet affecting docu–drama focusing this time on a single story…
Hopes 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.
House - Season 7 (TV Series) (2010): Feat. Hugh Laurie; Further episodes from the Hugh Laurie–fronted hospital thriller, which involve his medical team having to unravel baffling cases,…
House by the Medlar Tree, The (2010): Dir. Pasquale Scimeca
Feat. Giusepe Firullo, Antonio Curcia, Omar Noto; Striking drama follows a family of fishermen struggling for survival in the face of harsh economic realities. Drawing from the same novel that…
Housemaid, The (2010): Dir. Sang-soo Im
Feat. Do-yeon Jeon, Jung-Jae Lee, Seo Woo; A sleek, sexual thriller of manipulation and revenge, centred on the consequences of a torrid affair between a wealthy industrialist and his newly…
How 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…
How to Make it in America (TV Series) (2010): Feat. Bryan Greenberg, Victor Rasuk, Lake Bell…; High–energy, if sub–ENTOURAGE male drama centred on four twenty–something upstarts whose entrepreneurial ambitions see them tackle…
Howl (2010): Dir. Robert Epstein, Jeffrey Friedman
Feat. James Franco, David Strathairn, Jon Hamm…; A fitting celebration and account of the making and hostile reception of Allen Ginsberg's famously controversial poem, with James Franco superb as…
Human 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…
Hunter, The (Shekarchi) (2010): Dir. Rafi Pitts
Feat. Rafi Pitts; Spare, lyrical drama with a low–paid security guard on the run from authorities after gunning down two police officers. Unfolding against the…
I Am Slave (2010): Dir. Gabriel Range
Feat. Wunmi Mosaku, Isaach de Bankole, Lubna Azabal…; Devastating performances carry this sometimes unsubtle, but never overwrought account of a Sudanese girl sold into western slavery at the hands of an…
In a Better World (2010): Dir. Susanne Bier
Feat. Mikael Persbrandt, Trine Dyrholm, Ulrich Thomsen; This Oscar–winner for Best Foreign Language Film 2011 is another searing melodrama from celebrated Danish auteur Susanne Bier in which two…
Incendies (2010): Dir. Denis Villeneuve
Feat. Lubna Azabal, Mélissa Désormeaux-Poulin, Maxim Gaudette…; Twin siblings, against their better judgment, dig deeper into the backstory of their recently deceased mother in this powerful French Canadian…
Indian Doctor, The (TV Series) (2010): Feat. Sanjeev Bhaskar, Ayesha Dharkar; A lively period medical drama steeped in the cultural friction of post–war Britain, centred on the efforts of an Indian doctor and his wife to…
Insatiable 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 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…
Jack Goes Boating (2010): Dir. Philip Seymour Hoffman
Feat. Philip Seymour Hoffman, Amy Ryan, John Ortiz…; Philip Seymour Hoffman makes his directorial debut with this simple, affecting drama of a lonely limo driver’s quest for love and…
Justified - Season 1 (TV Series) (2010): Feat. Timothy Olyphant, Walton Goggins, Joelle Carter…; Slick urban western with an old–school U.S. Marshal reassigned from Miami to his childhood home in the poor, rural coal–mining towns of…
Kids Are All Right, The (2010): 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…
King of Devil's Island (2010): Dir. Marius Holst
Feat. Stellan Skarsgard, Kristoffer Joner, Benjamin Helstad…; The boys of an early 20th century reform school revolt against an abusive regime in this stirring, snow–swept Norwegian drama. Featuring music…
King's Speech, The (2010): Dir. Tom Hooper
Feat. Colin Firth, Geoffrey Rush, Helena Bonham Carter…; Justly acclaimed tale of King George VI, his nervy, impromptu ascension to the throne and the speech therapist who helped the unsure monarch become…
Kiss Me Again (Baciami ancora) (2010): Dir. Gabriel Muccino
Feat. Stefano Accorsi, Vittoria Puccini, Pierfrancesco Favino…; The lives of young Italians struggling with issues of marriage, parenthood, and relationships are revisited in this pleasant sequel to THE LAST KISS.…
La Nostra Vita (Our Life) (2010): Dir. Daniele Luchetti
Feat. Elio Germano, Raoul Bova, Luca Zingaretti…; A construction worker's discovery of an illegal immigrant's body on site sets off a chain of events that radically alters his own life. An absorbing…
Last Night (2010): Dir. Massy Tadjedin
Feat. Keira Knightley, Sam Worthington, Eva Mendes…; Glossy examination of fidelity with a married couple apart for the night finding themselves straying into temptation. Hamstrung by overt metaphor…
Last Song, The (2010): Dir. Julie Anne Robinson
Feat. Miley Cyrus, Greg Kinnear, Bobby Coleman; Sappy dramatic vehicle for Miley Cyrus sees the teenybopper upended from the big city and forced to stay with her estranged father in a small beach…
Le Quattro Volte (2010): Dir. Michelangelo Frammartino
Feat. Giuseppe Fuda; This mesmerizing blend of wordless narrative fiction and spontaneous nature documentary – about the 'cycle of life' in a rugged valley in Italy’s…
Letters 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.
Lip Service (TV Series) (2010): Feat. Ruta Gedmintas, Red Buttons, Laura Fraser; Scotland is the setting for this BBC spin on THE L WORD, centred on the romantic entanglements of a group of lesbians living in Glasgow. Though…
Little House, The (2010): Feat. Francesca Annis, Rupert Evans, Jonathan Aris…; Tense little drama with Griffiths as a reluctant mum who finds herself in a battle of wills with her new mother–in–law. Francesca Annis…
Little White Lies (Les petits mouchoirs) (2010): Dir. Guillaume Canet
Feat. Francois Cluzet, Marion Cotillard, Benoit Magimel…; Airy ensemble from the dir. of TELL NO ONE about a group of French sophisticates whose annual seaside reunion is disturbed when one of them is badly…
Longlasting Youth (TV Mini-series) (Le cose che restano) (2010): Dir. Gianluca Maria Tavarelli
Feat. Lorenzo Balducci, Daniela Giordano; A four–part mini–series about a Roman family who take separate paths after the death of their youngest son.
Lope (The Outlaw) (2010): Dir. Andrucha Waddington
Feat. Alberto Ammann, Leonor Watling, Pilar López de Ayala; Splendid biopic of Lope de Vega, the Spanish playwright who dominated Spain's early Golden Age of theare.
Lost Kisses (I baci mai dati) (2010): Dir. Roberta Torre
Feat. Carla Marchese, Donatella Finocchiaro; A 13–year–old girl in the deprived outskirts of a sprawling Sicilian city becomes a local celebrity to her needy community when word…
Lou (2010): Dir. Belinda Chayko
Feat. Emily Barclay, John Hurt, Lily Bell Tindley…; Touching Aussie drama with Emily Barclay as a struggling solo mum whose life is thrown into upheaval when her estranged father reappears.
Love 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 Like Poison (2010): Dir. Katell Quillévéré
Feat. Clara Augarde, Michel Galabru, Stefano Cassetti…; A potent variation on an oft–told theme, this carefully observed drama considers the fraught adolescence of a 14–year–old girl torn…
Love 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.
Love Story (2010): Dir. Florian Habicht
Feat. Florian Habicht; Ebullient Kiwi filmmaker Florian Habicht creates his own 'New York Story' by turning his camera to a beautiful Russian model and his own creative…
Lullaby (Lullaby for Pi) (2010): Dir. Benoît Philippon
Feat. Rupert Friend, Clemence Poesy, Forest Whitaker; A jazz–playing, Some Like it Hot–idolizing drifter mourning the death of his soul mate strikes love with an idiosyncratic woman with a…
Mad Bastards (2010): Feat. Dean Daley-Jones, Lucas Yeeda, Greg Tait…; Affecting tale of a violent father traveling thousands of miles across barren Australian landscape to see the troubled son he's never met. With a…
Mad Men - Season 4 (TV Series) (2010): Feat. Jon Hamm, Elisabeth Moss, Vincent Kartheiser…; Further episodes of the 60's–New–York–set television drama series focused on an ad exec basking in the glow of the golden age of…
Made in Dagenham (2010): 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…
Main Street (2010): Dir. John Doyle
Feat. Colin Firth, Ellen Burstyn, Patricia Clarkson…; Colin Firth stars in this promisingly cast, though ultimately failed small town drama about the lives of several people facing up to the region's…
Matariki (2010): Dir. Michael Bennett
Feat. Jason Wu, Susana Tang, Michael Whalley…; A random act of violence affects eight Aucklanders in this melting–pot drama, set on the eve of the Maori New Year. Notable for excellent…
Matching Jack (2010): Dir. Nadia Tass
Feat. Jacinda Barrett, Richard Roxburgh, Tom Russell…; A woman struggles with her son's illness and the revelation that her husband has been unfaithful, in this surprisingly uplifting drama that is…
Meek's Cutoff (2010): Dir. Kelly Reichardt
Feat. Michelle Williams, Bruce Greenwood, Will Patton…; Another small scale triumph from dir. Kelly Reichardt, here miniaturizing the experience of early American settlers making the treacherous journey…
Meet 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…
Monga: Gangs of Taipei (Báng-kah) (2010): Dir. Doze Niu
Feat. Ching-Tien Juan, Mark Chao, Ju-Lung Ma; Pungent youth drama set in 1980s Taiwan, after the end of military dictatorship, concerns the intertwined fate of five troubled friends.
Mozart's Sister (2010): Dir. Rene Feret
Feat. Marie Feret, Marc Barbe, David Moreau…; Exuberant romp through pre–revolutionary France following the life of Mozart's talented older sister who was soon sidelined as her family's…
Mr. Nice (2010): Dir. Bernard Rose
Feat. Rhys Ifans, Chloe Sevigny, David Thewlis…; Droll tale of the life raconteur and international drug smuggler Howard Marks who Ifans plays as a smug hippie–capitalist. The endless…
My 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 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…
Mysteries of Lisbon (Mistérios de Lisboa) (2010): Dir. Raul Ruiz
Feat. Adriano Luz, Clotilde Hesme, Maria Joao Bastos…; Sprawling, utterly beguiling tribute to the power of stories set in 19th century Lisbon where an orphan boy discovers the truth about his birth and…
Myth of the American Sleepover, The (2010): Dir. David Robert Mitchell
Feat. Claire Soma, Marlon Morton, Amanda Bauer…; A balmy summer night before the start of high school is the backdrop for this languid, moment–to–moment capsule of life as an idle…
Names 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.
Neds (2010): Dir. Peter Mullan
Feat. Connor McCarron; Dark coming–of–age story where a promising young student becomes dangerously entwined in Glasgow's violent gangland. Director Peter…
Never Let Me Go (2010): Dir. Mark Romanek
Feat. Keira Knightley, Carey Mulligan, Andrew Garfield…; Faithful adaptation of the Kazuo Ishiguro's 'unfilmable' novel that follows the relationship of three childhood friends who are raised as 'donors' in…
Nights in the Gardens of Spain (Kawa) (2010): Dir. Katie Wolfe
Feat. Calvin Tuteao, George Henare, Dean O'Gorman…; Psychological drama of a family man coming to terms with his homosexuality and whose decision to come out plunges his family into crisis. Based on…
Norman (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…
Norwegian Wood (2010): Dir. Tran Anh Hung
Feat. Rinko Kikuchi, Ken'ichi Matsuyama, Kiko Mizuhara; Yearning, visually rapturous adaptation of Haruki Murakami’s widely read novel, about a devoted college student in the 60s whose relationships are…
Nothing Men, The (2010): Dir. Mark Fitzpatrick
Feat. David Field, Colin Friels, Martin Dingle-Wall; Intense blue collar chamber piece stars Colin Friels as one of a group of laid–off factory workers who believe an industrial spy out to cancel…
Of Gods and Men (2010): Dir. Xavier Beauvois
Feat. Lambert Wilson, Michael Lonsdale, Olivier Rabourdin; Residing peacefully in a North African monastery, eight French Christian monks must confront the threat of an Islamic fundamentalist group in this…
Offspring (TV Series) (2010): 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…
Once Fallen (2010): Dir. Ash Adams
Feat. Brian Presley, Taraji P. Henson, Ed Harris…; Credible portrait of a young drug–trafficker's struggle to adjust to life outside prison. Committed performances help disguise what is…
Oranges and Sunshine (2010): Dir. Jim Loach
Feat. Hugo Weaving, Emily Watson, David Wenham…; Dir. Jim Loach (son of Ken) tackles the scandalous post–war history of Britain's deportation of lower class children to the colonies –…
Outrageous Fortune (TV Series) - Series 6 (2010): 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) (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…
Pillars of the Earth, The (TV Mini-Series) (2010): Feat. Ian McShane, Rufus Sewell, Matthew MacFadyen…; A fierce rivalry for the English throne provides the cut and thrust of this heady 12th century melodrama. Though less dramatically credible as the…
Please Give (2010): Dir. Nicole Holofcener
Feat. Catherine Keener, Oliver Platt, Amanda Peet…; Writer–director Nicole Holofcener secures her informal reputation as a "female Woody Allen" with this bittersweet New York story that again…
Pretty Little Liars (TV Series) (2010): Feat. Troian Bellisario, Ashley Benson, Shay Mitchell…; An interesting blend of GOSSIP GIRL antics, VERONICA MARS intrigue, and light supernatural themes, this young adult series revolves four teenage…
Princess of Montpensier, The (2010): Dir. Bertrand Tavernier
Feat. Mélanie Thierry, Lambert Wilson, Gaspard Ulliel; French veteran Bertrand Tavernier tackles the period costume drama with a firm classical and intellectual grip, shifting effortlessly between the…
Question in Details (2010): Dir. Zsombor Dyga
Feat. Ferenc Elek, Roland Raba, Katya Tompos; Dark romantic drama with two strangers having their blind date take an odd turn when the woman's brother turns up.
R U There (2010): Dir. David Verbeek
Feat. Stijn Koomen, Huan-Ru Ke, Tom De Hoog; Oddball story of a professional gamer who unexpectedly witnesses an accident that confronts him with his own mortality and makes him doubt the…
Rabbit Hole (2010): Dir. John Cameron Mitchell
Feat. Nicole Kidman, Aaron Eckhart, Dianne Wiest…; Nicole Kidman and Aaron Eckhart play grieving parents clinging onto their marriage eight months after the death of their young son, in this…
Rake (TV Series) (2010): Feat. Richard Roxburgh, Matt Day, Russell Dykstra…; Richard Roxburgh plays a live–wire criminal barrister whose brilliant defense of often guilty clientele is contrasted against his own…
Red White and Blue (2010): Dir. Simon Rumley
Feat. Noah Taylor, Amanda Fuller, Marc Senter; Engrossing but ultimately depressing tale of a libidinous young woman, an Iraq War veteran and an aspiring rocker whose lives violently intersect.
Remember Me (2010): Dir. Allen Coulter
Feat. Robert Pattinson, Emilie de Ravin, Chris Cooper…; Two tissue weepy with Robert Pattinson giving great brood as a troubled youth who tentatively finds love with a girl with a tragic past. Standard…
Rise and Fall (Jew Suss) (2010): Dir. Oskar Roehler
Feat. Tobias Moretti, Martina Gedeck, Moritz Bleibtreu; Wrenching true story about German actor Ferdinand Marian who, despite being married to a Jewish woman chose to play lead in the antisemitic…
Robinson in Ruins (2010): Dir. Patrick Keiller
Feat. Vanessa Redgrave; Patrick Keiller's cine–essay follow–up to LONDON and ROBINSON IN SPACE is an intelligent and poetic tour around England, narrated by…
Romantics, 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…
Rookie Blue (TV Series) (2010): Feat. Missy Peregrym, Gregory Smith; A group of young, incongruously attractive recruits learn the ropes of police work in this highly unrealistic, but nonetheless addictive soap opera…
Room 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…
Round Up, The (La Rafle) (2010): Dir. Rose Bosch
Feat. Jean Reno, Mélanie Laurent, Gad Elmaleh…; A sensitive recreation of the tragic events and personal stories surrounding the Vel' d'Hiv Roundup of 1942, where some 13,000 French Jews were…
Runaways, The (2010): Dir. Floria Sigismondi
Feat. Kristen Stewart, Dakota Fanning, Michael Shannon…; A high–strung, hell–for–leather rock movie based on the short–lived exploits of pioneering girl band The Runaways and their…
Russian 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…
Sarah's Key (2010): Dir. Gilles Paquet-Brenner
Feat. Kristin Scott Thomas, Mélusine Mayance, Niels Arestrup…; Kristen Scott Thomas plays an American journalist whose life and work becomes entwined with a young Jewish girl whose family was torn apart during…
Sasha (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…
School is Over (2010): Dir. Valerio Jalongo
Feat. Fulvio Forti, Valeria Golino, Vincenzo Amato; Documentary–like account of a bored, and frequently stoned, teenager who comes to the attention of his science teacher, who believes she can…
Secret Diaries of Miss Anne Lister, The (2010): Dir. James Kent
Feat. Maxine Peake, Anna Madeley, Susan Lynch…; Quality BBC biopic from director James Kent (TESTAMENT OF YOUTH) about the life of Anne Lister, a 19th–century Yorkshire landowner who defied…
Secretariat (2010): Dir. Randall Wallace
Feat. Diane Lane, John Malkovich, Margo Martindale…; Uplifting underdog drama with Diane Lane as a housewife who takes over the family stables with little knowledge of horse–racing.
Sensation (2010): 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 & Drugs & Rock & Roll (Sex and Drugs and Rock & Roll) (2010): Dir. Mat Whitecross
Feat. Andy Serkis, Naomie Harris, Olivia Williams…; Andy Serkis portrays trailblazing British rocker Ian Dury, who overcame childhood polio and its attendant social problems to emerge as an unlikely…
Sex 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…
Shanghai (2010): Dir. Mikael Håfström
Feat. John Cusack, Gong Li, Chow Yun-Fat…; Lavish Sino–Japanese prestige picture with John Cusack as an American expat ensconced in 40s Shanghai on the eve of the Pearl Harbour attacks.…
Sherlock - Series 1 (TV Series) (2010): Dir. Paul McGuigan
Feat. Benedict Cumberbatch, Martin Freeman, Una Stubbs…; Ingenious updating of the master detective finds the famous sleuth and his doctor partner solving crime in 21st century London. Benedict…
Single Father (TV Series) (2010): Dir. Sam Miller
Feat. David Tennant, Suranne Jones; David Tennant's amiable persona carries this moving, if sometimes overbearing BBC drama about a single father mourning the death of his wife while…
Small Town Murder Songs (2010): Dir. Ed Gass-Donnelly
Feat. Peter Stormare, Jill Hennessy, Martha Plimpton…; Simmering provincial redemption story stars Peter Stormare as a clammy police officer trying to escape his violent past in a small Mennonite…
Small Town Saturday Night (2010): Dir. Ryan Craig
Feat. Chris Pine, Bre Blair, John Hawkes…; Understated drama with Pine as a small town songwriter torn between heading to Nashville to pursue his career or staying with the woman he loves.…
Snow Flower and the Secret Fan (2010): Dir. Wayne Wang
Feat. Gianna Jun, Bingbing Li, Russell Wong…; Wayne Wang (THE JOY LUCK CLUB) directs this unsubtle but sweeping multi–generational weepie, framed around the enduring bond between two women…
Social Network, The (2010): Dir. David Fincher
Feat. Jesse Eisenberg, Andrew Garfield, Justin Timberlake…; Dynamite dramatisation of the founding and battle for internet sensation Facebook, with Jesse Eisenberg as the much–maligned and envied Harvard…
Solitude of Prime Numbers (2010): Dir. Saverio Costanzo
Feat. Alba Rohrwacher, Luca Marinelli, Martina Albano…; Mournful tale of two misfits whose awkward life paths never quite cross. Spanning from childhood into their forties this melancholic mosaic is…
Somewhere (2010): Dir. Sofia Coppola
Feat. Stephen Dorff, Elle Fanning, Chris Pontius; Sofia Coppola's dead–pan portrait of a roguish Hollywood actor whose routine of empty hedonism and naval–gazing is interrupted by an…
Sorelle Mai (2010): Dir. Marco Bellocchio
Feat. Pier Giorgio Bellocchio, Elena Bellocchio; A nostalgic "fantasy" documentary depicting six episodes of a family story in Bobbio filmed between 1999 and 2008 and featuring many members of the…
SoulBoy (2010): Dir. Shimmy Marcus
Feat. Martin Compston, Felicity Jones, Alfie Allen…; Hip–shaking youth drama set amongst the Northern Soul scene of the 1970's in which a frustrated teenager experiences a musical awakening while…
South Solitary (2010): Dir. Shirley Barrett
Feat. Miranda Otto, Marton Csokas, Barry Otto; The dir. of Australian gem LOVE SERENADE returns with this windswept drama about an unmarried woman's (Miranda Otto) stay at a remote lighthouse.
Space Between, The (2010): Dir. Travis Fine
Feat. Melissa Leo, Anthony Keyvan , Brad William Henke…; Soul–searching indie drama finds a jaded flight attendant (Leo) saddled with the care of a 10–year–old Pakistani boy in the direct…
Spartacus: Blood and Sand (TV Series) (2010): Feat. Andy Whitfield, John Hannah, Peter Mensah…; Outlandish sword–and–sandal serial features Lucy Lawless and a line–up of Kiwi faces in various states of dismemberment and/or…
Special Relationship, The (2010): Dir. Richard Loncraine
Feat. Michael Sheen, Dennis Quaid, Hope Davis…; The third in the trilogy of 'Tony Blair' movies scripted by Peter Morgan (following THE DEAL and THE QUEEN), this one examines the complex dynamics…
Special Treatment (2010): Dir. Jeanne Labrune
Feat. Isabelle Huppert, Bouli Lanners; Playing a high class prostitute, Isabelle Huppert gets cosy with one her clients, a psychoanalyst, in this occasionally titillating, comically…
Spud (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…
Step Up 3 (Step Up 3-D) (2010): Dir. Jon Chu
Feat. Rick Malambri, Adam G. Sevani, Sharni Vinson…; Hormonal third entry in the back–popping dance series has a tight–knit group of street dancers pitted against the world's best…
Stolen (2010): Dir. Britta Hawkins
Feat. Miriama Smith, Scott Wills, George Henare…; TV thriller based on the real life 2002 kidnapping of Baby Kahu Durie, which saturated NZ media at the time. Held for $3 million ransom, the child…
Stone (2010): Dir. John Curran
Feat. Robert De Niro, Edward Norton, Milla Jovovich…; Smouldering thriller with Edward Norton as a convicted arsonist who looks to manipulate a parole officer into a plan to secure his parole by placing…
Streetdance (2010): Dir. Max Giwa
Feat. Charlotte Rampling; The worlds of street dance and ballet collide in this sassy British take on the dance movie genre. While training for the UK Championships, a…
Submarine (2010): 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…
Summer Coda (2010): Dir. Richard Gray
Feat. Rachael Taylor, Alex Dimitriades, Jackie Weaver…; Rewarding Aussie romance, set along the banks of the Murray River, centres on an itinerant young woman (Taylor) who seeks solace with an orchardist…
Sympathy For Delicious (2010): Dir. Mark Ruffalo
Feat. Christopher Thornton, Mark Ruffalo, Juliette Lewis…; Offbeat, if ultimately muddled religious tale of a paralyzed DJ who turns to faith healing and mysteriously develops the ability to cure the sick.…
Tamara Drewe (2010): 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.
Tempest, The (2010): Dir. Julie Taymor
Feat. Helen Mirren, Felicity Jones, Djimon Hounsou…; Julie Taymor takes on The Bard once more with distinctly eye–popping results, and in a further deviation gives Helen Mirren the role of…
Temple Grandin (2010): Dir. Mick Jackson
Feat. Claire Danes, Catherine O'Hara, Julia Ormond…; Claire Danes sensitively portrays the life of a revered animal doctor whose revolutionary practices for the humane handling of livestock on farms…
Third Star (2010): Dir. Hattie Dalton
Feat. Benedict Cumberbatch, JJ Feild, Tom Burke…; Picturesque drama in which a young man (Cumberbatch) who is terminally ill with cancer sets out on a hiking trip to Barafundle Bay, on the…
This is England '86 (TV Mini-Series) (2010): Dir. Tom Harper, Shane Meadows
Feat. Thomas Turgoose, Stephen Graham, Jo Hartley…; The core cast of THIS IS ENGLAND return for this vivid small screen epilogue set three years later, where a maturing Shaun (Turgoose) must negotiate…
Tiny Furniture (2010): 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…
Toast (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…
Tourist, The (2010): Dir. Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck
Feat. Johnny Depp, Angelina Jolie, Paul Bettany…; Vacationing in Venice, Johnny Depp is drawn into the web of a beautiful woman (Angelina Jolie) in this intriguing international thriller from the…
Tree, The (2010): Dir. Julie Bertuccelli
Feat. Charlotte Gainsbourg, Morgana Davies, Marton Csokas…; Australian–French co–production stars Charlotte Gainsbourg as a grief–stricken mother–of–four coping with the sudden…
Treme - Season 1 (TV Series) (2010): Feat. Khandi Alexander, Clarke Peters, Steve Zahn…; Creator of THE WIRE, David Simon, tackles the post–Katrina reconstruction of New Orleans, focusing on a community of musicians, chefs, and…
True Blood - Season 3 (TV Series) (2010): Feat. Anna Paquin, Stephen Moyer, Sam Trammell…; Further episodes of the acclaimed series from SIX FEET UNDER creator Alan Ball, set in a world where vampires have 'come out' as members of modern…
True Grit (2010): Dir. Joel Coen, Ethan Coen
Feat. Jeff Bridges, Matt Damon, Josh Brolin…; This lively, immaculately shot remake of John Wayne’s classic 1969 western sees the Coen Brothers reinterpret Charles Portis’s novel, about a…
Trust (2010): Dir. David Schwimmer
Feat. Clive Owen, Catherine Keener, Liana Liberato…; Pungent social drama with Keener and Owen as parents dealing with the aftermath of their teenage daughter's rape at the hands of an online…
Twilight: Eclipse (2010): Dir. David Slade
Feat. Robert Pattinson, Kristen Stewart, Taylor Lautner…; Torrid third installment in the saga has Bella forced to choose between Edward and Jacob as a series of mysterious killings grip Seattle.
Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives (2010): Dir. Apichatpong Weerasethakul
Feat. Thanapat Saisaymar; Weerasethakul's most acclaimed and accessible film to date centres on a man dying of kidney failure, whose twilight hours are spent joyously with…
Underbelly - Season 3 (TV Mini-series) (The Golden Mile) (2010): Feat. Mitch Bartlett, Natalie Bassingthwaighte, Emma Booth; Sydney’s infamous Kings Cross, circa 1989, is the setting for this latest airing of Australia’s dirty laundry. Although centred on the…
Upstairs, Downstairs (TV Series) (2010): Feat. Ed Stoppard, Keeley Hawes, Eileen Atkins…; Slavish, lavish remake of the classic 70s serial plays out the hushed conflict between servants and gentry at the iconic 165 Eaton Place. Though…
Vincent 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…
Virginia (2010): Dir. Dustin Lance Black
Feat. Jennifer Connelly, Ed Harris, Carrie Preston…; Top–heavy Southern melodrama finds Jennifer Connelly as a schizophrenic single mom engaged in an ill–fated affair with a devoutly Mormon…
Walking Dead, The (TV Series) (2010-2021): Dir. Frank Darabont
Feat. Andrew Lincoln, Jon Bernthal, Jeffrey DeMunn…; The undying zombie genre reaches the long–form TV format in this riveting, expertly studied AMC series about the aftermath apocalyptic events,…
Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps (Wall Street 2) (2010): Dir. Oliver Stone
Feat. Michael Douglas, Shia LaBeouf, Josh Brolin…; Timely sequel to the classic morality tale with Douglas reprising his role as Gordon Gekko, who after a lengthy prison stint, attempts to slither his…
Wasted on the Young (2010): Dir. Ben C. Lucas
Feat. Oliver Ackland, Adelaide Clemens, Alex Russell…; Potent teen thriller, stylishly directed by first–timer Lucas, has a party getting out of hand an triggering a wave of revenge acts.
Way Back, The (2010): Dir. Peter Weir
Feat. Jim Sturgess, Ed Harris, Colin Farrell…; A small group of multi–national prisoners escape a Siberian Gulag and make their way across five countries on foot in this survivalist epic…
Way, The (2010): Dir. Emilio Estevez
Feat. Martin Sheen, Emilio Estevez, Deborah Kara Unger…; A poignant and engaging father–son creative collaboration between Emilio Estevez and Martin Sheen, with the senior playing a father who walks…
We Believed (Noi credevamo) (2010): Dir. Mario Martone
Feat. Luigi Lo Cascio; Period drama set during the repressive Bourbon reign in Italy in 1828, where two aristocrats and a young peasant join Giuseppe Mazzini's Young Italy…
Welcome to the Rileys (2010): Dir. Jake Scott
Feat. James Gandolfini, Kristen Stewart, Melissa Leo…; A bereaved father (Gandolfini) takes comfort in the company of a wayward young prostitute (Stewart) in this mournful American indie. The premise…
What More Do I Want (Come Undone) (2010): Dir. Silvio Soldini
Feat. Alba Rohrwacher, Pierfrancesco Favino, Teresa Saponangelo…; Adroitly helmed exploration of infidelity with the two lovers juggling their hectic schedules around their clandestine meetings. Nothing new here,…
Whistleblower, The (2010): Dir. Larysa Kondracki
Feat. Rachel Weisz, Vanessa Redgrave, Monica Bellucci…; Uncompromising drama with Rachel Weisz as an American cop whose stint as a Bosnian peacekeeper exposes her to a human trafficking ring run from…
William Vincent (Shadows and Lies) (2010): Dir. Jay Anania
Feat. James Franco, Martin Donovan, Josh Lucas…; A quiet criminal recounts the eccentric path that has brought him to New York – after four years in exile, to rescue the favourite call girl of…
Winter's Bone (2010): Dir. Debra Granik
Feat. Jennifer Lawrence, John Hawkes, Garret Dillahunt…; Celebrated art–house thriller set in the Ozark Mountains follows a teenage girl as she desperately searches for her drug–dealing father…
Woman 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…
Womb (2010): Dir. Benedek Fliegauf
Feat. Eva Green, Matt Smith, Lesley Manville…; Thoughtful drama in which a woman's overwhelming grief over her dead lover leads her to birth his clone. Languidly paced and loaded with Oedipal…
Worried About the Boy (2010): Dir. Julian Jarrold
Feat. Douglas Booth, Mathew Horne, Mark Gatiss…; Compassionate, but never fawning, biopic of the eighties icon Boy George jumps between his early taste of pop stardom to post–fame despair.…
You Don't Know Jack (2010): Dir. Barry Levinson
Feat. Al Pacino, Danny Huston, Susan Sarandon…; Al Pacino delivers his most committed performance in years in this divisive tale of Euthanasia advocate Jack Kevorkian, with seasoned dir. Levinson…
You 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…
44 Inch Chest (2009): Dir. Malcolm Venville
Feat. Ray Winstone, Ian McShane, John Hurt…; Dark comedy with a cuckolded Ray Winstone rounding up his heavy mates and seeking vengeance on his wife's lover.
A Courageous Heart (The Courageous Heart of Irena Sendler) (2009): Dir. John Kent Harrison
Feat. Anna Paquin, Marcia Gay Harden, Goran Visnjic…; Moving account of the young Polish social worker who smuggled over 2,000 children out of Warsaw during the Nazi occupation of Poland.
A Single Man (2009): Dir. Tom Ford
Feat. Colin Firth, Julianne Moore, Nicholas Hoult…; Colin Firth gives a career–best performance as a gay English professor who grieves for his long–time lover in this impeccable and…
About Elly (2009): Dir. Asghar Farhadi
Feat. Golshifteh Farahani, Shahab Hosseini, Taraneh Alidoosti…; Though something of a dress rehearsal for Farhadi's Oscar–winning A SEPARATION, this tense and absorbing account of a beach holiday tainted by…
Accidents 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…
Adam (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…
Adrift (À Deriva) (2009): Dir. Heitor Dhalia
Feat. Vincent Cassel, Camilla Belle, Laura Neiva; Delicately captivating drama set in an ’80s Brazilian beach resort, with a young teenager discovering her father's infidelity as her own sexuality…
Adventureland (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…
Against the Current (2009): Dir. Peter Callahan
Feat. Joseph Fiennes, Justin Kirk, Elizabeth Reaser; A grief–stricken Joseph Fiennes embarks on swimming the length of the Hudson River as a way forward, in this heartfelt character piece. While…
Agora (2009): Dir. Alejandro Amenabar
Feat. Rachel Weisz, Max Minghella, Oscar Isaac…; A strident and admirable account of Greek scholar Hypatia, whose principles and pagan beliefs attracted the ire of Christians in 4th century…
Albert Schweitzer (2009): Dir. Gavin Millar
Feat. Jeroen Krabbe, Barbara Hershey, Judith Godreche; Admirable biopic of German medical missionary and philosopher Schweitzer (regarded for his text on the "Reverence for Life"), whose deed treating…
Amelia (2009): Dir. Mira Nair
Feat. Hilary Swank, Richard Gere, Ewan McGregor…; A conventional retelling of the Amelia Earhart legend, examining the ground–breaking aviator’s turbulent love life during the years between…
Amreeka (2009): Dir. Cherien Dabis
Feat. Hiam Abbass, Nisreen Faour, Alia Shawkat; Timely, bittersweet immigrant tale of a Palestinian mother and son who escape the West Bank for a promised 'better life' in the States, only to…
An Education (2009): Dir. Lone Scherfig
Feat. Carey Mulligan, Peter Sarsgaard, Alfred Molina…; An assured and alluring coming–of–age drama set in swinging sixties London (1961 in fact), with teenage ingenue Carey Mulligan falling in…
An Englishman in New York (2009): Dir. Richard Laxton
Feat. John Hurt, Swoosie Kurtz, Jonathan Tucker…; Sequel to THE NAKED CIVIL SERVANT with John Hurt reprising his role as gay raconteur Quentin Crisp as he spends the latter parts of his life in New…
Answer Man, The (2009): Dir. John Hindman
Feat. Jeff Daniels, Lauren Graham, Lou Taylor Pucci…; Misanthropic self–help author Daniels finds his curmudgeonly nature challenged when his paths cross with single mother Graham and recovering…
Army of Crime, The (2009): Dir. Robert Guediguian
Feat. Simon Abkarian, Virginie Ledoyen; Part of a recent wave of prestigious WWII resistence dramas, this one reconstructs events around a group of Paris–based resistance fighters,…
Autumn Hearts (Emotional Arithmetic) (2009): Dir. Paolo Barzman
Feat. Susan Sarandon, Christopher Plummer, Gabriel Byrne…; Drama focused on three Holocaust survivors who spent time together at the Drancy internment camp and re–unite decades after their…
Away 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…
B-Girl (2009): Dir. Emily Dell
Feat. Jules Urich, Missy Yager, Wesley Jonathan…; Female breakdancing is the focus of this underdog 'story', where a down–on–her–luck dancer strives to 'break' her way into the…
Baaria (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…
Balibo (2009): Dir. Robert Connolly
Feat. Anthony LaPaglia, Oscar Isaac, Nathan Phillips…; Searing political thriller based on the death of five Australian–based journalists (one, a Kiwi) who, upon covering the occupation of East…
Beautiful Kate (2009): Dir. Rachel Ward
Feat. Ben Mendelsohn, Bryan Brown, Maeve Dermody…; In her directing debut, seasoned actor Rachel Ward maturely handles this taboo–tinged story of an estranged son returning home to visit his…
Beeswax (2009): Dir. Andrew Bujalski
Feat. Tilly Hatcher, Maggie Hatcher, Alex Karpovsky; Another deft, soft–spoken indie from dir. Bujalski (MUTUAL APPRECIATION) concerns the comings and goings of 20–something twins: one, the…
Besouro (The Assailant) (2009): Dir. Joao Daniel Tikhomiroff
Feat. Ailton Carmo, Flavio Rocha, Jessica Barbosa; Set against the backdrop of the Brazilian civil rights struggle Invigorating tale told at breakneck pace of a young man's rise to folk hero status…
Best - His Mother's Son (2009): Dir. Colin Barr
Feat. Michelle Fairley, Tom Payne; Foreshadowing George Best’s battle with the bottle, this sobering BBC drama centres on the British footballer’s Presbyterian mother who, as a…
Big Fan (2009): Dir. Robert D. Siegel
Feat. Patton Oswalt, Kevin Corrigan, Michael Rapaport…; The writer of THE WRESTLER makes an assured directing debut with this tragicomic look at the life of an obsessive fan of the New York Giants whose…
Blessed (2009): Dir. Ana Kokkinos
Feat. Miranda Otto, Frances O’Connor, Deborra-Lee Furness; Four vivid stories of mothers and their children are interwoven in this confronting drama set in Melbourne's outer suburbs, blessed by the acting…
Blind Side, The (2009): Dir. John Lee Hancock
Feat. Sandra Bullock, Tim McGraw, Quinton Aaron…; Sandra Bullock stars in this uplifting, if cliché–ridden football drama, in which she portrays an upper middle–class homemaker who gives…
Boogie 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…
Boys Are Back, The (2009): Dir. Scott Hicks
Feat. Clive Owen, Emma Booth, Laura Fraser…; Single father drama with Clive Owen giving a sensitive performance as a grieving sportswriter struggling to raise his two young sons. Although…
Breaking Bad - Season 2 (TV Series) (2009): Feat. Bryan Cranston, Aaron Paul, Anna Gunn…; Further episodes chronicling the deeds of anti–hero Walter White (Cranston), a high school chemistry teacher who turns to a life of…
Breaking the Mould (2009): Dir. Peter Hoar
Feat. Dominic West, Denis Lawson; Historical teledrama following the development of penicillin in the 1930's and 40's by a group of scientists in Oxford at The Dunn School of…
Breaking 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 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…
Bright Star (2009): Dir. Jane Campion
Feat. Ben Whishaw, Abbie Cornish, Paul Schneider…; A resounding return–to–form for dir. Jane Campion, who is in full flourish with this delicate and deeply romantic tale of the doomed love…
Broken Embraces (2009): Dir. Pedro Almodovar
Feat. Penelope Cruz, Blanca Portillo, Lluís Homar…; Typically juicy Almodovar number again features the gorgeous Penelope Cruz, here playing a mistress cast in the lead role of a movie her millionaire…
Brooklyn's Finest (2009): Dir. Antoine Fuqua
Feat. Richard Gere, Don Cheadle, Ethan Hawke…; The dir. of TRAINING DAY spins this heavy–handed multi–narrative around three burnt out NYC cops at the end of their tether. Posturing…
Brothers (2009): Dir. Jim Sheridan
Feat. Jake Gyllenhaal, Natalie Portman, Tobey Maguire…; Jake Gyllenhaal and Tobey Maguire star in this remake of Susanne Bier's wrenching Danish drama, about two sibling's lives torn apart by war.
Cairo Time (2009): Dir. Ruba Nadda
Feat. Patricia Clarkson, Alexander Siddig; A sturdy, old–fashioned picaresque romance set in the heat of modern day Cairo, with Patricia Clarkson as an American wife who falls under the…
Calvin 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,…
Cedar Boys (2009): Dir. Serhat Caradee
Feat. Rachael Taylor, Martin Henderson, Les Chantery; Aussie drama focused around a trio of Lebanese–Australian mates and their decent into crime in Sydney's outer West.
Cezanne 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 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…
Cheri (2009): Dir. Stephen Frears
Feat. Michelle Pfeiffer, Rupert Friend, Kathy Bates…; Gorgeously–appointed period drama set in the "Belle Époque" of 1900s Paris, focused on a love affair between a retired courtesan (Pfeiffer)…
Cherrybomb (2009): Dir. Lisa Barros D'Sa, Glenn Leyburn
Feat. Rupert Grint, Robert Sheehan, James Nesbitt…; Rupert Grint plays against type in this edgy youth drama in which three teenagers go on a wild weekend of drink, drugs, shop–lifting and…
Chloe (2009): Dir. Atom Egoyan
Feat. Julianne Moore, Liam Neeson, Amanda Seyfried…; Deliriously overheated remake of French curio NATHALIE, with Moore convinced husband Neeson is having an affair, so she hires a young prostitute…
City 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…
City of Life and Death (2009): Dir. Chuan Lu
Feat. Ye Liu, Yuanyuan Gao, Hideo Nakaizumi; This first serious depiction of the atrocities wrought on Chinese refugees and soldiers during the occupation of Nanking is a harrowing, expertly…
City of War (John Rabe) (2009): Dir. Florian Gallenberger
Feat. Ulrich Tukur, Daniel Bruhl, Steve Buscemi…; Riveting dramatisation of an unlikely true story in which a Nazi industrialist conspires to save the lives of 200,000 Chinese during the infamous…
City Of Your Final Destination, The (2009): Dir. James Ivory
Feat. Anthony Hopkins, Laura Linney, Charlotte Gainsbourg…; Beautifully shot Merchant Ivory film about a doctoral student who travels to Uruguay in an attempt to win over the dysfunctional family of Latin…
Coco Avant Chanel (Coco Before Chanel) (2009): Dir. Anne Fontaine
Feat. Audrey Tautou, Benoit Poelvoorde, Alessandro Nivola…; Fittingly stylish and appealing biopic of legendary couturier Gabrielle "Coco" Chanel, tracing her early life from the rags of an orphaned childhood…
Coco Chanel & Igor Stravinsky (Coco & Igor) (2009): Dir. Jan Kounen
Feat. Anna Mouglalis, Mads Mikkelsen; Fashion icon Coco Chanel and composer Igor Stravinsky share a passionate, illicit love affair in this lavish period romance, which more or less takes…
Cold 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…
Concert, The (Le Concert) (2009): Dir. Radu Mihaileanu
Feat. Alexeï Guskov, Mélanie Laurent, Dmitry Nazarov…; A band of out–of–work Moscow musicians travels to Paris posing as the celebrated Bolshoi Orchestra in this lavish, shamelessly popular…
Cracks (2009): Dir. Jordan Scott
Feat. Eva Green, Juno Temple, Maria Valverde…; Moody boarding–school set drama follows a clique of six girls whose dynamic is thrown off–kilter by the arrival of a new girl whose…
Crazy Heart (2009): Dir. Scott Cooper
Feat. Jeff Bridges, Maggie Gyllenhaal, James Keane…; In an Oscar–winning turn, Jeff Bridges plays faded country music star Bad Blake, who swaggers from one dive to the next until his friendship…
Creation (2009): Dir. Jon Amiel
Feat. Paul Bettany, Jennifer Connelly, Jeremy Northam…; Paul Bettany adds another fine role to his resume in this big screen interpretation of the challenges faced by Charles Darwin as he struggles to…
Crossing Over (2009): Dir. Wayne Kramer
Feat. Harrison Ford, Ray Liotta, Ashley Judd…; Harrison Ford helms this melodramatic mosaic focused on interweaving stories of immigrants trying to achieve the 'American Dream'. Notorious for…
Damned United, The (2009): Dir. Tom Hooper
Feat. Michael Sheen, Jim Broadbent, Colm Meaney…; Michael Sheen gets under the skin of another (infamous) British personality in this charismatic portrait of superstar football manager Brian Clough,…
Dare (2009): Dir. Adam Salky
Feat. Emmy Rossum, Zach Gilford, Alan Cumming…; A drama centered around three high school seniors – an aspiring actress, her misfit best friend, and a loner – who become engaged in an…
Darwin's Brave New World (TV Mini-series) (2009): Feat. Socratis Otto, Richard Jongejan, Nicola Bowman; Three–part dramatized series tells the story of Charles Darwin and his contemporaries, Joseph Hooker, Thomas Huxley and Alfred Russel Wallace,…
Desert Flower (2009): Dir. Sherry Horman
Feat. Liya Kebede, Sally Hawkins, Craig Parkinson…; Inspiring biopic based on the story of Waris Dirie, a Somali victim of genital mutilation who, after escaping an arranged marriage, emigrated to…
Desperate Romantics (TV Mini-series) (2009): Feat. Rafe Spall, Samuel Barnett, Aidan Turner…; Ribald treatment of the controversial art movement pays only cursory attention to their work and instead largely on their adventures in the bodice…
Diary of Anne Frank, The (Mini-series) (2009): Dir. Jon Jones
Feat. Kate Ashfield, Tamsin Greig, Iain Glen…; Superlative BBC adaptation of Anne Frank's enduring story is sensitively written and perfectly cast. Told over five half–hour episodes, one of…
District 9 (2009): Dir. Neill Blomkamp
Feat. Sharlto Copley, Jason Cope, David James; Superb sci–fi blockbuster from first–time writer/director Blomkamp, set in an alternate–reality Johannesburg where an…
Dogtooth (Kynodontas) (2009): Dir. Yorgos Lanthimos
Feat. Aggeliki Papoulia, Mary Tsoni, Hristos Passalis…; An astringent, blackly comic tale of a modern Greek family whose adult children have been imprisoned in their home since birth. Something of a…
Dollhouse (TV Series) (2009): Feat. Eliza Dushku; Joss Whedon's short–lived sci–fi series set in a futuristic laboratory that assigns different tasks to its various residents, who then…
Down Terrace (2009): Dir. Ben Wheatley
Feat. Robin Hill, Robert Hill; Uncomfortable kitchen sink drama by way of an organised crime thriller, centred on a family of Brighton low–lifes seeking revenge on a snitch…
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…
Eagle Hunter's Son, The (2009): Dir. René Bo Hansen
Feat. Bazarbai Matei, Mardan Matei; Wistful Mongolian adventure follows a 12–year–old boy and his rite–of–passage between the lure of city life, and the…
East 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…
Eccentricities of a Blonde-Haired Girl (2009): Dir. Manoel de Oliveira
Feat. Ricardo Trepa, Leonor Silveira, Catarina Wallenstein; Bewitching tale of a young man's obsessive love for his blonde–haired neighbour. Elegant and gently surreal adaptation of José Maria Eça de…
Eclipse, The (2009): Dir. Conor McPherson
Feat. Ciaran Hinds, Iben Hjejle, Aidan Quinn; Ciaran Hinds mourns the death of his soulmate while chauffeuring literary stars around his overcast hometown in this hushed Irish drama with a…
Eden is West (2009): Dir. Costa-Gavras
Feat. Riccardo Scamarcio; A pictorial offering from Costa–Gavras – usually at the helm of taut political thrillers – here directing a travelogue centered around…
Emma (TV Mini-Series) (2009): 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…
Empire of Silver (2009): Dir. Christina Yao
Feat. Aaron Kwok, Tielin Zhang, Lei Hao…; A family banking empire begins to crumble when father and son come to grief over the country's transition from silver to paper money. Visually…
Endgame (2009): Dir. Peter Travis
Feat. William Hurt, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Jonny Lee Miller…; South Africa's fraught history is tackled in this solid, involving account of President P.W. Botha’s segregationist regime, and his secretive talks…
Enid (2009): Dir. James Hawes
Feat. Helena Bonham Carter, Matthew MacFadyen, Denis Lawson…; Sober biopic of famed children's author Enid Blyton is less than flattering in its portrayal with Bonham Carter giving a masterclass in…
Entre Nos (Between Us) (2009): Dir. Gloria La Morte, Paola Mendoza
Feat. Paola Mendoza, Sarita Choudhury, Anthony Chisholm…; Affecting drama reveals the inner life of an Colombian immigrant and her two children fending for themselves in New York City.
Everybody's Fine (2009): Dir. Kirk Jones
Feat. Robert De Niro, Drew Barrymore, Kate Beckinsale…; Sincere remake of the Italian drama with De Niro stepping into Marcello Mastroianni's shoes as the widower travelling across country to visit his…
Everyone Else (Alle anderen) (2009): Dir. Maren Ade
Feat. Lars Eidinger, Birgit Minichmayr; A young couple vacation on a Mediterranean Island, while the cracks in their relationship start to show. A realistic portrayal of the…
Fame (2009): Dir. Kevin Tancharoen
Feat. Kay Panabaker, Naturi Naughton, Kherington Payne; Surprisingly savvy remake of the 1980s original, centered around the passionate young students of the New York Academy of Performing Arts. Easily…
Father of My Children (2009): Dir. Mia Hansen-Love
Feat. Chiara Caselli, Louis-Do de Lencquesaing, Alice de Lencquesaing…; A convincing dramatic study of grief in the family, centred on a workoholic movie producer who leaves behind a legacy of financial burden to his wife…
Fighting (2009): Dir. Dito Montiel
Feat. Channing Tatum, Terrence Howard, Michael Rivera…; Tough–as–nails drama sees Channing Tatum play a down–on–his–luck scam–artist who is introduced to the world of…
Firm, The (2009): Dir. Nick Love
Feat. Paul Anderson, Calum MacNab; Dir. Nick Love (THE FOOTBALL FACTORY) again tackles the ugly reality of football hooliganism in this surprisingly mature update of Alan Clarke's…
Fish Tank (2009): Dir. Andrea Arnold
Feat. Katie Jarvis, Michael Fassbender, Kierston Wareing…; Full of colourful profanity and hefty doses of working–class belligerence, this assured drama centres around a 15–year–old…
Five Minutes of Heaven (2009): Dir. Oliver Hirschbiegel
Feat. Liam Neeson, James Nesbitt, Anamaria Marinca; Northern Ireland's troubled past is tackled in a contemporary spirit of "truth and reconciliation" in this fictional drama in which James Nesbitt…
Fortapasc (Fort Apache) (2009): Dir. Marco Risi
Feat. Libero de Rienzo, Valentina Lodovini, Michele Riondino…; Poignant account of the last days in the life of a young Italian journalist who's investigations into the Neapolitan Mafia resulted in his murder.
Founding of a Republic, The (Jian guo da ye) (2009): Dir. Sanping Han, Jianxin Huang
Feat. Guoqiang Tang, Guoli Zhang, Qing Xu…; The People’s Republic of China rolls out the big guns for this 60th anniversary epic, chronicling in big, sweeping gestures, the uprising of Mao…
From Beginning to End (Do Começo ao Fim) (2009): Dir. Aluizio Abranches
Feat. João Gabriel Vasconcellos, Rafael Cardoso, Júlia Lemmertz; Controversial Brazilian ode to incestuous half–brothers that's evocatively shot and titillatingly steamy but strangely coy on the consequences.
Funny 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…
Garrow's Law (TV Series) (2009-2011): Feat. Andrew Buchan, Alun Armstrong, Rupert Graves; Legal drama based around the true tale of William Garrow, who acted as counsel for the accused, introducing the concept of 'innocent until proved…
Georgia O'Keeffe (2009): Dir. Bob Balaban
Feat. Joan Allen, Jeremy Irons, Ed Jr. Begley; This made–for–television biopic of American artist Georgia O'Keeffe and her husband, photographer Alfred Stieglitz, is distinguished as…
Gifted Hands (2009): Dir. Thomas Carter
Feat. Cuba Jr. Gooding, Kimberly Elise; Cuba Gooding Jr. stars in this true story of Ben Carson, one of the world's leading neurosurgeons who overcame poverty and prejudice to realise his…
Girlfriend Experience, The (2009): Dir. Steven Soderbergh
Feat. Sasha Grey, Chris Santos; Ex–pornstar Sasha Grey impresses as a high–end call girl offering much more than just sex for her Manhattan clientele, in this small…
Giulia Doesn't Go Out at Night (2009): Dir. Giuseppe Piccioni
Feat. Valerio Mastandrea, Valeria Golino, Sonia Bergamasco; Understated romantic drama with an enigmatic Golina as the titular character, a swimming instructor with a dark secret who embarks on a romance with…
Glorious 39 (2009): Dir. Stephen Poliakoff
Feat. Romola Garai, Bill Nighy, David Tennant…; Trademark Stephen Poliakoff visuals and upper crust intrigue characterise this pre–WWII mystery, starring Romola Garai as the adoptive daughter…
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, 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…
Good Wife, The (TV Series) (2009-2016): Feat. Julianne Margulies, Chris Noth, Josh Charles…; First–rate, Golden Globe–winning series about a politician's wife who must return to the workforce after a sex and corruption scandal…
Greatest, The (2009): Dir. Shana Feste
Feat. Pierce Brosnan, Susan Sarandon, Carey Mulligan…; Emotive drama of a family trying to cope with the sudden death of their teenage son and the troubled young woman who enters their life.
Greek Pete (2009): Dir. Andrew Haigh; An intimate and explicit insight into the actual life experiences of a group of young male escorts.
Greta (According to Greta) (2009): Dir. Nancy Bardawil
Feat. Hilary Duff, Ellen Burstyn, Melissa Leo…; Hilary Duff, in a serious turn, delivers a commendable performance as a suicidal teen sent to her grandparents house for the summer. Ellen Burstyn…
Grey Gardens (2009): Dir. Michael Sucsy
Feat. Drew Barrymore, Jessica Lange, Jeanne Tripplehorn…; Jessica Lange and Drew Barrymore resurrect iconic mother–daughter eccentrics Big and Little Edie, in this neat little biopic that’s a must…
Hamlet (2009): Dir. Gregory Doran
Feat. David Tennant, Patrick Stewart, Oliver Ford Davies; An outstanding, visually sumptuous Royal Shakespeare Company modernization of the Bard's much–filmed play, with David Tennant mercurial in the…
Happy Tears (2009): Dir. Mitchell Lichtenstein
Feat. Parker Posey, Demi Moore, Rip Torn…; Two sisters return home to deal with their ailing father in this bittersweet and unsentimental drama, as much about familial secrets as it is about…
Heart and Soul (TV Series) (All the Small Things) (2009): Feat. Sarah Lancashire, Neil Pearson, Sarah Alexander; Novel musical drama set in small town England after her husband – the local choir master – leaves her for choir's soprano, a woman and…
Heartless (2009): Dir. Philip Ridley
Feat. Jim Sturgess, Clemence Poesy, Noel Clarke…; An alienated young man (Strugess) begins to see demons roaming the squalid streets of London in the latest, eccentric offering from dir. Phillip…
Hedgehog, The (Le hérisson) (2009): 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…
House - Season 6 (TV Series) (2009): Feat. Hugh Laurie; Further episodes from the Hugh Laurie–fronted hospital thriller, which involve his medical team having to unravel baffling cases,…
Human Zoo (2009): Dir. Rie Rasmussen
Feat. Rie Rasmussen, Hiam Abbass; Gritty, naval–gazing immigrant story of a Serbian refugee (writer/dir. Rasmussen) who escapes the ethnic violence of her worn–torn…
Hung (TV Series) (2009): 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,…
Hunter (TV Mini-series) (2009): Feat. Hugh Bonneville, Janet McTeer; Standard BBC police drama following Detective Superintendent Iain Barclay (Bonneville) and his deputy Detective Sergeant Amy Foster (McTeer) as they…
Hurt (2009): Dir. Barbara Stepansky
Feat. Melora Walters, William Mapother, Johanna Braddy…; Desert set indie–horror is a more thoughtful entry in the burgeoning 'demon child' canon with Melora Walters as a mother trying to hold the…
I Am Love (Io sono l'amore) (2009): Dir. Luca Guadagnino
Feat. Tilda Swinton, Edoardo Gabbriellini; Tilda Swinton stars as the Russian–born matriarch of a wealthy Milanese family in this fabulously opulent Italian drama, centred around her…
I Killed My Mother (J'ai tué ma mère) (2009): 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…
I, Don Giovanni (2009): Dir. Carlos Saura
Feat. Lorenzo Balducci, Lino Guanciale, Emilia Verginelli…; Veteran Spanish director Carlos Saura conducts this lavish, darkly–tinged story behind the making of Mozart's opera masterpiece, 'Don Giovanni'.
Immaculate Conception of Little Dizzle, The (2009): 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…
Incendiary (2009): Dir. Sharon Maguire
Feat. Ewan McGregor, Michelle Williams, Matthew MacFadyen…; Thriller set in the aftermath of a terrorist strike in London, based on the novel by Chris Cleave. Though it boasts a typically fine Michelle…
Informant!, 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…
Ingenious (Lightbulb) (2009): Dir. Jeff Balsmeyer
Feat. Jeremy Renner, Dallas Roberts, Ayelet Zurer…; An enterprising success story of two failed inventors come good. Renner and Roberts play buddy entrepreneurs who hustle to turn their ridiculous idea…
Into the Storm (2009): Dir. Thaddeus O'Sullivan
Feat. Brendan Gleeson, Janet McTeer, James D'Arcy…; Enthralling sequel to HBO's acclaimed THE GATHERING STORM focuses on Winston Churchill's challenging term as Prime Minister during the war, followed…
Invictus (2009): Dir. Clint Eastwood
Feat. Morgan Freeman, Matt Damon; Dir. Clint Eastwood tackles the reunification of post–Apartheid South Africa in this stirring biopic, centred on Nelson Mandela and Springboks…
Iron Road (2009): Dir. David Wu
Feat. Li Sun, Sam Neill, Peter O'Toole…; A co–production between Canada and China, this miniseries follows a young Chinese woman who works on the construction of the Canadian pacific…
Joneses, 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 Julia (Julie & Julia) (2009): 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…
Kings (TV Series) (2009): Feat. Ian McShane, Christopher Egan, Susanna Thompson…; A bold and enjoyably bizarre drama fantasy series loosely based on the biblical story of King David (played by Chris Egan), but set in a kingdom that…
Land Girls (TV Series) (2009): Feat. Summer Strallen, Christine Bottomley, Jo Woodcock…; Four Women's Land Army recruits experience the highs and lows of wartime service in this stirring BBC drama which pays tribute to the lives of…
Last Ride (2009): Dir. Glendyn Ivin
Feat. Hugo Weaving, Tom Russell; Hugo Weaving toughens up as a violent, quick–tempered low–life whose desperation and escalating crimes result in him fleeing across South…
Last Station, The (2009): Dir. Michael Hoffman
Feat. Christopher Plummer, Helen Mirren, Paul Giamatti…; Enchanting and poignant in equal measure, this splendidly realised drama utilises a top flight cast to depict the tumultuous last year of the life of…
Leaves of Grass (2009): Dir. Tim Blake Nelson
Feat. Edward Norton, Susan Sarandon, Richard Dreyfuss…; Stoner comedy for the philosophically inclined with Edward Norton pulling double duty as an Ivy League professor lured back to his Oklahoma hometown,…
Leaving (Partir) (2009): Dir. Catherine Corsini
Feat. Kristin Scott Thomas, Sergi Lopez, Yvan Attal; Doctor's wife and mother–of–two Kristin Scott Thomas falls unrelentingly for a blue–collar ex–con in this steamy, captivating…
Letters to Father Jacob (2009): Dir. Klaus Haro
Feat. Kaarina Hazard, Jukka Keinonen, Heikki Nousiainen…; Gently engrossing character study with a pardoned convict finding employment helping a blind pastor answer letters from his troubled parishioners.
Lie To Me (TV Series) (2009-2011): Feat. Tim Roth, Kelli Williams, Brendan Hines; Engaging crime drama that sees an unlikely Tim Roth play Cal Lightman, a doctor who has such an uncanny ability to read facial expressions and body…
Life 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…
Life During Wartime (2009): Dir. Todd Solondz
Feat. Shirley Henderson, Michael Kenneth Williams, Allison Janney…; Dir. Todd Solondz recasts his controversial 1998 indie hit, HAPPINESS, revisiting the dysfunctional characters and their future lives in this blackly…
Limits of Control, The (2009): Dir. Jim Jarmusch
Feat. Isaach de Bankole, Bill Murray, Tilda Swinton…; Indie King Jim Jarmusch directs this mysterious and moody crime thriller, in which a Lone Man wanders through Madrid and Seville on an undisclosed…
London River (2009): Dir. Rachid Bouchareb
Feat. Brenda Blethyn, Sotigui Kouyate, Francis Magee…; Quiet, meditative drama set amongst the carnage of the London bombings has two parents of different faiths searching for their lost children and…
Looking For Eric (2009): 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…
Lourdes (2009): Dir. Jessica Hausner
Feat. Sylvie Testud, Léa Seydoux, Elina Lowensohn; A subdued, open–ended account of pilgrimage and the credibility of miracles, this measured drama stars the always–excellent Sylvie Testud…
Love and Other Impossible Pursuits (The Other Woman) (2009): Dir. Don Roos
Feat. Natalie Portman, Scott Cohen, Lisa Kudrow…; Quietly affecting drama with Portman as a newlywed struggling to cope with the sudden death of her newborn daughter, and her difficult relationship…
Love Happens (2009): Dir. Brandon Camp
Feat. Jennifer Aniston, Aaron Eckhart, Martin Sheen…; Chintzy romance with Eckhart as a self help author struggling to cope with the death of his wife and a burgeoning romance with a floral designer.…
Lovely Bones, The (2009): Dir. Peter Jackson
Feat. Mark Wahlberg, Rachel Weisz, Saoirse Ronan…; Peter Jackson’s errant, though wonderfully imagined murder mystery begins with the brutal death of a teenage girl in small town Pennsylvania,…
Lucky Country (2009): Dir. Kriv Stenders
Feat. Aden Young; Terrific outback chamber piece is a turn–of–the–century powerplay between a poverty–stricken family, and three…
Mad Men - Season 3 (TV Series) (2009): Feat. Jon Hamm, Elisabeth Moss, Vincent Kartheiser…; Further episodes of the 60's–New–York–set television drama series focused on an ad exec basking in the glow of the golden age of…
Mademoiselle Chambon (2009): Dir. Stéphane Brizé
Feat. Vincent Lindon, Sandrine Kiberlain, Aure Atika; Though familiar bourgeois territory for the French, this softly finessed chamber drama of a blue–collar mason (Lindon) who contemplates an…
Mammoth (2009): Dir. Lukas Moodysson
Feat. Michelle Williams, Gael Garcia Bernal, Marife Necesito…; Ambitious social drama concerned with the corrosive effects of globalisation. Williams and Bernal play a well–heeled New York couple who…
Man Who Will Come, The (L'uomo che verrà) (2009): Dir. Giorgio Diritti
Feat. Maya Sansa, Alba Rohrwacher, Greta Zuccheri Montanari; Moving Italian war drama told through the eyes of an eight–year–old mute, who witnesses the brutal struggle between Italian partisans and…
Many 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.…
Mao's Last Dancer (2009): Dir. Bruce Beresford
Feat. Chi Cao, Bruce Greenwood, Kyle MacLachlan…; Enthralling true–life story traces the life of acclaimed ballet dancer Li Cunxin from his impoverished upbringing in communist China to the…
Marc 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.…
Married, Single, Other (TV Series) (2009): Feat. Lucy Davis, Shaun Dooley, Dean Lennox Kelly…; Light, likeable drama follows six friends as they discover the difficulties of living with, and without, the one you love.
Me and Orson Welles (2009): Dir. Richard Linklater
Feat. Zac Efron, Claire Danes, Christian McKay…; Dir. Richard Linklater impeccably evokes the charms of 30's New York for this traditional backstage drama that has great affection for the era and…
Me 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.
Memories of Anne Frank (2009): Dir. Alberto Negrin; Moving Italian–made biopic on the relationship between Anne Frank and (the surviving) Hanneli Goslar, whose close childhood friendship and…
Messenger, The (2009): Dir. Oren Moverman
Feat. Ben Foster, Woody Harrelson, Jena Malone…; Ben Foster plays a troubled Iraq War veteran reassigned to the military's Casualty Notification Office in this affecting study of war on the home…
Middle 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…
Milk of Sorrow, The (La Teta Asustada) (2009): Dir. Claudia Llosa
Feat. Magaly Solier, Susi Sanchez, Efrain Solis…; Beguiling allegorical drama with a young woman afflicted with a rare disease passed down through the breast milk of a rape victim.
Misfits (TV Series) (2009): Feat. Robert Sheehan, Antonia Thomas, Lauren Socha…; "SKINS meets HEROES" is the catch–cry for this Bafta Award winning, streetwise drama about five teenagers stuck in community service, where…
Missing Person, The (2009): Dir. Noah Buschel
Feat. Michael Shannon, Amy Ryan, Frank Wood; A strange hybrid of neo–noir gestures and the contemporary human condition, with dough–faced Michael Shannon (perfect as a Bogart stand…
Moonlight Serenade (2009): Dir. Giancarlo Tallarico
Feat. Amy Adams, Alec Newman, Moon Bloodgood…; A piano player discovers that the lovely girl at the coat–check of a jazz club has the voice of an angel, and persuades her to form a musical…
Mother and Child (2009): Dir. Rodrigo Garcia
Feat. Naomi Watts, Annette Bening, Kerry Washington…; Thoughtfully handled ensemble drama focuses on the maternal and filial ties that bind, centered around three women; an unhappy therapist, the…
Moving On (TV Series) (2009): Feat. Sheila Hancock, Richard Armitage, Ian Hart…; Wonderfully scripted series comprised of one–act plays set in contemporary Britain, all distinctly different but linked by the central idea of…
My 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 Sister's Keeper (2009): Dir. Nick Cassavetes
Feat. Abigail Breslin, Cameron Diaz, Alec Baldwin; Trademark weepy from twin tearjerkers Nick Cassavetes (THE NOTEBOOK) and bestselling author Jodi Picoult, about the parents of a…
My 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 Tehran for Sale (2009): Dir. Granaz Moussavi
Feat. Marzieh Vafamehr, Amir Chegini, Asha Mehrabi; Marzieh is a young female actress living in Tehran. The authorities ban her theatre work and she is forced to lead a secret life in order to express…
My Year Without Sex (2009): 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,…
New York, I Love You (2009): Dir. Fatih Akin, Yvan Attal, Allen Hughes
Feat. Bradley Cooper, Andy Garcia, Hayden Christensen…; Not to be mistaken as a cynical American remake of PARIS, JE'TAIME, this – on the contrary – naturally extends the short–story…
Nine (2009): Dir. Rob Marshall
Feat. Daniel Day-Lewis, Marion Cotillard, Penelope Cruz…; A stonkingly glamorous screen musical based on FELLINI'S 8 1/2, with famous film auteur Guido Contini struggling to realize his cinematic masterpiece…
No One Knows About Persian Cats (2009): Dir. Bahman Ghobadi
Feat. Negar Shaghaghi, Ashkan Koshanejad, Hamed Behdad; Unprecedented pseudo–documentary exploring Iran’s forbidden underground music scene, starring Tehranian rockers Negar Shaghaghi and Ashkan…
Notorious (2009): Dir. George Tillman Jr.
Feat. Jamal Woolard, Angela Bassett, Derek Luke…; Surprisingly credible biopic of Christopher 'Notorious B.I.G.' Wallace, whose rise to the throne of East Coast rap – and inexplicable murder via…
Nowhere Boy (2009): Dir. Sam Taylor-Johnson
Feat. Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Kristin Scott Thomas, Anne-Marie Duff…; A likeable portrait of John Lennon's pre–Beatles youth in 1950's Liverpool and his emotional tug–of–war with the two maternal…
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.
Occupation (TV Mini-series) (2009): Dir. Nick Murphy
Feat. James Nesbitt, Stephen Graham, Warren Brown…; Insightful, character–driven alternative to HBO's GENERATION KILL, this follows the lives of three British soliders during and after the 2003…
Ondine (2009): Dir. Neil Jordan
Feat. Colin Farrell, Alicia Bachleda, Dervla Kirwan…; Lyrical modern fairytale with Colin Farrell, a luckless fisherman living with his ailing daughter, catching a beautiful woman in his nets who may or…
Open Road, The (2009): Dir. Michael Meredith
Feat. Justin Timberlake, Jeff Bridges, Ted Danson…; Pleasant road movie finds Justin Timberlake looking inward as an out–of–form minor–leaguer resigned to seeking out his estranged…
Outrageous Fortune (TV Series) - Series 5 (2009): 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) (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…
Paris 1919 (Un traité pour la paix) (2009): Dir. Paul Cowan
Feat. David Lowe, Paul Bandey, Yan Brian; History–drenched docudrama merging archival footage with live action, examining the tricky negotiations that led to the signing of the Treaty…
Peacock (2009): Dir. Michael Lander
Feat. Cillian Murphy, Elliot Page, Susan Sarandon…; A freak accident in a small American town threatens to disclose a bank teller's secret life – that of a split personality – in this…
Personal Effects (2009): Dir. David Hollander
Feat. Michelle Pfeiffer, Ashton Kutcher, Kathy Bates; Perfunctory dramatic vehicle for Ashton Kutcher and Michelle Pfeiffer who star as two disparate characters unexpectedly united while attending the…
Piece Of My Heart (2009): Dir. Fiona Samuel
Feat. Annie Whittle, Rena Owen, Emily Barclay…; TVNZ–commissioned drama focused on the issue of adoption in New Zealand, told through the story of two women who must reconcile their past as…
Plan B (2009): Dir. Marco Berger
Feat. Manuel Vignau, Lucas Ferraro, Mercedes Quinteros; Languid drama where a man's efforts to sabotage his ex–girlfriends new relationship – with a half baked plan of seducing her boyfriend,…
Police, Adjective (2009): Dir. Corneliu Porumboiu
Feat. Dragos Bucur, Vlad Ivanov, Irina Saulescu…; An ingenious, pared–back police procedural in the droll tradition of the Romanian New Wave that at once deconstructs the genre, and wittily…
Pope Joan (2009): Dir. Sonke Wortmann
Feat. Johanna Wokalek, David Wenham, John Goodman…; Rousing, fable–like account of the life of a ninth century female pope who rose gradually through the Roman Catholic Church hierarchy while…
Post 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…
Prayers for Bobby (2009): Dir. Russell Mulcahy
Feat. Sigourney Weaver, Henry Czerny, Ryan Kelley…; Tragically true tale of a zealous christian whose attempts to convert her gay son to heterosexuality lead ultimately to his death and sets her on an…
Precious (Based on the Novel 'Push' by Sapphire) (2009): Dir. Lee Daniels
Feat. Gabourey Sidibe, Mo'Nique , Paula Patton…; Heated ghetto drama puts a hopeful spin on the despair suffered by an illiterate, overweight teenager who prepares to give birth to her second child…
Prisoners of War (TV Series) (Hatufim) (2009): Dir. Gideon Raff
Feat. Yoram Toledano, Ishai Golan, Adi Ezroni…; The source material for HOMELAND, this Israeli series is a more serious–minded and nuanced drama than its American successor, dealing with the…
Private Lives of Pippa Lee, The (2009): Dir. Rebecca Miller
Feat. Robin Wright, Blake Lively, Alan Arkin…; Drama boasting a formidable performance from Robin Wright Penn as the beautiful, middle–aged Pippa Lee, who finds herself living in a…
Puzzle (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…
Queen, The - The Life Of A Monarch (2009): Feat. Emilia Fox, Samantha Bond, Susan Jameson…; Pivotal moments in the life and reign of Queen Elizabeth II are portrayed by five British actresses in this series that mixes dramatisation with…
Rage (2009): Dir. Sally Potter
Feat. Lily Cole, Steve Buscemi, Jude Law…; Another arthouse conceit from dir. Sally Potter (ORLANDO, YES), comprised entirely of monologues from insiders at New York fashion house, who recall…
Redwoods (2009): Dir. David Lewis
Feat. Brendan Bradley, Matthew Montgomery, Elinor Bell…; Low–key drama has a man trapped in an emotionally unsatisfying relationship contemplating an affair with a brooding stranger.
Return to Cranford (TV Mini-Series) (2009): Dir. Simon Curtis
Feat. Judi Dench, Imelda Staunton, Julia McKenzie…; Winning follow–up to the acclaimed drama is set one year after the marriage of Dr. Harrison and Sophy Hutton. There's some exciting additions…
Ricky (2009): Dir. Francois Ozon
Feat. Sergi Lopez, Alexandra Lamy, Mélusine Mayance; Intriguing fusion of kitchen–sink drama and magical realism by the mercurial Ozon with a young baby afflicted by an alarming physiological…
Road, Movie (2009): Dir. Dev Benegal
Feat. Abhay Deol, Tannishtha Chatterjee; A literal road movie inspired by the flickering image, this Indian travelogue follows a ragtag group across the country, whose mode of transport…
Road, The (2009): Dir. John Hillcoat
Feat. Viggo Mortensen, Kodi Smit-McPhee, Robert Duvall…; Cormac McCarthy’s much–feted novel about the lengths a father goes to protect his son’s innocence in a post–apocalyptic wasteland is…
Saint 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…
Samson and Delilah (2009): Dir. Warwick Thornton
Feat. Rowan McNamara, Marissa Gibson; A landmark of Australian cinema for many critics across the ditch, this unflinching drama of two Aboriginal outcasts discarded and left to fend for…
Sea Purple, The (2009): Dir. Donatella Maiorca
Feat. Valeria Solarino, Isabella Ragonese, Ennio Fantastichini; Solid lesbian bodice–ripper centres on the eternal romance between two 19th century Sicilian women, destined to suffer for their forbidden…
Separation 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…
Shank (2009): Dir. Simon Pearce
Feat. Wayne Virgo, Marc Laurent, Alice Payne…; Harrowing coming–of–age drama which makes up for a few cliches with a lot of raw power. Set in Bristol, where a closeted gay youth…
Shine of Rainbows, A (2009): Dir. Vic Sarin
Feat. Aidan Quinn, Connie Nielsen, John Bell…; Genial family drama about a young boy living on an isolated island with his adoptive parents and his friendship with an abandoned seal. A…
Shrink (2009): Dir. Jonas Pate
Feat. Kevin Spacey, Mark Webber, Saffron Burrows; Kevin Spacey’s pot–smoking, chronically depressed psychiatrist is at the centre of this sprawling L.A. story, which attempts to unearth the…
Sicilian Girl, The (La siciliana ribelle) (2009): Dir. Marco Amenta
Feat. Veronica D'Agostino, Gerard Jugnot; A vivid, level–headed account of Mafiaso intrigue, based around real events surrounding a young woman’s testimony in court against Sicilian…
Simon Schama's Rough Crossings (2009): Docu–drama presented by revered historian Simon Schama (A HISTORY OF BRITAIN) which charts the astonishing story of thousands of…
Sister Smile (2009): Dir. Stijn Coninx
Feat. Cecile De France, Sandrine Blancke; The poignant, still resonant true story of 60s popstar The Singing Nun, vividly played by actress Cécile de France.
Smell 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 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…
Soloist, The (2009): Dir. Joe Wright
Feat. Jamie Foxx, Robert Downey Jnr., Catherine Keener; Downbeat drama sees Robert Downey Jnr. play a journalist who discovers a homeless, mentally ill musician (Fox) on the streets of Los Angeles, and…
Someone I Loved (2009): Dir. Zabou Breitman
Feat. Daniel Auteuil, Marie-Josee Croze, Florence Loiret Caille…; Nuanced romantic drama with Auteuil reflecting on his great lost love while attempting to console his jilted daughter–in–law.
Soul 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…
Spread (2009): Dir. David Mackenzie
Feat. Ashton Kutcher, Anne Heche, Margarita Levieva; The egos are big and hard in this glib L.A. story about a broke–ass hustler (Kutcher) who exchanges bed and board for sexual favours, in…
State Of Play (2009): Dir. Kevin MacDonald
Feat. Russell Crowe, Ben Affleck, Rachel McAdams…; With excellent political thriller credentials, this accomplished remake (from the BBC mini–series) transposes its conspiracy–laden scoop…
Storm (2009): Dir. Hans-Christian Schmid
Feat. Kerry Fox, Anamaria Marinca, Stephen Dillane; Accomplished international courtroom drama sees a determined prosecutor (Fox) risk life and limb in order to prove that the former commander of the…
Strength of Water, The (2009): Dir. Armagan Ballantyne
Feat. Hato Paparoa, Melanie Mayall-Nahi, Jim Moriarty…; Ten–year–old twins are separated by tragedy in this evocative, gracefully shot debut for dir. Ballantyne, set in a Maori community on the…
Subdivision (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…
Take, The (TV Mini-series) (2009): Dir. David Drury
Feat. Tom Hardy, Brian Cox, Shaun Evans…; Stylish, tough–as–nails gangland mini–series follows the fortunes of a recently released convict set on taking the London…
Taking 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…
Tangle (TV Series) (2009): Feat. Justine Clarke, Ben Mendelsohn, Catherine McClements…; Acclaimed ensemble drama that focuses on the intertwining lives of families and friends in suburban Melbourne.
That Evening Sun (2009): Dir. Scott Teems
Feat. Hal Holbrook, Mia Wasikowska, Walton Goggins…; An aging Tennessee farmer returns to his homestead and must confront a family betrayal, the reappearance of an old enemy, and the loss of his farm.
Thin Match Man, The (L'uomo fiammifero) (2009): Dir. Marco Chiarini
Feat. Francesco Pannofino, Marco Leonzi, Gabriele Manfredi; Modern fairy–tale about a house–bound boy determined to find the thin–match man, a figure his mother once created who lights the…
Tickling Leo (2009): Dir. Jeremy Davidson
Feat. Eli Wallach, Annie Parisse, Daniel Sauli; The Holocaust rears its ugly head in this thoughtful, carefully–handled drama about a gathering of estranged and distant family members on Yom…
Time Traveler's Wife, The (2009): Dir. Robert Schwentke
Feat. Eric Bana, Rachel McAdams, Arliss Howard…; Eric Bana’s rare genetic disorder sees him thrown intermittently backwards in time, much to the despair of his frustrated wife (Rachel McAdams), in…
Trauma (TV Series) (2009): Feat. Cliff Curtis, Derek Luke, Aimee Garcia…; Kiwi Cliff Curtis is the charismatic frontman of this short–lived medical drama centred on a group of dashing San Francisco paramedics.…
Triage (2009): Dir. Danis Tanovic
Feat. Colin Farrell, Paz Vega, Christopher Lee…; An absorbing Colin Farrell performance carries this pensive, unexpectedly subdued drama from the director of NO MAN'S LAND. Farrell plays a battered…
True Blood - Season 2 (TV Series) (2009): Feat. Anna Paquin, Stephen Moyer, Sam Trammell…; Further episodes of the acclaimed series from SIX FEET UNDER creator Alan Ball, set in a world where vampires have 'come out' as members of modern…
Turn of the Screw (2009): Dir. Tim Fywell
Feat. Michelle Dockery, Sue Johnston, Eva Sayer…; Solid adaptation of the Henry James classic substitutes subtle scares for jolts in this classic tale of a governess under paranormal…
Twilight: New Moon (2009): Dir. Chris Weitz
Feat. Kristen Stewart, Taylor Lautner, Robert Pattinson…; Succulent second helping of the Stephanie Meyer vampire saga finds pasty Edward no longer able to protect his beloved Bella, fleeing the country and…
Uncertainty (2009): Dir. David Siegel, Scott McGehee
Feat. Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Lynn Collins, Assumpta Serna…; 'Uncertainty' is both the title and the key to enjoying this convention–defying thriller that interweaves two parallel stories that feature the…
Underbelly - Season 2 (TV Mini-series) (A Tale of Two Cities: The Mr Asia Story) (2009): Feat. Roy Billing, Anna Hutchison, Matthew Newton…; A prequel to the events of the original series, this is loosely based on the hard drug trade that hit New South Wales and Victoria between 1976 and…
Undertow (Contracorriente) (2009): Dir. Javier Fuentes-Leon
Feat. Cristian Mercado, Manolo Cardona; A beguiling drama set in a remote seaside Peruvian village, where a fisherman mourns for his deceased lover and experiences his ghost lingering in…
Unforgiven (2009): Dir. David Evans
Feat. Suranne Jones, Matthew McNulty, Emily Beecham…; 3–part crime drama about a woman in Yorkshire who was found guilty of murdering two police officers when she was a teenager. After spending 15…
United States of Tara (TV Series) (2009): Feat. Toni Collette, John Corbett, Keir Gilchrist…; Toni Collette is thoroughly entertaining as a mild–mannered mother whose multiple personality disorder rears its ugly head as one of three…
Unmade Beds (2009): Dir. Alexis Dos Santos
Feat. Fernando Tielve, Deborah Francois, Michiel Huisman…; In parallel stories, a Spanish boy and a French girl try to find meaningful connection while squatting in a London hipster neighbourhood in this…
Until Proven Innocent (2009): Dir. Peter Burger
Feat. Cohen Holloway, Edward Campbell, Miranda Harcourt; Credible homegrown teledrama tells the true story of the crusade to free David Dougherty, wrongly imprisoned for the rape and abduction of an…
Up (2009): 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 Air (2009): 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…
Vampire Diaries, The (TV Series) (2009): Feat. Nina Dobrev, Paul Wesley, Ian Somerhalder; The TWILIGHT zeitgeist is vamped up as a 90210–style serial in this melodramatic teen soap, about a troubled girl torn between her brooding…
Van Diemen's Land (2009): Dir. Jonathan auf der Heide
Feat. Oscar Redding, Arthur Angel, Paul Ashcroft…; Forbidding re–enactment of the "legend" of Alexander Pearce, who escaped from a penal colony in 1822 into the unforgiving Tasmanian wilderness…
Vicious Kind, The (2009): Dir. Lee Toland Krieger
Feat. Adam Scott, Brittany Snow, J.K. Simmons…; Bilious familial drama stylistically indebted to Neil Labute features Adam Scott spitting misogynistic aphorisms at his brother's new girlfriend,…
Vincere (VIctory) (2009): Dir. Marco Bellocchio
Feat. Giovanna Mezzogiorno, Filippo Timi, Fausto Russo Alesi…; Provocative portrait of Benito Mussolini's spurned first wife and their brief romance as Il Duce begins ascent to Italy's leadership. Stylistically…
Vintner's Luck, The (2009): Dir. Niki Caro
Feat. Keisha Castle-Hughes, Jeremie Renier, Gaspard Ulliel…; Contentious, opulent NZ–made adaptation of the much–loved Elizabeth Knox novel, ostensibly about the relationship between a guardian…
Wah 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.…
Waiting City, The (2009): Dir. Claire McCarthy
Feat. Radha Mitchell, Joel Edgerton, Samrat Chakrabarti…; Idiosyncratic relationship drama with an Australian couple traveling to Calcutta to collect their adopted baby, but on arrival finds their efforts…
Welcome (2009): Dir. Philippe Lioret
Feat. Vincent Lindon, Audrey Dana, Firat Ayverd; An illegal Iraqi immigrant is befriended by a dispirited swim coach, who agrees to help smuggle the teenager into England by way swimming the English…
Whip It (2009): 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…
White Collar (TV Series) (2009-2014): Feat. Matt Bomer, Marsha Thomason, Tim DeKay…; Police procedural series following a hard working and honest FBI agent (Tim DeKay) who makes a work–release deal with a captured con artist…
White Lightnin' (2009): Dir. Dominic Murphy
Feat. Edward Hogg, Carrie Fisher; The life of Appalachian mountain dancer and criminal cult figure Jesco White is the inspiration for this nightmarish hillbilly biopic filmed in…
White Material (2009): Dir. Claire Denis
Feat. Isabelle Huppert, Christopher Lambert, Isaach de Bankole…; Isabelle Huppert stars as a woman who refuses to abandon her plantation in Claire Denis' disquieting depiction of an African country on the verge of…
White Ribbon, The (Das weisse Band) (2009): Dir. Michael Haneke
Feat. Christian Friedel, Leonie Benesch, Ulrich Tukur…; Michael Haneke’s intellectual rigour is paired with a mesmerising sociological drama in this award–winning exploration of the roots of…
Wind Journeys, The (2009): Dir. Ciro Guerra; A Colombian accordion player makes the long trek to return his instrument – believed to be cursed by the devil – to a former mentor, in…
Within the Whirlwind (2009): Dir. Marleen Gorris
Feat. Emily Watson, Ulrich Tukur, Ian Hart…; The memoirs of Eugenia Ginzburg, a Russian academic sentenced to ten years labor in a Siberian Gulag, are brought to life in this harrowing account…
Women in Trouble (2009): 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 Dad (2009): 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…
Wuthering Heights (TV Mini-series) (2009): Dir. Coky Giedroyc
Feat. Tom Hardy, Charlotte Riley, Burn Gorman…; Award–winning British writer Peter Bowker takes to the task of adapting Emily Brontë's classic tale of doomed romance between Heathcliff…
Young Victoria, The (2009): Dir. Jean-Marc Vallée
Feat. Emily Blunt, Rupert Friend, Paul Bettany…; Emily Blunt radiates in this elegant if corseted biopic of Queen Victoria's early years as she deals with royal power struggles while being wooed by…
$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…
10,000 B.C. (2008): Dir. Roland Emmerich
Feat. Steven Strait, Camilla Belle, Cliff Curtis; Beasts, behemoths and flesh–eating emus prowl the prehistoric landscape in another of Roland (INDEPENDENCE DAY) Emmerich's effects–heavy…
35 Shots of Rum (35 rhums) (2008): Dir. Claire Denis
Feat. Alex Descas, Mati Diop, Nicole Dogue…; A gorgeous meditation on child–parental devotion, centred on a middle–aged widower (Descas) who, in the tradition of Yasujiro Ozu (which…
5 Centimetres Per Second (Five Centimetres Per Second) (2008): Dir. Makoto Shinkai; Sublimely romantic animated feature divided into three separate episodes tracing the emotional journey of a teenage boy through to manhood, and the…
90210 (TV Series) (2008): Feat. Rob Estes, Shenae Grimes, AnnaLynne McCord…; This updating of the popular '90's show brings the bling as more photogenic rich kids contend with regular problems.
A Christmas Tale (Un conte de Noël) (2008): Dir. Arnaud Desplechin
Feat. Catherine Deneuve, Mathieu Amalric, Anne Consigny…; KINGS AND QUEEN dir. Arnaud Desplechin spins another whirlwind tale of family relations, with Catherine Deneuve the terminally ill matriarch to a…
A Song Of Good (2008): Dir. Gregory King
Feat. Gareth Reeves, Ian Mune, Danielle Cormack…; The director of CHRISTMAS continues to pick away at the festering sores of Kiwi suburbia, diagramming the destructive forces hampering a…
Acolytes (2008): Dir. Jon Hewitt
Feat. Joel Edgerton, Michael Dorman, Hanna Mangan Lawrence…; Chilling, if somewhat uneven, low–budget Aussie thriller concerning a group of teens who blackmail a serial killer to help them extract revenge…
Adam Resurrected (2008): Dir. Paul Schrader
Feat. Jeff Goldblum, Willem Dafoe, Derek Jacobi…; Troubling tale of a former Jewish circus entertainer who was spared from the gas chamber by serving as the camp commandant's pet dog. Based on…
Adoration (2008): Dir. Atom Egoyan
Feat. Devon Bostick, Arsinee Khanjian, Scott Speedman…; Dir. Atom Egoyan applies his impeccable arthouse credentials to matters of post–9/11 cultural trauma and emotional reconstruction, piecing…
Adulthood (2008): Dir. Noel Clarke
Feat. Noel Clarke; Unimaginatively titled, so–so sequel to KIDULTHOOD taking place six years on from the first film with our main protagonist Sam Peel released…
Adventures Of Merlin, The (TV Series) (2008): Feat. Colin Morgan, Angel Coulby, Bradley James…; Ambitious drama series loosely based on the legend of King Arthur, following a young Merlin's arrival in Camelot where he must face great danger…
Affinity (2008): Dir. Tim Fywell
Feat. Zoe Tapper, Anna Madeley, Domini Blythe…; Faithful adaptation of the Sarah Waters novel following a socialite who becomes infatuated by a psychic holed up in a women's prison, and her…
Afterschool (2008): Dir. Antonio Campos
Feat. Ezra Miller, Rosemarie DeWitt, Jeremy Allen White…; Ezra Miller (WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT KEVIN) plays a closed–off teenager whose difficult high school experience is complicated when he captures…
American Violet (2008): Dir. Tim Disney
Feat. Nicole Beharie, Will Patton, Alfre Woodard…; Docudrama based on a true story follows a single mother, Dee (Beharie), wrongly arrested for drug dealing and her fight for justice. Despite a…
Apparitions (TV Series) (2008): Feat. Martin Shaw; Martin Shaw (formerly Judge John Deed) dons the cloth of a Catholic priest, tackling both incidents of miracle and deviltry in this confronting…
Apron Strings (2008): Dir. Sima Urale
Feat. Laila Rouass, Jennifer Ludlam, Scott Wills…; Acclaimed short film director Sima Urale makes her feature film debut with this drama about fractious maternal connections that contrast two…
Arctic Monkeys - At The Apollo (2008): Dir. Richard Ayoade; Live performance from Indie rockers 'Arctic Monkeys' performing the last gig of their World Tour at the Manchester Apollo in 2007. Set list…
As God Commands (2008): Dir. Gabriele Salvatores
Feat. Filippo Timi, Elio Germano, Alvaro Caleca; Bracing character study follows a teenager and his Neo–nazi father dealing with their outsider status in their small town. Second collaboration…
Ashes to Ashes (TV Series) (2008): Feat. Philip Glenister, Keeley Hawes; Spin–off from BBC drama LIFE ON MARS follows DI Alex Drake (Hawes), a police psychologist from 2008 transported to the 80's after a horrific…
August (2008): Dir. Austin Chick
Feat. Josh Hartnett, Naomie Harris, David Bowie…; Indie drama set in August 2001, where two brothers struggle to keep their New York–based internet company afloat in the middle of the…
Australia (2008): Dir. Baz Luhrmann
Feat. Nicole Kidman, Hugh Jackman, David Wenham…; Aussie golden boy Baz Luhrmann's larger–than–life epic sees an English aristocrat and cattle driver attempt to save an inherited outback…
Baghead (2008): 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…
Bank Job, The (2008): Dir. Roger Donaldson
Feat. Jason Statham, Saffron Burrows; Heavy–for–hire Jason Stratham stars in this enjoyable crime caper based around the true story of a robbery in a London bank vault in…
Bathory (2008): Dir. Juraj Jakubisko
Feat. Anna Friel, Karel Roden, Franco Nero; Lush Hungarian–set costumer is a decidedly un–vampiric take on the Countess Bathory legend (responsible for countless murders of…
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.
Black Balloon, The (2008): Dir. Elissa Down
Feat. Toni Collette, Erik Thomson; Honest, finely–drawn Australian suburban drama centred on a young boy trying to fit into a new city while charged with the care of his autistic…
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 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.…
Boy in the Striped Pyjamas, The (2008): Dir. Mark Herman
Feat. Asa Butterfield, Zac Mattoon O'Brien, Vera Farmiga…; Emotive wartime parable set in Nazi Germany where the young son of a concentration camp commander befriends a Jewish boy on the other side of the…
Breaking Bad - Complete Boxset (TV Series) (2008-2013): Feat. Bryan Cranston, Aaron Paul, Anna Gunn…; Boxed set edition of AMC's heavy–hitting TV series, about a high school chemistry teacher (Cranston) who turns to a life of drug–dealing…
Breaking Bad - Season 1 (TV Series) (2008): Feat. Bryan Cranston, Aaron Paul, Anna Gunn…; Cynical drama series that gives us a new anti–hero in Walter White (Cranston), a high school chemistry teacher who turns to a life of…
Bride Flight (2008): Dir. Ben Sombogaart
Feat. Karina Smulders, Waldemar Torenstra, Anna Drijver…; New Zealand in the 1950's from a Dutch perspective makes this melodrama an intriguing, unique experience for Kiwi audiences, which also has the…
Brideshead Revisited (2008): Dir. Julian Jarrold
Feat. Matthew Goode, Ben Whishaw, Hayley Atwell…; Sound adaptation of Evelyn Waugh’s classic novel of illicit love in the realms of High Society, set against the backdrop of pre–WWII Britain.…
Bronson (2008): Dir. Nicolas Winding Refn
Feat. Tom Hardy; Belligerent Brit drama inspired by career criminal Michael Petersen – aka, ‘Charles Bronson’ – whose propensity for mayhem, violence, and…
Burning Plain, The (2008): Dir. Guillermo Arriaga
Feat. Charlize Theron, Kim Basinger, Jennifer Lawrence…; Multi–textured drama examines the damaged lives of a mother and a daughter and the pasts that continue to haunt them. From the writer of AMORES…
Burying Brian (TV Series) (2008): Dir. Peter Burger
Feat. Rebecca Hobbs, Ian Mune, Robbie Magasiva; Kiwi black comedy series centred on four friends who find themselves entangled in a scandalous cover–up when one of the ladies accidentally…
Butterfly Lovers (2008): Dir. Jingle Ma
Feat. Charlene Choi, Chun Wu, Ge Hu…; Martial arts 'M Butterfly' charts the afflictions that befall two lovers destined to always be parted. Gaudy, gender–bending romance from Hong…
Cadillac Records (2008): Dir. Darnell Martin
Feat. Adrien Brody, Jeffrey Wright, Gabrielle Union…; Flashy interpretation of the rise of the seminal Chess Records, regarded by many as America's greatest blues label. This ensemble piece is more…
Camino (2008): Dir. Javier Fesser
Feat. Nerea Camacho, Carme Elias; An absorbing, sensationally–told true story of a devoutly Catholic Spanish schoolgirl whose willing death at the age of 14 – brought about by…
Cashmere Mafia (TV Series) (2008): 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.…
Cass (2008): Dir. Jon S. Baird
Feat. Nonso Anozie, Natalie Press, Leo Gregory; Freewheeling hooligan flick centered around the true story of Cass Pennant, a Jamaican brought up in an all white area of London who grew up to be…
Celine (2008): Dir. Jeff Woolnaugh
Feat. Jodelle Ferland, Christine Ghawi, Enrico Colantoni; Rags–to–riches biopic of the struggles and triumphs of pop diva Celine Dion's rise to fame and her relationship with music manager Rene…
Changeling (2008): Dir. Clint Eastwood
Feat. Angelina Jolie, Gattlin Griffith, John Malkovich; Would–be heavyweight drama set in 1920's L.A. sees solo mother Angelina Jolie reunite with her kidnapped son only to realise he is an impostor,…
Che: Part One (The Argentine) (2008): Dir. Steven Soderbergh
Feat. Benicio Del Toro, Julia Ormond, Rodrigo Santoro…; An epic undertaking by dir. Steven Soderbergh, this two part resurrection of the Che Guevara legend (played charismatically by Benicio del Toro)…
Che: Part Two (Guerilla) (2008): Dir. Steven Soderbergh
Feat. Benicio Del Toro, Rodrigo Santoro, Demian Bichir…; An epic undertaking by dir. Steven Soderbergh, this two part resurrection of the Che Guevara legend (played charismatically by Benicio del Toro)…
Cherry Blossoms (2008): Dir. Doris Dorrie
Feat. Elmar Wepper, Hannelore Elsner, Aya Irizuki…; Tender cross–cultural tale with a German widower travelling to Japan to honour his wife's wishes to see the famed cherry blossom festival.…
Children Of The Silk Road (The Children of Huang Shi) (2008): Dir. Roger Spottiswoode
Feat. Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Radha Mitchell, Chow Yun-Fat…; Inspired by real events, this solid WWII epic reveals the story of a young British journalist and Australian nurse who led sixty orphans to safety…
Choke (2008): Dir. Clark Gregg
Feat. Sam Rockwell, Anjelica Huston, Kelly MacDonald…; Mixed black comedy of support groups, self–loathing and anonymous sex, from the pen of FIGHT CLUB novelist Chuck Palahniuk. Fighting the…
Ciao (2008): Dir. Yen Tan
Feat. Adam Neal Smith, Alessandro Calza; Low–budget indie gem about two men who form a romantic bond over two days when their mutual friend dies in a car crash in Dallas, Texas.
Class, The (Entre les murs) (2008): Dir. Laurent Cantet
Feat. François Bégaudeau, Agame Malembo-Emene, Angélica Sancio; This stimulating Palm d’Or winner engages with the toil and trouble of a multi–ethnic, inner–city French classroom, and the headstrong…
Cloud 9 (Wolke 9) (2008): Dir. Andreas Dresen
Feat. Ursula Werner, Horst Rehberg, Horst Westphal; A frank yet sensitive depiction of a passionate love affair between a man and a married woman in their autumn years. Using a methodology similar…
Coco Chanel (2008): Dir. Christian Duguay
Feat. Shirley Maclaine, Malcolm McDowell, Robert Dawson…; Made–for–television biopic of prolific fashion designer Coco Chanel, covering three different stages of her life from childhood through…
Consuming Passion: 100 Years Of Mills And Boon (TV Mini-series) (2008): Feat. Jodie Whittaker, Daniel Mays, Patrick Kennedy; One–off 'docudrama' made to celebrate the centenary of romance publishing house Mills & Boon focuses on interweaving stories of three women…
Criminal Justice (TV Series) (2008-2009): Feat. Ben Whishaw, Pete Postlethwaite, Maxine Peake…; Grim and unglamorous drama series focuses on an individual’s journey through the British criminal justice system, from prison to courtroom. It…
Crusoe (TV Series) (2008): Feat. Philip Winchester, Tongayi Chirisa, Sam Neill…; Lavishly mounted, if undeniably corny production of Daniel Defoe’s island classic, with the titular castaway fending off pirates, mutineers and…
Curious Case Of Benjamin Button, The (2008): Dir. David Fincher
Feat. Brad Pitt, Cate Blanchett, Tilda Swinton…; The screenwriter of FORREST GUMP expands upon F. Scott Fitzgerald's short story to tell the curious case of a man born on Armistice day as decrepit…
Dakota Skye (2008): Dir. John Humber
Feat. Eileen April Boylan, Ian Nelson, J. B. Ghuman Jr…; Novel teen drama has a unique twist on the jaded teen archetype with the film's titular heroine cursed with the ability to see through lies. Pic's…
Dean Spanley (2008): 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…
Death In Love (2008): Dir. Boaz Yakin
Feat. Jacqueline Bisset, Adam Brody, Josh Lucas…; Devastating tale of a Jewish woman (Bisset) whose affair with a Nazi doctor during the Holocaust comes back to haunt both her, and her sons, in later…
Departures (2008): Dir. Takita Yojiro
Feat. Masahiro Motoki, Tsutomu Yamazaki, Kazuko Yoshiyuki; Poignant Oscar–winner that’s won over many hearts with its affecting tale of self–discovery, centered on a failed cellist whose career…
Desperate Housewives (TV Series) - Season 5 (2008-2009): Feat. Teri Hatcher, Felicity Huffman, Marcia Cross…; More episodes from the popular drama–black comedy set among the denizens of suburban America. 24 episodes over seven discs.
Devil's Whore, The (TV Mini-series) (Devil's Mistress) (2008): Dir. Martine Brant, Peter Flannery
Feat. Andrea Riseborough, Dominic West, John Simm…; Period romp set during the English Civil War concerning the devilishly manipulative Angelica (Riseborough), and her marriage to revolutionary Thomas…
Dickens' Secret Lover (2008): Dir. Sarah Aspinall
Feat. Charles Dance, David Haig, Amy Shiels; Intelligent docu–drama that uncovers the torrid love life of Charles Dickens, who embarked on a clandestine affair with an actress young enough…
Disgrace (2008): Dir. Steve Jacobs
Feat. John Malkovich, Jessica Haines, Eric Ebouaney; Thorny drama based on J.M. Coetzee's Booker Prize–winning novel stars John Malkovich as a disgraced college professor who retreats to his…
Doubt (2008): Dir. John Patrick Shanley
Feat. Meryl Streep, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Amy Adams…; Playwright John Patrick Shanley adapts for the screen his Pulitzer Prize–winner about a nun's suspicion of sexual abuse in a Catholic school,…
Duchess, The (2008): Dir. Saul Dibb
Feat. Keira Knightley, Ralph Fiennes, Charlotte Rampling…; Costume connoisseurs will rejoice in the splendour of Keira Knightley’s dazzling dresses and eye–catching cranial plumage in this depiction…
Dustbin Baby (2008): Dir. Juliet May
Feat. Dakota Blue Richards, Juliet Stevenson, David Haig…; BBC drama based on Jacqueline Wilson's 2001 novel of the same name about the troubled life of a young girl (Dakota Blue Richards, THE GOLDEN COMPASS)…
Early 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 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…
Edge of Love, The (2008): Dir. John Maybury
Feat. Keira Knightley, Sienna Miller, Cillian Murphy…; Atmospheric wartime romance based on the life of Welsh poet Dylan Thomas (Rhys) and his love for two free–spirited women who become firm…
El Camino (2008): Dir. Erik S. Weigel
Feat. Leo Fitzpatrick, Elisabeth Moss, Christopher Denham…; Affecting road–movie with three strangers travelling across America with their friend's ashes.
Elegy (2008): Dir. Isabel Coixet
Feat. Penelope Cruz, Ben Kingsley, Dennis Hopper…; Following THE HUMAN STAIN comes another effort to translate revered American writer Phillip Roth to the screen. This time it's his novel "The Dying…
Eternity Man, The (2008): Dir. Julien Temple
Feat. Lara Mulcahy, Grant Doyle, Christa Hughes; Film adaptation of the opera of the same name by Jonathan Mills and Dorothy Porter. Explores the life of Arthur Stace, an Australian icon who earned…
Everlasting Moments (2008): Dir. Jan Troell
Feat. Maria Heiskanen, Mikael Persbrandt, Jesper Christensen; A touching, delicately shot memoir told from the perspective of a Finnish immigrant in Sweden who finds relief from her abusive husband in the art of…
Express, The (2008): Dir. Gary Fleder
Feat. Rob Brown, Dennis Quaid; Treacle–drenched sports biopic tells the story of Ernie Davis (Brown), a talented African–American football player, and his struggle…
Eye, The (2008): Dir. David Moreau, Xavier Palud
Feat. Jessica Alba, Alessandro Nivola, Rade Serbedzija…; Mildly startling Hollywood remake of creepy Hong Kong horror sees Jessica Alba playing the once–blind violinist whose sight gets surgically…
Felon (2008): Dir. Ric Roman Waugh
Feat. Stephen Dorff, Val Kilmer, Anne Archer…; Hard–nosed prison drama follows the fate of a caring father (Dorff) who finds himself incarcerated inside a maximum security prison after…
Fifty Dead Men Walking (2008): Dir. Kari Skogland
Feat. Ben Kingsley, Jim Sturgess, Kevin Zegers…; Sharp docu–drama with Jim Sturgess as Irishman Martin McGartland, charged with infiltrating the IRA during the 1980s. Tense action sequences…
Finding 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…
Fireflies In The Garden (2008): Dir. Dennis Lee
Feat. Ryan Reynolds, Willem Dafoe, Emily Watson…; A heavyweight cast helm this drama centered on a family who finally uncover their deep–seated grievances after a tragic accident. Despite…
First Day of the Rest of Your Life, The (Le Premier Jour du Reste de ta Vie) (2008): 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…
Flash Of Genius (2008): Dir. Marc Abraham
Feat. Greg Kinnear, Lauren Graham, Dermot Mulroney…; True story of Robert Kearns (Kinnear) a college professor who invented a wiper blade mechanism idea that he claims was stolen by automotive giant…
Flashbacks Of A Fool (2008): Dir. Baillie Walsh
Feat. Daniel Craig, Harry Eden, Claire Forlani; Tangled male melodrama stars Daniel Craig as a fading film actor and self–destructive addict, forced to confront his past after the unexpected…
Forever Strong (2008): Dir. Ryan Little
Feat. Sean Faris, Penn Badgley, Gary Cole…; Bland film about a troubled rugby player in a juvenile detention centre who is offered a chance to get back in the game by playing for his rival…
Four of a Kind (2008): Dir. Fiona Cochrane
Feat. Peta Brady, Nina Landis, Leverne McDonnell…; Beguling, twisting drama that concerns four woman each with a secret they are determined to conceal.
French 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…
Frost/Nixon (2008): Dir. Ron Howard
Feat. Frank Langella, Michael Sheen, Sam Rockwell…; Terrific adaptation of the Peter Morgan stageplay providing a dramatic retelling of the story behind the famous interviews between ex–President…
Frozen River (2008): Dir. Courtney Hunt
Feat. Melissa Leo, Misty Upham, Charlie McDermott; A fraught, unexpected thriller within indie drama specs, this engrossing premise concerns two single mothers who find themselves smuggling immigrants…
Generation Kill (TV Mini-series) (2008): Feat. Alexander Skarsgard, James Ransone, Lee Tergesen…; Superlative HBO series from the makers of THE WIRE following the U.S. Marine reconnaissance battalion in the first year of the Iraq invasion.…
Genova (Summer in Genoa) (2008): Dir. Michael Winterbottom
Feat. Colin Firth, Catherine Keener, Hope Davis; After the death of his wife, a man (Firth) moves his two daughters to Genova, Italy, in order to overcome his loss and revitalize their lives.
Gigantic (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…
Giovanna's Father (2008): Dir. Pupi Avati
Feat. Silvio Orlando, Francesca Neri, Alba Rohrwacher…; Set during the second world ward this is a sad character study of a naive father who covers for his daughter's terrible crime.
Gomorrah (2008): Dir. Matteo Garrone
Feat. Toni Servillo, Gianfelice Imparato, Maria Nazionale; Justifiably celebrated, this ruthless expose of the Camorra underworld in Naples paints a stark and brutal picture of organised crime through five…
Good (2008): Dir. Vicente Amorim
Feat. Viggo Mortensen, Jason Isaacs, Jodie Whittaker…; Based on the acclaimed stageplay by C.P. Taylor, Viggo Mortensen sports a convincing English accent to portray a German academic who is reluctantly…
Good Dick (2008): 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,…
Gospel Hill (2008): Dir. Giancarlo Esposito
Feat. Samuel L. Jackson, Danny Glover, Julia Stiles…; Well–meaning, but congested melodrama set in the Deep South where a corporation selling out the underclass to white developers reignites racial…
Gracie (2008): Dir. Davis Guggenheim
Feat. Dermot Mulroney, Elisabeth Shue, Carly Schroeder; Feel–good drama focused on a passionate female soccer player faced with the death of her brother and a battle against the odds to play for an…
Gran Torino (2008): Dir. Clint Eastwood
Feat. Clint Eastwood, Bee Vang, Ahney Her…; Grizzly Korean war veteran Clint Eastwood puts aside his prejudices to defend a family of Hmong immigrants from Asian gangsters in this clear cut and…
Grey's Anatomy (TV Series) - Season 5 (2008-2009): Feat. Ellen Pompeo, Patrick Dempsey, Eric Dane…; Fifth season of the popular female–driven medical soap, continuing the trials and tribulations of five first–year interns as they juggle…
Guitar, The (2008): Dir. Amy Redford
Feat. Saffron Burrows, Isaach de Bankole, Paz de la Huerta; Robert Redford’s daughter Amy directs this misguided, but affecting swansong about a cancer–stricken woman who discovers herself through…
Guns (TV Mini-series) (2008): Dir. David Sutherland
Feat. Elisha Cuthbert, Lyriq Bent, Colm Feore; Mini–series exploring the issue of gun violence in Canada through the story of four families caught up in illegal trafficking in Toronto.…
Happy-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 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…
Headless Woman, The (2008): Dir. Lucrecia Martel
Feat. María Onetto, Claudia Cantero, César Bordón…; A mystery surrounding a woman's hit and run accident – and whether she in fact killed someone – is the riveting hook of this oblique,…
Henry 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…
Hilltop Hospital Heart Trouble (TV Series) (2008): This clever, BAFTA–winning British claymation series is like ER, SHORTIE STREET, GENERAL HOSPITAL, etc. – only with animals as the…
Honey (Bal) (2008): Dir. Semih Kaplanoglu
Feat. Bora Altas, Erdal Besikçioglu, Tülin Özen; A gorgeous, contemplative coming–of–age tale, centred on a young boy and his father, a rural beekeeper, in an idyllic mountainous region…
House - Season 5 (TV Series) (2008): Feat. Hugh Laurie; Further episodes from the Hugh Laurie–fronted hospital thriller, which involve his medical team having to unravel baffling cases,…
How 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 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…
Hunger (2008): Dir. Steve McQueen
Feat. Michael Fassbender, Stuart Graham; Combating harrowing subject matter with formal brilliance, this masterful examination of extreme resistance concerns the 1981 IRA hunger strike and…
I Can't Think Straight (2008): Dir. Shamim Sarif
Feat. Lisa Ray, Sheetal Sheth; A woman living in London is called back to Palestine by her conservative family in order to prepare for a wedding, but events are disrupted when she…
I Know You Know (2008): Dir. Justin Kerrigan
Feat. Robert Carlyle, Arron Fuller, David Bradley; Grim British drama focused on the volatile Charlie (Carlyle), an undercover spy working for a shadowy agency, and the fiercely protective…
I've Loved You So Long (Il y a longtemps que je t'aime) (2008): Dir. Philippe Claudel
Feat. Kristin Scott Thomas, Elsa Zylberstein, Serge Hazanavicius; Gratifying, melancholy French drama featuring a career–best performance by Kristen Scott–Thomas as an enigmatic woman struggling to fit…
Il Divo (The Deity) (2008): Dir. Paolo Sorrentino
Feat. Toni Servillo, Anna Bonaiuto, Flavio Bucci; Dazzling, high–end political intrigue from dir. of CONSEQUENCES OF LOVE speculates on the years following Giulio Andreotti’s seventh term as…
In Tranzit (2008): Dir. Tom Roberts
Feat. John Malkovich, Vera Farmiga, Thomas Kretschmann…; Bleak POW drama set in Soviet Russia during the aftermath of World War 2. With the prisons overflowing makeshift accommodation is found for German…
In Treatment (TV Series) (2008): Feat. Gabriel Byrne, Dianne Wiest, Melissa George…; Superlative character driven HBO series starring Gabriel Byrne as a self–doubting psychotherapist, who seeks help from his old therapist, whom…
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…
Informers, The (2008): Dir. Gregor Jordan
Feat. Billy Bob Thornton, Winona Ryder, Kim Basinger…; Another tale of hedonism in the eighties from screenwriter Bret Easton Ellis (AMERICAN PSYCHO), following a group of lost causes who fill their…
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…
Is Anybody There? (2008): Dir. John Crowley
Feat. Michael Caine, Bill Milner, Anne-Marie Duff…; Gentle, tearjerking drama set in an old folks home, where Michael Caine plays a retired magician who forms an unlikely bond with the curious son of…
Jinx Sister (2008): Dir. Athina Tsoulis
Feat. Sara Wiseman, Jarod Rawiri, William Wallace…; Tidy homeland drama finds Americanized ex–pat Wiseman returning to New Zealand to reconcile with her elder sister (Nash), seemingly happily…
John Adams (2008): Dir. Tom Hooper
Feat. Paul Giamatti, Laura Linney, Sarah Polley…; Acclaimed miniseries on the life of America's second president and founding father John Adams. Simultaneously epic and intimate this is compulsory…
Jpod (TV Series) (2008): Feat. David Kopp, Steph Song, Benjamin Ayres…; Smart adaptation of cult author Douglas Coupland's novel chronicling the misadventures of the staff of an eccentric video game design studio.…
Keith (2008): Dir. Todd Kessler
Feat. Jesse McCartney, Elisabeth Harnois, Margo Harshman…; Efficient teen weepie with pop star McCartney as a rebel with a tragic secret and Harnois as the prim preppy who falls for his broody charms.
Kisses (2008): Dir. Lance Daly
Feat. Kelly O'Neill, Shane Curry; Two 12–year–old Irish runaways escape their bleak suburban existence and head to Dublin in this grim yet soulful adventure. Along the…
Lark Rise To Candleford (TV Series) (2008): Feat. Julia Sawalha, Olivia Hallinan, Brendan Coyle…; Comforting 1880s period drama focusing on the communities in two Oxfordshire towns: the quiet, traditional hamlet of Lark Rise, and the progressive…
Last 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 Confession of Alexander Pearce, The (2008): Dir. Michael James Rowland
Feat. Adrian Dunbar, Ciaran McMenamin, Don Hany…; Potent docu–drama revealing the true story of the infamous Irish convict Alexander Pearce during the days leading up to his execution at the…
Last Pulcinella (L'ultimo Pulcinella) (2008): Dir. Maurizio Scaparro
Feat. Massimo Ranieri, Adriana Asti, Jean Sorel…; A struggling actor travels to France to find his estranged son who has fled after witnessing a mob crime.
Last Stop 174 (2008): Dir. Bruno Barreto
Feat. Michel Gomes, Cris Vianna, Marcello Melo Junior; Adrenalised dramatisation of the infamous bus–hijacking examines the life of the troubled young hijacker. As an action film this is…
Last 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…
Lemon Tree (Etz Limon) (2008): Dir. Eran Riklis
Feat. Hiam Abbass, Doron Tavory, Ali Suliman…; An out–of–bounds lemon tree poses as a metaphorical olive branch in this heartfelt Israeli–Palestinian fable. When a…
Lena Baker Story, The (2008): Dir. Ralph Wilcox
Feat. Peter Coyote, Tichina Arnold, Beverly Todd; Loose dramatization of the life of Lena Baker (Arnold), an African American woman who was sentenced to death after killing her abusive white…
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…
Little Ashes (2008): Dir. Paul Morrison
Feat. Robert Pattinson, Matthew McNulty, Javier Beltran…; Meandering and soapy look at three of Spain's artistic enfant terribles; Luis Bunuel, Federico Garcia Lorca and Salvador Dali. Focussing on the…
Little Dorrit (TV Mini-Series) (2008): Feat. Claire Foy, Matthew MacFadyen, Tom Courtenay…; Andrew Davies’s latest Dickens offering is a similarly vast, immaculately produced mini–series to that of BLEAK HOUSE, this time adapting the…
Living Proof (2008): Dir. Dan Ireland
Feat. Harry Connick Jnr., Paula Cale, Angie Harmon…; Harry Connick Jnr plays a doctor fighting to get approval for his revolutionary breast–cancer drug in this surprisingly riveting…
Loss of a Teardrop Diamond, The (2008): Dir. Jodie Markell
Feat. Bryce Dallas Howard, Chris Evans, Ann-Margret…; An undiscovered Tennessee Williams screenplay – written in the 50s but never produced, some say for good reason – is the source material…
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…
Love in the Time of Cholera (2008): Dir. Mike Newell
Feat. Javier Bardem, Giovanna Mezzogiorno, Benjamin Bratt…; Javier Bardem's outstanding performance cannot shore up this florid, largely faithful adaptation of Gabriel Garcia Marquez's universally adored novel…
Love Live Long (2008): Dir. Mike Figgis
Feat. Daniel Lapaine, Sophie Winkleman; Devised/improvised feature from late–blooming experimenter Mike Figgis that hits the road with a well–to–do amateur rally driver as…
Lovely, Still (2008): Dir. Nicholas Fackler
Feat. Martin Landau, Ellen Burstyn, Adam Scott…; As good as they are here, acting legends Martin Landau and Ellen Burstyn probably deserve better as the late–life love birds of this…
Lucky Ones, The (2008): Dir. Neil Burger
Feat. Tim Robbins, Rachel McAdams, Michael Pena; Low–key drama sees Robbins, McAdams and Pena play three soldiers who go on an unexpected road–trip together through the USA after…
Lymelife (2008): Dir. Derick Martini
Feat. Rory Culkin, Alec Baldwin, Jill Hennessy…; Indie drama of the downbeat, domestic variety is well–acted and polished, but the "lyme disease" quirk notwithstanding, this otherwise hits the…
Mad Men - Season 2 (TV Series) (2008): Feat. Jon Hamm, Elisabeth Moss, Vincent Kartheiser…; Further episodes of the 60's–New–York–set television drama series focused on an ad exec basking in the glow of the golden age of…
Maid, The (2008): Dir. Sebastián Silva
Feat. Catalina Saavedra; The complex emotional attachment of a loyal live–in maid to the family she's served for more than twenty years is at the heart of this sly,…
Man Who Loves, The (2008): Dir. Maria Sole Tognazzi
Feat. Pierfrancesco Favino, Monica Bellucci, Kseniya Rappoport…; Melodramatic exploration of a heterosexual man's troubled relationships in comparison to his gay brother's blissful monogamy.
Manolete (2008): Dir. Menno Meyjes
Feat. Adrien Brody, Penelope Cruz, Nacho Aldeguer; Soapy biopic of the great Spanish bullfighter focuses more on his torrid love affair with a hot–tempered actress than his actual bullfighting…
Map Reader, The (2008): Dir. Harold Brodie
Feat. Rebecca Gibney, Jordan Selwyn, Bonnie Soper…; A small–town teenager’s obsession with maps is the central metaphor in this ragged yet heart–felt local feature about finding and…
Margaret Thatcher - The Long Walk to Finchley (2008): Dir. Niall MacCormick
Feat. Geoffrey Palmer, Andrea Riseborough; Appealing political drama focused on Margaret Thatcher's younger years as she attempts to enter parliament despite opposition from the British…
Marley 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…
Men's Group (2008): Dir. Michael Joy
Feat. Paul Gleeson, Grant Dodwell, Don Reid; Six blokes shed their inhibitions and stereotypical masculinity in this big–hearted Australian indie, centred on a series of group support…
Mentalist, The (TV Series) (2008): Feat. Simon Baker, Robin Tunney, Tim Kang; Superior crime series sees Simon Baker play an ex–'psychic' who now uses his remarkable powers of scrupulous observation in the name of the…
Merry Gentleman, The (2008): Dir. Michael Keaton
Feat. Michael Keaton, Kelly MacDonald, Tom Bastounes; Understated drama marks Michael Keaton's directorial debut with Keaton himself taking the lead as a suicidal hitman who strikes up an unlikely…
Mid-August Lunch (2008): 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…
Milk (2008): Dir. Gus Van Sant
Feat. Sean Penn, Emile Hirsch, Josh Brolin…; Saying it proud but not too loud, this dramatized biopic of the first openly–elected gay official fittingly tributes the legacy of San…
Miracle at St. Anna (2008): Dir. Spike Lee
Feat. Derek Luke, John Turturro, Joseph Gordon-Levitt…; A messily formed, though nonetheless vital piece of corrective history, with Spike Lee directing this recreation of the feats of the…
Miracle of Berlin (Das Wunder von Berlin) (2008): Dir. Roland Suso Richter
Feat. Kostja Ullmann, Karoline Herfurth, Veronica Ferres; Ambitious telemovie set in Berlin, 1988, where a rebellious young man is forced by his father – a high–ranking Stasi officer – to…
Miss Austen Regrets (2008): Dir. Jeremy Lovering
Feat. Samuel Roukin, Olivia Williams, Greta Scacchi; Dramatized account of Jane Austen's later years, focused around the author as she approaches her 40th birthday and is forced to confront the missed…
Mister Lonely (2008): Dir. Harmony Korine
Feat. Samantha Morton, Diego Luna, Werner Herzog; Surreal drama from the king of skewed cinema Harmony Korine (GUMMO) following two parallel plots about identity: a couple of celeb impersonators…
Mistresses (TV Series) (2008): Feat. Sarah Parish, Sharon Small, Orla Brady…; Provocative Brit series featuring four 30 something friends – a doctor, 9/11 widow, party gal and married mistress that get themselves into all…
Momma's Man (2008): 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…
Mulligans (2008): Dir. Chip Hale
Feat. Thea Gill, Derek James, Dan Payne; Earnest gay drama from Canada centered around an affair between a married man and his son's best friend. Although there's plenty of scope for…
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…
Necessities of Life, The (2008): Dir. Benoit Pilon
Feat. Natar Ungalaaq, Paul-André Brasseur, Eveline Gelinas; This warmhearted tale of a consumptive Inuit hunter who gets sent to Quebec for treatment is an insightful celebration of Inuit tradtion, yet the…
Newcastle (2008): Dir. Dan Castle
Feat. Xavier Samuel, Anthony Hayes, Shane Jacobson…; Sydney’s sun–baked north coast provides the backdrop for this visually dazzling surf movie, based around the male one–upmanship of…
Nick 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…
Nights in Rodanthe (2008): Dir. George C. Wolfe
Feat. Diane Lane, Richard Gere, Viola Davis; Tears–and–tissues adaptation of the Nicholas Sparks novel of two souls at a crossroads in their muddled lives who end up finding solace…
Nothing But The Truth (2008): Dir. Rod Lurie
Feat. Kate Beckinsale, Matt Dillon, Angela Bassett…; Solid political drama 'inspired' on a true story focused around a young journalist who faces imprisonment after outing a CIA agent and refusing to…
Only (2008): Dir. Ingrid Veninger
Feat. Jacob Switzer, Elena Hudgins Lyle; Delicate Canadian coming–of–age drama focused around the relationship between two 12–year–olds who get to know one another…
Other Boleyn Girl, The (2008): Dir. Justin Chadwick
Feat. Natalie Portman, Scarlett Johansson, Eric Bana…; Blue–ribbon adaptation of the best–selling novel by Philippa Gregory, which tells the compulsive true story of sisters Anne and Mary…
Other Man, The (2008): Dir. Richard Eyre
Feat. Laura Linney, Antonio Banderas, Liam Neeson…; Melodrama starring Liam Neeson as a man whose struggle to find his missing and unfaithful wife (Linney) brings him into contact with her new lover…
Our Beloved Month of August (Aquele Querido Mês de Agosto) (2008): Dir. Miguel Gomes
Feat. Sonia Bandeira, Fabio Oliveira; Beautifully idiosyncratic film blending documentary with drama, from distinctive Portuguese director Miguel Gomes (TABU). A summery and romantic…
Oxford Murders, The (2008): Dir. Alex de la Iglesia
Feat. Elijah Wood, John Hurt, Leonor Watling…; At Oxford University, a professor and a grad student work together to try and stop a potential series of murders seemingly linked by mathematical…
Palermo Shooting (2008): Dir. Wim Wenders
Feat. Campino , Giovanna Mezzogiorno, Dennis Hopper; A wild–living, world renowned German photographer travels to Sicily seeking a break from his past and encounters a beautiful woman and Dennis…
Paris (2008): Dir. Cedric Klapisch
Feat. Juliette Binoche, Romain Duris, Mélanie Laurent…; A sweet–natured, if rather slight romantic dramedy, weaving in and out of the lives of a diverse set of heart–worn and heart–won…
Paris 36 (Faubourg 36) (2008): Dir. Christophe Barratier
Feat. Gerard Jugnot, Clovis Cornillac, Kad Merad; This period 30s French drama is set in a struggling music hall that seems destined for closure until a new star comes along to save the day. A love…
Passchendaele (2008): Dir. Paul Gross
Feat. Paul Gross, Caroline Dhavernas; Paul Gross (DUE SOUTH) directs and stars in this impressive wartime drama based on the exploits of the 1st Canadian Division during WWI.
Peaceful 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…
Phantom Punch (2008): Dir. Robert Townsend
Feat. Ving Rhames, Stacey Dash, Nicholas Turturro…; Adding to the growing canon of boxer biopics, this takes a bull–headed look at the great Sonny Liston's story of…
Phoebe in Wonderland (2008): Dir. Daniel Barnz
Feat. Felicity Huffman, Patricia Clarkson, Elle Fanning…; Affecting drama starring Elle Fanning (Dakota's little sister) as an gifted but unstable young girl who retreats into the fantastical world of Alice…
Pictures of You (2008): Dir. Ben Woollen
Feat. Brendan Kavanagh, Jonn Wilson, Bernard Moody…; Youth drama concerning a promising rugby player whose dreams lie far away from the sporting field.
Poker House, The (2008): Dir. Lori Petty
Feat. Jennifer Lawrence, Selma Blair, Bokeem Woodbine…; Tough autobiographical drama set in the 1970s concerns three siblings forced to fend for themselves in the face of a neglectful mother. Well made…
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.…
Quid Pro Quo (2008): Dir. Carlos Brooks
Feat. Nick Stahl, Vera Farmiga; Offbeat indie thriller focused on a wheelchair–bound radio reporter sent to investigate the emerging trend of people paying doctors to remove…
Quiet Chaos (2008): Dir. Antonello Grimaldi
Feat. Nanni Moretti, Valeria Golino, Alessandro Gassman; Eccentrically–pitched extension to Nanni Moretti’s Cannes–winning meditation on grief, THE SON’S ROOM, with the Woody…
Rachel Getting Married (2008): Dir. Jonathan Demme
Feat. Anne Hathaway, Rosemarie DeWitt, Debra Winger…; As a recovering addict sister of a bride–to–be, Anne Hathaway convincingly detours from her vocation as resident Hollywood princess for…
Reader, The (2008): Dir. Stephen Daldry
Feat. Kate Winslet, Ralph Fiennes, David Kross; Kate Winslet won an Oscar for her performance here as a German house–frau in this drama of post–war trauma, with Ralph Fiennes recalling…
Red Baron, The (Der rote Baron) (2008): Dir. Nikolai Müllerschön
Feat. Maxim Mehmet, Til Schweiger, Joseph Fiennes…; Biographical melodrama focused around Baron Manfred von Richthofen, the celebrated showboating WW1 pilot. Thrilling airborne set–pieces make up…
Redbelt (2008): Dir. David Mamet
Feat. Chiwetel Ejiofor, Emily Mortimer, Tim Allen…; Upright and mature David Mamet offering examines the principles behind jujitsu through a small–time, but respected martial arts instructor…
Rest of the Night, The (Il resto della notte ) (2008): Dir. Francesco Munzi
Feat. Sandra Ceccarelli, Aurelien Recoing, Stefano Cassetti…; When the depressed wife of a provincial industrialist becomes convinced that her young Romanian maid is swiping valuable objects from around the…
Revanche (2008): Dir. Gotz Spielmann
Feat. Johannes Krisch, Irina Potapenko, Andreas Lust; A botched bank robbery resulting in the death of a prostitute compels an embittered ex–con to contemplate revenge in this steely, impressive…
Revolutionary Road (2008): Dir. Sam Mendes
Feat. Leonardo DiCaprio, Kate Winslet, Michael Shannon…; The director of AMERICAN BEAUTY directs his real–life wife, Kate Winslet, in another tale of middle–class suburban neurosis and the…
Rudo and Cursi (Rudo y Cursi) (2008): 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…
Salvation (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 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…
Secret Life Of Bees, The (2008): Dir. Gina Prince-Bythewood
Feat. Dakota Fanning, Queen Latifah, Jennifer Hudson…; Honey–soaked drama set in the South during the Civil Rights era follows 14 year old Lily Owens (Fanning), and her relationship with a group of…
Sense and Sensibility (TV Mini-series) (2008): Dir. John Alexander
Feat. David Morrissey, Janet McTeer, Hattie Morahan…; Another BBC adaptation of the Jane Austen novel centered around the Dashwood sisters and their search for love. Adapted by Andrew Davies of BLEAK…
Seraphine (2008): Dir. Martin Provost
Feat. Yolande Moreau, Ulrich Tukur, Anne Bennent; Intimate, Cesar–winning portrait of troubled French artist Seraphine de Senlis, a little–known painter who worked as an impoverished…
Seven Pounds (2008): Dir. Gabriel Muccino
Feat. Will Smith, Rosario Dawson, Woody Harrelson…; Will Smith pairs up again with dir. Muccino (THE PURSUIT OF HAPPYNESS) to play a man who attempts to save the lives of seven strangers in order to…
Sex and the City - The Movie (2008): 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,…
Shifty (2008): Dir. Eran Creevy
Feat. Riz Ahmed, Daniel Mays, Jason Flemyng…; Twitchy character study of of friendship and life on the edge follows reformed bad boy Mays as he accompanies his cocaine dealing mate on his…
Shirin (2008): Dir. Abbas Kiarostami
Feat. Juliette Binoche, Leila Hatami; From Abbas Kiarostami's avant–grade phase, this non–narrative tableaux of Iranian actresses (and one Juliette Binoche) enthralled by a…
Show 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…
Silent Light (Stellet licht) (2008): Dir. Carlos Reygadas; Mexican filmmaker Carlos Reygadas (JAPON, BATTLE IN HEAVEN) helms his third feature with maturity and restraint, offering a striking, earthbound…
Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants 2, The (2008): Dir. Sanaa Hamri
Feat. America Ferrera, Alexis Bledel, Amber Tamblyn…; Solid follow–up drama revisits the lives of the four childhood gal pals from SISTERHOOD OF THE TRAVELLING PANTS three years later as they adapt…
Skin (2008): Dir. Anthony Fabian
Feat. Sophie Okonedo, Sam Neill, Alice Krige…; Stirring biopic of a black girl born to two white parents in Apartheid era South Africa.
Sleepwalking (2008): Dir. Bill Maher
Feat. Nick Stahl, AnnaSophia Robb, Charlize Theron…; This drama of the trials and tribulations of a twelve year old coming to terms with her mother's abandonment is, at times, depressingly downbeat,…
Slumdog Millionaire (2008): Dir. Danny Boyle
Feat. Dev Patel, Anil Kapoor, Saurabh Shukla…; Exhilarating Oscar winner following the tumultuous life of a Mumbai streetkid who suspiciously triumphs on the Indian version of 'Who Wants To Be A…
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 Town (2008): 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…
Song of Sparrows, The (Âvâz-e gonjeshk-hâ) (2008): Dir. Majid Majidi
Feat. Reza Naji; Iranian film following the life of a simple and contented ostrich farmer whose life changes dramatically when he loses his job and travels to Tehran…
Sons of Anarchy (TV Series) (2008): Feat. Katey Sagal, Ron Perlman, Charlie Hunnam…; Muscular television drama centred on a Californian motorcycle club and its Vice President (Hunnam), whose growing ambivalence towards lawlessness is…
Step Up 2: The Streets (2008): Dir. Jon Chu
Feat. Briana Evigan, Robert Hoffman, Adam G. Sevani…; Sequel to the hip–hop dance hit flick following a group of young street dancers battling for supremacy. Well–orchestrated…
Still Walking (2008): Dir. Kore-eda Hirokazu
Feat. Hiroshi Abe, You , Yui Natsukawa…; A recently remarried son (Abe) pays visit to his quietly disapproving parents in this exquisitely observed family drama, shot in the tradition of…
Stone of Destiny (2008): Dir. Charles Martin Smith
Feat. Charlie Cox, Kate Mara, Robert Carlyle…; Crowd–pleasing heist movie following a group of young Glaswegian students as they attempt to steal the Stone of Scone, a beloved symbol of…
Stoning of Soraya M., The (2008): Dir. Cyrus Nowrasteh
Feat. Shohreh Aghdashloo, Jim Caviezel, Mozhan Marno; Fact based account of a rural Iranian woman, framed by her husband for adultery and subsequently murdered with the participation of the wider…
Stop-Loss (2008): Dir. Kimberly Peirce
Feat. Ryan Phillippe, Abbie Cornish, Channing Tatum…; Sincerely handled melodrama from the director of BOYS DON'T CRY, dealing with a disillusioned Texan soldier (Phillippe) who goes AWOL after returning…
Summer Hours (2008): Dir. Olivier Assayas
Feat. Juliette Binoche, Charles Berling, Jeremie Renier…; Three siblings deliberate over the family estate following the death of their mother in this subtle, gorgeously rendered meditation on ‘moving…
Synecdoche, New York (2008): 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…
Taking the Waewae Express (2008): Dir. Andrea Bosshard, Shane Loader
Feat. Matariki Whatarau, Evan Hussey, Isaac Heron…; Grief and resentment affect a Maori family and their friends after a tragic car accident in this honest and open–hearted drama set in…
Telstar (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…
Tender Hook, The (2008): Dir. Jonathan Ogilvie
Feat. Rose Byrne, Hugo Weaving, Matthew Le Nevez…; Noted for its production design and cinematography, this film captures the visual mood of 1920s Sydney to enfold a melodrama of corruption,…
Tess Of The D'Urbervilles (TV Mini-series) (2008): Feat. Gemma Arterton, Eddie Redmayne, Ruth Jones; Sound adaptation of Thomas Hardy's classic tragedy following Tess, the poor peasant girl who becomes an outcast after falling pregnant to her rich…
Things We Lost in the Fire (2008): Dir. Susanne Bier
Feat. Halle Berry, Benicio Del Toro, David Duchovny; A newly widowed mother (Berry) forms an uneasy yet mutually beneficial relationship with her late husband's best friend (Del Toro) as they attempt to…
Three 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…
Tokyo Sonata (2008): Dir. Kiyoshi Kurosawa
Feat. Teruyuki Kagawa, Kyôko Koizumi, Yû Koyanagi…; A devastating contemporary drama from the master of modern malaise, this piercing study of social collapse focuses on an downsized Japanese corporate…
Treeless Mountain (2008): Dir. So Yong Kim
Feat. Hee-yeon Kim, Song-hee Kim, Mi-hyang Kim; Korean–American So Yong Kim directs this moderate, heartfelt drama of two sisters, aged 3 and 6 respectively, who are abandoned by their mother…
Tru 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…
True Blood - Season 1 (TV Series) (2008): Feat. Anna Paquin, Stephen Moyer, Sam Trammell…; Acclaimed series from SIX FEET UNDER creator Alan Ball, set in a world where vampires have 'come out' as members of modern society, and the…
Tudors, The (TV Series) (2008): Feat. Johnathon Rhys-Myers, Jeremy Northam, Sam Neill…; Top–rating British costume drama brings to noughties audiences the rollicking, bed–hopping, head–lopping early years of the court…
Tulpan (2008): Dir. Sergey Dvortsevoy
Feat. Askhat Kuchinchirekov; A goofy love story is eked out of this astonishing account of nomadic life, where a family not only survive but relish sheep and goat herding on the…
Twilight (2008): Dir. Catherine Hardwicke
Feat. Robert Pattinson, Kristen Stewart, Billy Burke…; The first installment of the uber–popular book franchise (by Stephanie Meyer) sees lonely teenage girl Bella fall in love with Edward, a…
Two Lovers (2008): Dir. James Gray
Feat. Joaquin Phoenix, Gwyneth Paltrow, Vinessa Shaw…; Joaquin Phoenix (in reputedly his final film) re–teams with dir. James Gray for this acutely observed ‘anti–romance’, about a bipolar…
Un Secret (2008): Dir. Claude Miller
Feat. Cecile De France, Ludivine Sagnier, Julie Depardieu…; Graceful, poignant French wartime drama centred on the son of a Jewish family who uncovers a piece of unsettling family history at the time of the…
Underbelly - Season 1 (TV Mini-series) (2008): Feat. Vince Colosimo, Kevin Harrington; Gritty, unflinching crime series dramatising the Melbourne gangland killings and seedy underworld, featuring Aussie actors who bear a striking…
Underdog Knight, The (Ying Han) (2008): Dir. Sheng Ding
Feat. Ye Liu, Yong You, Anthony Wong; An offbeat, anti–heroic character study out of mainland China, in which a self–styled martial arts pretender lands a job as bodyguard for…
Veronika Decides to Die (2008): Dir. Emily Young
Feat. Sarah Michelle Gellar, Jonathan Tucker, Erika Christensen…; A failed suicide attempt gives a woman a new lease on life when she wakes to realize that she only has days to live in this adaptation of Paulo…
Vicky Cristina Barcelona (Vicky Christina Barcelona) (2008): 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…
W. (Bush) (2008): Dir. Oliver Stone
Feat. Josh Brolin, Richard Dreyfuss, James Cromwell…; Oliver Stone examines the leadership of former U.S. President George W. Bush in this wayward, if strangely compelling account of the Texan’s…
Wackness, 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…
Waltz With Bashir (Vals Im Bashir) (2008): Dir. Ari Folman; This striking hybrid animation is an audacious attempt to recall, through anecdote, dream, and documentary, the 1982 Israeli–Lebanon war.…
Weirdsville (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…
Wendy and Lucy (2008): Dir. Kelly Reichardt
Feat. Michelle Williams, Will Patton, Will Oldham; Michelle Williams is superb as the distraught owner of a missing dog in this unsentimental yet compassionate tale of financial hardship in Middle…
Wild Blood (Sanguepazzo) (2008): Dir. Marco Tullio Giordana
Feat. Monica Bellucci, Alessio Boni, Luca Zingaretti; Compelling melodrama traces the rise and fall of two movie stars who embrace Fascism under Mussolini's Italy.
Wild Grass (Les Herbes Folles) (2008): 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…
Winged Creatures (Fragments) (2008): Dir. Rowan Woods
Feat. Kate Beckinsale, Dakota Fanning, Guy Pearce…; A tired formula is tackled admirably by Australian dir. Rowan Woods in this high–strung melodrama, revolving around half–a–dozen…
Winter in Wartime (2008): Dir. Martin Koolhoven
Feat. Martijn Lakemeier, Yorick van Wageningen, Jamie Campbell Bower…; Sensitively handled account of a thirteen year old boy who joins the Dutch resistance at the tail end of World War II.
Women, 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…
Wrestler, The (2008): Dir. Darren Aronofsky
Feat. Mickey Rourke, Marisa Tomei, Evan Rachel Wood…; Sensational, credible comeback picture for beleaguered 80's heartthrob Mickey Rourke, who portrays a mirror–image of himself as a…
Wushu - 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…
XIII: The Conspiracy (TV Mini-Series) (2008): Feat. Val Kilmer, Stephen Dorff; Intriguing mini–series set around the premise that the first female President of the United States has been assassinated by an unknown sniper…
Yellow Handkerchief, The (2008): Dir. Udayan Prasad
Feat. William Hurt, Maria Bello, Kristen Stewart…; Set in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, this delicately shaded road movie has two itinerant teens forming an unlikely bond with a man fresh out of…
4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days (4 luni, 3 saptamâni si 2 zile) (2007): Dir. Cristian Mungiu
Feat. Anamaria Marinca, Laura Vasiliu; Two women risk seeking an illegal abortion under Ceausescu rule in this staggering, high tension Cannes–winner from Romania. Reminiscent of…
Across the Universe (2007): Dir. Julie Taymor
Feat. Evan Rachel Wood, Jim Sturgess, Joe Anderson…; Thirty–three tunes from the Beatles songbook are excitably re–constituted for this lavish 'jukebox' musical that threads together a story…
Acting Out (2007): Dir. Danny Merton
Feat. Lara Cox; Girl–centric Australian 'indie' in which a high–schooler grapples with various issues of intimacy and relationships. Suspended from…
Adrift in Manhattan (2007): Dir. Alfredo De Villa
Feat. Heather Graham, Victor Rasuk, William Baldwin…; Character drama set in New York where three lonely urban–types – grieving optometrist, elderly painter and obsessive photographer…
After Him (Après lui) (2007): Dir. Gaël Morel
Feat. Catherine Deneuve, Guy Marchand; Unsettlingly intimate French drama stars Catherine Deneuve as a devastated mother who obsessively channels her dead son by using his best friend as a…
After 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…
Air I Breathe, The (2007): Dir. Jieho Lee
Feat. Brendan Fraser, Forest Whitaker, Andy Garcia…; Slick ensemble drama charting four desperate city dwellers who find their destinies intertwined through the four emotions of Happiness, Pleasure,…
Amal (2007): Dir. Richie Mehta
Feat. Rupinder Nagra; A stoic tale of hardship and humanity in New Dehli, centred on an upstanding rickshaw driver whose code of honesty and responsibility sees a dying…
An Old Mistress (Une vieille maîtresse/The Last Mistress) (2007): Dir. Catherine Breillat
Feat. Asia Argento, Fu’ad Ait Aattou, Caroline Ducey…; Fervent, visually opulent costume drama finds feminist firebrand Catherine Breillat tempering her sexually explicit tendencies to present a…
And When Did You Last See Your Father? (2007): Dir. Anand Tucker
Feat. Jim Broadbent, Colin Firth, Gina McKee…; Based on the bestselling Blake Morrison memoir, this teary terminal drama confronts the strained relationship between a father and son when the…
Angel (2007): Dir. Francois Ozon
Feat. Charlotte Rampling, Sam Neill, Lucy Russell…; Pretty costume drama follows the fortunes of an aspiring lady writer in Edwardian England. Based on the novel by Elizabeth Taylor (MRS PALFREY AT…
Army Wives (TV Series) (2007): Feat. Brian McNamara; Ensemble drama series focused on a group of women, and one guy, who reside with their families on an Army Base and attempt to lead fulfilling lives…
Arranged (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…
Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford, The (2007): Dir. Andrew Dominik
Feat. Brad Pitt, Casey Affleck, Sam Rockwell…; A haunting, psychoanalytical western, revisionist in its interpretation of the relationship between outlaw Jesse James, and his eventual killer,…
Astronaut Farmer, The (2007): Dir. Michael Polish
Feat. Billy Bob Thornton, Virginia Madsen, Bruce Dern…; Billy Bob Thornton plays a little guy with a big dream – an ex–NASA employee who builds his own space–rocket – in this warm…
Atonement (2007): Dir. Joe Wright
Feat. James McAvoy, Keira Knightley, Romola Garai…; Keira Knightley and James McAvoy play out a twisted, unrequited wartime love in this Bafta–adorned tragic–romance from the dir. of PRIDE…
August Rush (2007): Dir. Kirsten Sheridan
Feat. Freddie Highmore, Keri Russell, Jonathan Rhys Meyers…; Celebrating the inspiring power of music, this captivating drama follows the quest of an orphaned musical prodigy who uses his gift to find his…
Away From Her (2007): Dir. Sarah Polley
Feat. Julie Christie, Gordon Pinsent, Olympia Dukakis; Julie Christie stars in this carefully observed drama about a woman with Alzheimer's, her husband, and the tragedy of the disease's 'long goodbye',…
Babysitters, The (2007): Dir. David Ross
Feat. Cynthia Nixon, John Leguizamo, Andy Comeau; Inky black indie dramedy centred on an entrepreneurial teenage babysitter that starts up a call–girl service for married men after getting paid…
Band's Visit, The (Bikur Ha-Tizmoret) (2007): 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…
Banishment, The (2007): Dir. Andrei Zvyagintsev
Feat. Konstantin Lavronenko, Maria Bonnevie; A discordant marriage is framed against a breathtaking visual backdrop in this grand and elemental narrative from the dir. of the equally masterful…
Battle For Haditha (2007): Dir. Nick Broomfield
Feat. Elliot Ruiz, Yasmine Hanani, Matthew Knoll; No ordinary Iraq war flick, this powerful dramatic feature from the inscrutable Nick Broomfield proves no less fearless and 'realistic' than his…
Battle In Seattle (2007): Dir. Stuart Townsend
Feat. Martin Henderson, Michelle Rodriguez, Woody Harrelson…; Seattle’s infamous 1999 World Trade Organisation protests are analysed in this fictional, yet vivid recreation of events, shot admirably from both…
Becoming Jane (2007): Dir. Julian Jarrold
Feat. Anne Hathaway, James McAvoy, Julie Walters…; The early chapters of Jane Austen’s literary life are dramatised in this rose–tinted biopic of her formative romantic…
Before the Rains (2007): Dir. Santosh Sivan
Feat. Linus Roache, Rahul Bose, Nandita Das; Steamy tropical melodrama made under the "Merchant Ivory" banner, set in southern India against the backdrop of a growing nationalist movement. A…
Ben X (2007): Dir. Nic Balthazar
Feat. Greg Timmermans, Marijke Pinoy, Laura Verlinden; A provocative Dutch drama of 21st century teen angst, centred on an Asperger’s Syndrome–afflicted gamer whose addiction to online…
Bet, The (2007): Dir. Mark Lee
Feat. Matthew Newton, Sibylla Budd; High–stakes conceptual matchplay ensues in this battle of rich, pompous capitalists: their wager, to see who can make the most money in 90…
Bird Can't Fly, The (2007): Dir. Threes Anna
Feat. Barbara Hershey, Tony Kgoroge, John Kani; A woman returns to her hometown – a place rapidly disappearing under the encroaching desert, for the funeral of her estranged daughter and…
Black Irish (2007): Dir. Brad Gann
Feat. Michael Angarano, Brendan Gleeson, Melissa Leo…; Probing melodrama concerning deadly sibling rivalry between two Irish American brothers – one an aspiring baseball player and the other a…
Black Snake Moan (2007): 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…
Blind Mountain (2007): Dir. Yang Li
Feat. Huang Lu; A superbly executed kidnapping drama that’s also surprisingly achieved given its critical portrait of Chinese society, this concerns the heinous…
Blue 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) (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…
Boxing Day (2007): Dir. Kriv Stenders
Feat. Richard Green; Uncomfortable, intensely observed backyard drama eavesdrops on an ex–con serving house arrest and trying to go straight. Doing his best to…
Boy A (2007): Dir. John Crowley
Feat. Andrew Garfield, Peter Mullan, Siobhan Finneran; Celebrated British drama following a young man's struggle to adjust to everyday life in Manchester after spending most of his teenagehood in…
Breach (2007): Dir. Billy Ray
Feat. Chris Cooper, Ryan Phillippe, Laura Linney; A first–rate dramatic thriller that pits spy against spy on the American homefront, based on the true story of the FBI's internal investigation…
Breakfast 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…
Brick Lane (2007): Dir. Sarah Gavron
Feat. Tannishtha Chatterjee; Multi–layered drama based on the popular Monica Ali novel focuses on the transformative tale of a young woman forced to leave her Bangladeshi…
Broken English (2007): 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…
Brooklyn Rules (2007): Dir. Michael Corrente
Feat. Alec Baldwin, Scott Caan, Freddie Prinze Jnr.…; Three impressionable Italian Americans must choose to resist or surrender to Mob life in this familiar, but soundly acted coming–of–age,…
Bucket 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…
Burn Notice (TV Series) (2007): Feat. Jeffrey Donovan, Gabrielle Anwar, Bruce Campbell…; Polished spy series following the fate of a "burned" spy let go by the USA government who returns to his hometown of Miama to freelance and uncover…
Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee (2007): Dir. Yves Simoneau
Feat. Aidan Quinn, Adam Beach, Anna Paquin…; Distinguished HBO western based on the 1970 book of the same name by Dee Brown. A historical drama set in the 1860's and 1870's, the plot…
Cake Eaters, The (2007): Dir. Mary Stuart Masterson
Feat. Kristen Stewart, Aaron Stanford, Bruce Dern…; Heartfelt drama follows the fortunes of two families intertwining in rural America, both affected by the terminal illness of a teenager (Kristen…
Californication (TV Series) (2007): 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 (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…
Caramel (Sukkar banat) (2007): Dir. Nadine Labaki
Feat. Nadine Labaki; Charming Lebanese soap opera with a social conscience, the latest in an emerging wave of dissenting Middle Eastern dramas divulges the stifled lives…
Caravaggio (2007): Dir. Angelo Longoni
Feat. Alessio Boni, Elena Sofia Ricci, Jordi Molla…; The tumultuous and adventurous life of Michelangelo Merisi, controversial artist, called by Fate to become the immortal Caravaggio. A violent genius…
Cassandra's Dream (2007): Dir. Woody Allen
Feat. Ewan McGregor, Colin Farrell, Tom Wilkinson…; Woody Allen–directed suspense, rounding out his recent penchant for London–set thrillers, starring Ewan McGregor and Colin Farrell as…
Chacun Son Cinema (To Each His Own Cinema) (2007): 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…
Changing Climates (Changing Climates, Changing Times) (2007): Dir. Marion Milne; Docu–drama predicting how global warming will impact different social groups around the world in the year 2100. Although visually striking,…
Chaos 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'…
Chaotic Ana (Caótica Ana) (2007): Dir. Julio Medem
Feat. Charlotte Rampling, Gerrit Graham, Manuela Vellés; Spanish auteur Julio Medem (SEX AND LUCIA) returns with this abstractly ambitious, idiosyncratic undertaking, meshing the self–exploration of a…
Chapter 27 (2007): Dir. J.P. Schaefer
Feat. Jared Leto, Lindsay Lohan; An uneven historical psycho–drama based on events leading up to the infamous shooting of John Lennon by a deranged loner. While laudable…
Charlie 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…
Checkmate Provenzano (2007): Dir. Claudio Mariano Cirino, Paolo Santolini; Detailed docu–drama recreates the last few months in hiding of notorious Mafia don Bernardo Provenzano whose capture after forty–three…
City of Men (Cidade dos Homens) (2007): Dir. Paulo Morelli
Feat. Douglas Silva, Darlan Cunha; Salty Rio back–blocks melodrama from the producers of CITY OF GOD revolving around two orphaned street kids on the brink of adulthood faced…
Class Apart, A (2007): Dir. Nick Hurran
Feat. Jessie Wallace, Nathaniel Parker, Sanchez Adams; Politically–correct 'take–on–the–system' flick starring "Eastenders" fave Wallace as a working–class single mother who…
Closing the Ring (2007): Dir. Richard Attenborough
Feat. Shirley Maclaine, Christopher Plummer, Mischa Barton…; Richard Attenborough–directed romance set both in the '40s and present–day, following the wartime history of a ring and an unbreakable…
Clubland (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…
Company, The (TV Series) (2007): Dir. Mikael Salomon
Feat. Chris O'Donnell, Alfred Molina, Michael Keaton…; Three–part miniseries based on the novel by Robert Littell, set during the Cold War and following the CIA, KGB, MI6 and Mossad, with a…
Control (2007): Dir. Anton Corbijn
Feat. Sam Riley, Samantha Morton, Alexandra Maria Lara; Revered music–scene photographer and video–maker Anton Corbijn makes a fitting directorial debut with this moving–image portrait of…
Cranford (TV Mini-series) (2007): Dir. Simon Curtis
Feat. Judi Dench, Eileen Atkins, Philip Glenister…; Outstanding, atypical British costumer with Dame Judy and other bonneted Victorian women chewing the fat in 1840s Cheshire, England. Based on…
Crazy (2007): Dir. Rick Bieber
Feat. Ali Larter, Waylon Payne; Unlikely musical biopic of legendary guitarist Hank Garland, charting the instrumentalist’s career highs, troubled relationships and personal…
Damages (TV Series) (2007): Feat. Glenn Close, Rose Byrne, Ted Danson…; Complex, high–stakes, aggressively acted legal drama starring Glenn Close as a power–suited litigator tackling a major class action…
Dangerous Parking (2007): Dir. Peter Howitt
Feat. Peter Howitt, Saffron Burrows, Sean Pertwee…; Hard–hitting, loosely autobiographical drama concerning a British film director’s struggle to overcome a vast number of crippling,…
Darjeeling Limited, The (2007): Dir. Wes Anderson
Feat. Adrien Brody, Owen Wilson, Jason Schwartzman…; Idiosyncratic comedy from the dir. of THE ROYAL TENENBAUMS combines a dusty, nostalgic sub–continental adventure–quest with a whimsical…
Dark Matter (2007): Dir. Shi-Zheng Chen
Feat. Meryl Streep, Aidan Quinn, Liu Ye; Inspired by real events, this dramatisation of a brilliant Chinese science student's psychological downfall at an Iowan university is a mostly…
Day Zero (2007): Dir. Bryan Gunnar Cole
Feat. Elijah Wood, Jon Bernthal, Chris Klein…; A 'what if scenario' study of three New Yorkers facing the draft in an alternate post–9/11 reality. There's embattled Ivy Leaguer Chris…
Days and Clouds (2007): Dir. Silvio Soldini
Feat. Margherita Buy, Antonio Albanese, Giuseppe Battiston…; Resonating drama about a well–heeled, sophisticated couple who struggle to stay together after the husband loses his job. The dir. of BREAD…
Dead Clever (The Life and Crimes of Julie Bottomley) (2007): Dir. Dearbhla Walsh
Feat. Suranne Jones, Helen Baxendale, Dean Lennox Kelly; Smart British suburban thriller in which a scorned wife extracts wicked revenge on her cheating husband. A simple concept that skirts the line…
Death Defying Acts (2007): Dir. Gillian Armstrong
Feat. Guy Pearce, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Saoirse Ronan…; Handsomely mounted period romp from Aussie director Gillian Armstrong in which the illustrious escape–artist Harry Houdini (Pearce) becomes…
December Boys (2007): Dir. Rod Hardy
Feat. Daniel Radcliffe, Jack Thompson, Kris McQuade…; Sunbaked, nostalgic Aussie coming–of–age drama centred on four teenage orphans whose tight friendships are tested when a family looks…
Desperate Housewives (TV Series) - Season 4 (2007-2008): Feat. Teri Hatcher, Felicity Huffman, Marcia Cross…; More episodes from the popular drama–black comedy set among the denizens of suburban America. 17 episodes over five discs.
Diary of a Nobody, The (2007): Dir. Susanna White
Feat. Hugh Bonneville; Strong adaptation of the famous novel follows the ups and downs of the insignificant Mr Pooter through the course of a year. Performed entirely by…
Dirty Sexy Money (TV Series) (2007): Feat. Peter Krause, Donald Sutherland, William Baldwin…; Saucy TV drama following a New York family dripping in money and power, with closely guarded scandalous secrets just waiting to be leaked to the…
Disengagement (2007): Dir. Amos Gitai
Feat. Juliette Binoche, Jeanne Moreau, Liron Levo; Juliette Binoche plays a French–Israeli settler in Gaza who must return to the West Bank following Israel’s pullout from the occupied…
Diving Bell and the Butterfly, The (Le Scaphandre et Le Papillon) (2007): Dir. Julian Schnabel
Feat. Mathieu Amalric, Emmanuelle Seigner, Marie-Josee Croze; Justly celebrated adaptation of the autobiography of the late Jean–Dominique Bauby, who enjoyed the high life as editor of Elle magazine before…
Don't Touch the Axe (Duchess of Langeais, The) (2007): Dir. Jacques Rivette
Feat. Jeanne Balibar, Guillaume Depardieu, Bulle Ogier…; A duchess and a general play out an unusual courtship in this engrossing period chamber piece, elevated by the superb interplay between the two…
Durham County (TV Series) (2007-2008): Feat. Hugh Dillon; An emotionally powerful series centered around Detective Mike Sweeney and his family as he hunts a serial killer he's certain is the guy across the…
East West 101 (TV Series) (2007): Feat. Don Hany, William McInnes, Susie Porter; A contemporary, racially–charged policier by way of blue collar Sydney, observing the volatile working relationship between an old–school…
Edge of Heaven, The (Auf der anderen Seite) (2007): Dir. Fatih Akin
Feat. Hanna Schygulla; Prompted by family upheaval, a university professor reconnects with his native Turkey, and other disparate lost souls, in this dramatic tapestry of…
Education of Charlie Banks, The (2007): Dir. Fred Durst
Feat. Jesse Eisenberg, Jason Ritter, Eva Amurri; Modest drama set in the seventies concerning the tentative friendship between bookish Eisenberg and thug for hire Ritter. Surprisingly solid…
Eichmann (2007): Dir. Robert Young
Feat. Thomas Kretschmann, Troy Garity, Franke Potente…; Middling account of Adolf Eichmann's confessions as the architect of Hitler's plan for the final solution. German Kretschmann is strong in the title…
Elizabeth - The Golden Age (2007): Dir. Shekhar Kapur
Feat. Cate Blanchett, Geoffrey Rush, Clive Owen…; Cate Blanchett reprises her all–conquering role as Queen of England, in dir. Shekhar Kapur’s grandiose sequel to 1998’s acclaimed…
Elvis And Annabelle (2007): Dir. Will Geiger
Feat. Max Minghella, Blake Lively, Joe Mantegna…; Oddball indie romance sees a beauty queen (Lively) die in an accident, only to share an unlikely romance with a young man when she is unexpectedly…
Empties (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…
Evening (2007): Dir. Lajos Koltai
Feat. Claire Danes, Toni Collette, Vanessa Redgrave…; All–star, womanly melodrama unveils the secret life of an ailing matriarch (Redgrave), whose remembrance of an intense, tragic love fifty years…
Ex Drummer (2007): Dir. Koen Mortier
Feat. Dries Van Hegen; Ultra–violent Belgian black comedy mines similar territory to MAN BITES DOG and IRREVERSIBLE, albeit with a slightly higher dose of absurdity…
Extraordinary Rendition (2007): Dir. Jim Threapleton
Feat. Andy Serkis, Omar Berdouni, Ania Sowinski; Topical, slightly underdone small–budget political thriller tracks a forward thinking UK teacher who is abducted and brutally tortured in an…
Fallen Angel (TV Series) (2007): Dir. David Drury
Feat. Emilia Fox, Charles Dance, Clare Holman; Disquieting Brit crime thriller fixed on the story of a murderess, starting at her most recent crime then winding back through time to reveal her…
Fanny Hill (TV Mini-series) (2007): Dir. James Hawes
Feat. Rebecca Night, Hugo Speer, Alison Steadman; 'Naughty' BBC period drama telling the tale of Fanny, a young Yorshire girl who moves to London only to be seduced into the word's oldest profession.…
Far North (2007): Dir. Asif Kapadia
Feat. Michelle Yeoh, Michelle Krusiec, Sean Bean…; On the Arctic tundra a starving stranger is thrown upon the charity of two Inuit women, driven to isolation by fear of prophecy and a violent past,…
Feast of Love (2007): Dir. Robert Benton
Feat. Morgan Freeman, Greg Kinnear, Radha Mitchell…; Sage old bean Morgan Freeman dishes out romantic advice to unlucky–in–love Greg Kinnear and others in this feelgood drama about hopeless…
Fighter (2007): Dir. Natasha Arthy
Feat. Semra Turan, Nima Nabipour, Cyron Bjørn Melville; Girls–can–do–anything drama focused around a young Turkish–Danish teenager who is determined to become a kung–fu…
Finn's Girl (2007): Dir. Dominique Cardona, Laurie Colbert
Feat. Brooke Johnson, Yanna McIntosh, Maya Ritter; Satisfying lesbian drama following a busy Doctor running an abortion clinic amidst controversy and protests, while simultaneously coping with…
Flight of the Red Balloon, The (Le Voyage du Ballon Rouge) (2007): Dir. Hou Hsiao-Hsien
Feat. Juliette Binoche; From Taiwanese grandmaster Hou Hsiao–hsien, this rhapsodic French sojourn evokes Albert Lamorisse’s enchanting 1956 short film, chronicling a…
Four 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…
Fox and the Child, The (Le renard et l'enfant) (2007): Dir. Luc Jacquet
Feat. Bertille Noël-Bruneau, Isabelle Carré; A visually impressive, curious hybrid from the director of MARCH OF THE PENGUINS that combines nature documentary and a "fairy tale" look at the…
Freedom Writers (2007): Dir. Richard LaGravenese
Feat. Hilary Swank, Patrick Dempsey, Imelda Staunton; Hilary Swank guides a classroom of problem students through the quagmire of racial and political divide in this uplifting paean to…
Fugitive Pieces (2007): Dir. Jeremy Podeswa
Feat. Stephen Dillane, Rade Serbedzija, Rosamund Pike; Coming–of–age drama centered around a man who cannot forget his childhood experiences during WW2, and his struggle to overcome his…
Garage (2007): Dir. Lenny Abrahamson
Feat. Pat Shortt, Anne-Marie Duff, Conor Ryan; Studious Irish tragi–comedy centred on an ostracised small–town petrol station owner who attempts to open up to those around him with…
Georgia 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…
Girl by the Lake, The (La ragazza del lago) (2007): Dir. Andrea Molaioli
Feat. Toni Servillo, Denis Fasolo, Nello Mascia…; A murder–mystery that swept Italy's Academy Awards set in an idyllic North Italian village where a beautiful young girl is found murdered.…
Girl in the Park, The (2007): Dir. David Auburn
Feat. Sigourney Weaver, Kate Bosworth, Alessandro Nivola…; In playwright David Auburn's directorial debut a deeply afflicted woman faces the possibility that her daughter, missing for 16 years, has…
Go Go Tales (2007): Dir. Abel Ferrara
Feat. Willem Dafoe, Bob Hoskins, Asia Argento…; Abel Ferrara's mouthy comedy is a welcome return to form set entirely inside the walls of a failing strip club where Willem Defoe presides as the…
Go-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 (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, 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…
Goodbye Bafana (Color of Freedom) (2007): Dir. Bille August
Feat. Joseph Fiennes, Dennis Haysbert, Diane Kruger; Nelson Mandela's imprisonment and subsequent friendship with a bigoted Afrikaner prison warden is eavesdropped in this humanist portrait of a crucial…
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'…
Grey's Anatomy (TV Series) - Season 4 (2007-2008): Feat. Ellen Pompeo, Patrick Dempsey, Sandra Oh…; Fourth season of the popular female–driven medical soap, continuing the trials and tribulations of five first–year interns as they juggle…
Grocer's Son, The (Le fils de l'épicier) (2007): Dir. Eric Guirado
Feat. Nicolas Cazalé, Clotilde Hesme, Daniel Duval…; Gentle coming–of–age story following Antoine, a self–centered young man living in Paris, who is forced to return to his provincial…
Guru (2007): Dir. Mani Ratnam
Feat. Aishwarya Rai, Mithun Chakraborty, Abhishek Bachchan; Rewarding rags–to–riches drama relates the story of an entrepreneurial young boy from a village in Gujarat who became the biggest…
Hallam Foe (Mister Foe) (2007): Dir. David Mackenzie
Feat. Jamie Bell, Sophia Myles, Ciaran Hinds…; Jamie Bell plays the film's titular voyeur, a compulsive rooftop snoop in pursuit of justice and love, in this breezy, twisted romance. Fleeing…
Hannah Takes the Stairs (2007): Dir. Joe Swanberg
Feat. Greta Gerwig, Kent Osborne, Andrew Bujalski…; Indistinct mumblecore entry chronicles the restless relations between a trio of post–graduates working in a Chicago production…
He 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…
Heartbeat Detector (La Question Humaine) (2007): Dir. Nicolas Klotz
Feat. Mathieu Amalric, Michael Lonsdale, Lou Castel…; A dense, demanding corporate thriller woven around a German multinational, whose human resources expert (Amalric), in investigating the mental state…
Home Song Stories, The (2007): Dir. Tony Ayres
Feat. Joan Chen, Joel Lok; Dir. Tony Ayres’ heartbreaking semi–autobiography of growing up in the seventies, starring Joan Chen as an alluring Shanghai nightclub…
Honeydripper (2007): Dir. John Sayles
Feat. Danny Glover, Keb Mo, Mable John; Musical drama featuring a number of blues musicians in acting roles, from director John Sayles (LONESTAR). Set in rural Alabama in the 50's, where a…
House - Season 4 (TV Series) (2007): Feat. Hugh Laurie; Further episodes from the Hugh Laurie–fronted hospital thriller, which involve his medical team having to unravel baffling cases,…
How She Move (2007): Dir. Ian Iqbal Rashid
Feat. Rutina Wesley, DeRay Davis; Energised yet predictable street drama of a young woman who uses her mean dance moves to rise above a bleak existence and achieve her dreams. A…
Hunting and Gathering (2007): Dir. Claude Berri
Feat. Audrey Tautou, Guillaume Canet, Laurent Stocker…; A waif–thin artist/cleaner (Tautou) gains a new lease on life after a chance encounter with a dignified stutterer in this heartwarming lost…
I'm Not There (2007): Dir. Todd Haynes
Feat. Cate Blanchett, Christian Bale, Heath Ledger…; Arthouse maestro Todd Haynes directs this deliciously cinematic, kaleidoscopic musing on the life of Bob Dylan, with six different actors portraying…
Il Dolce E L'Amaro (The Sweet and The Bitter) (2007): Dir. Andrea Porporati
Feat. Donatella Finocchiaro, Luigi Lo Cascio, Fabrizio Gifuni; Compact underworld drama peddles a familiar crime–doesn’t–pay theme in its story of a young man seduced by the Mafia, only to become…
In Search Of A Midnight Kiss (2007): 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 City of Sylvia (2007): Dir. José Luis Guerín
Feat. Xavier Lafitte, Pilar López de Ayala; A bouquet of visual and aural pleasures, this sensually shot mood–piece follows an unnamed artist who in turn ‘stalks’ a fetching young…
In 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…
In the Valley of Elah (2007): Dir. Paul Haggis
Feat. Tommy Lee Jones, Charlize Theron, Susan Sarandon…; Calculated military mystery from the director of CRASH, concerning an out–of–touch dad (Jones) searching for his missing son who has gone…
Inner 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…
Into the Wild (2007): Dir. Sean Penn
Feat. Emile Hirsch, Marcia Gay Harden, William Hurt…; With his trademark earnestness, Sean Penn adapts Jon Krakauer's nonfiction book about a 22–year–old who dropped out of society in the…
Irina Palm (2007): Dir. Sam Garbarski
Feat. Marianne Faithful, Miki Manojlovic; Iconic 60's performer and actress Marianne Faithfull plays against type as a reserved grandmother tempted into taking up work as a sought–after…
It's A Free World (2007): Dir. Ken Loach
Feat. Kierston Wareing, Juliet Ellis, Leslaw Zurek; Sleeper from dir. Loach sees an unemployed single mother take advantage of a recent influx of Polish immigrants in her neighbourhood by setting up a…
Jane Austen Book Club, The (2007): Dir. Robin Swicord
Feat. Kathy Baker, Maria Bello, Emily Blunt…; A refreshing 'click flick' in which six Californians convene to discuss the literary works of Jane Austen and discover their own lives are starting…
John From Cincinnati (TV Series) (2007): Feat. Rebecca De Mornay, Greyson Fletcher, Bruce Greenwood; Short–lived oddity from the creator of DEADWOOD set amongst a surfing community in California, where a stranger with mysterious powers shakes…
Joshua (2007): Dir. George Ratliff
Feat. Sam Rockwell, Vera Farmiga, Celia Weston…; Carefully drawn psychological thriller in which a precocious child of Manhattan's wealthy elite starts to act up – in a creepy, possibly…
Joy Division (2007): Dir. Reg Traviss
Feat. Ed Stoppard, Tom Schilling, Bernadette Heerwagen…; Ed Stoppard, son of Sir Tom, stars as a young German boy who becomes a KGB agent in this ambitious wartime saga that sweeps from WWII to swinging,…
Juno (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…
Kaidan (2007): Dir. Hideo Nakata
Feat. Kumiko Aso; Period J–horror from the director of THE RING relays the ghostly tale of a samurai’s son attempting to escape an ancient curse laid on his…
Katyn (2007): Dir. Andrzej Wajda
Feat. Maja Ostaszewska, Artur Żmijewski, Pawel Malaszynski; Andrzej Wajda cements himself as Poland’s greatest director with this late–career triumph, a war story addressing the eradication of some…
King Lear (2007): Dir. Trevor Nunn
Feat. Ian McKellen, Frances Barber, Sylvester McCoy…; The Royal Shakespeare Company's 2007 adaptation sees McKellen as his commanding best in the titular role, with an equally terrific performance from…
Kissy Kissy (2007): Dir. Alexander Greenhough, Elric Kane
Feat. Daniel Northcott, Dick Whyte, Tania Nolan…; Aro Valley–made DV drama concerns the intersecting lives of a cast and crew on a low budget movie, and the all–too–familiar…
Kite Runner, The (2007): Dir. Marc Forster
Feat. Khalid Abdalla, Homayon Ershadi, Shaun Toub…; The ravages of Afghanistan and its effect on an American 'refugee' forms the basis of Khaled Hosseini's best–selling book, here given due…
La Vie en Rose (2007): Dir. Olivier Dahan
Feat. Marion Cotillard, Sylvie Testud, Emmanuelle Seigner…; Marion Cotillard excels (and deservingly won a Best Actress Oscar) in this stunning new biopic of the life and times of French singer Edith…
La Zona (2007): Dir. Rodrigo Plá
Feat. Daniel Giménez Cacho, Carlos Bardem, Daniel Tovar…; Award winning, intensely scripted and thought provoking drama set in a wealthy Mexican compound where the residents have formed a vigilante group to…
Lars 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…
Last King of Scotland, The (2007): Dir. Kevin MacDonald
Feat. Forest Whitaker, James McAvoy, Kerry Washington…; A riveting tale of the seductive nature of power, this is worth the admission alone for Forest Whitaker’s astonishing Oscar–winning turn as…
Last Magic Show, The (2007): Dir. Andy Conlan
Feat. Andy Conlan, Jade Collins, Michael Hurst; Gothic New Zealand drama with a hint of romance follows a disturbed magician searching for his next great career move and a replacement assistant…
Lessons 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…
Lewis (TV Series) (2007-2015): Feat. Kevin Whatley, Laurence Fox, Clare Holman…; Spin–off to the popular INSPECTOR MORSE series, this Brit detective drama follows a newly promoted Inspector and his sidekick investigating…
Life Before Her Eyes, The (2007): Dir. Vadim Perelman
Feat. Uma Thurman, Evan Rachel Wood, Eva Amurri; The seemingly idyllic life of a suburban mother of two (Thurman) is upended by a traumatic event from her past, in this ominous melodrama from the…
Like Stars on Earth (Taare Zameen Par) (2007): Dir. Aamir Khan
Feat. Darsheel Safary, Aamir Khan, Tisca Chopra; Drama from Indian actor–director Aamir Khan (3 IDIOTS) following the life of an imaginative 8–year old boy with diagnosed dyslexia, who…
Lilies (TV Series) (2007): Feat. Catherine Tyldesley, Kerrie Hayes, Leanne Rowe; Soap opera–tinged drama series follows three young Catholic women as they struggle to make ends meet in a post–WW1 Liverpool. 8…
Lions for Lambs (2007): Dir. Robert Redford
Feat. Robert Redford, Meryl Streep, Tom Cruise; A contemporary 'hot potato' issue is tackled from political, academic, militaristic and journalistic viewpoints, drawing an ultimately powerful…
Little Traitor, The (2007): Dir. Lynn Roth
Feat. Alfred Molina, Ido Port; Coming–of–age drama about a spirited young Israeli boy and his unlikely friendship with a British sergeant in Palestine in…
Look (2007): Dir. Adam Rifkin
Feat. Rhys Coiro, Hayes MacArthur, Giuseppe Andrews; Grungy, thought–provoking examination of our voyeuristic and paranoid modern culture told through several interweaving stories entirely…
Lorna's Silence (Le Silence de Lorna) (2007): Dir. Luc and Jean-Pierre Dardenne
Feat. Arta Dobroshi, Jeremie Renier, Fabrizio Rongione; Further tales of hardship from the Cannes–winning Dardenne brothers, concerning the plight of an Albanian woman seeking Belgian citizenship…
Love Comes Lately (2007): Dir. Jan Schutte
Feat. Otto Tausig, Caroline Aaron, Olivia Thirlby…; This well–spun octogenarian yarn dwells on the boundless sexual pursuits of an elderly cad (Tausig), whose lust for life jeopardises the…
Lucky Miles (2007): Dir. Michael James Rowland
Feat. Rodney Afif; Based on real events, this timely, topical Aussie drama concerns a group of Iraqi and Cambodian refugees inadvertently stranded on the Australian…
Lucky You (2007): Dir. Curtis Hanson
Feat. Eric Bana, Drew Barrymore, Robert Duvall…; Eric Bana plays an expert card shark – and artful dodger of relationship commitment – determined to conquer the World Series of…
Lusitania - Murder on the Atlantic (2007): Dir. Christopher Spencer
Feat. John Hannah, Kenneth Cranham; Historically imperative docu–drama retelling the tragic story of the cruise liner Lusitania that was torpedoed by a German U–Boat off the…
Lust, Caution (Se, Jie) (2007): Dir. Ang Lee
Feat. Tony Leung (Chiu-wai), Joan Chen, Wei Tang…; Dir. Ang Lee (BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN) returns to the mainland to present a slow–burn, psychologically dense and provocative spy thriller, based on…
Mad Men - Season 1 (TV Series) (2007): Feat. Jon Hamm, Elisabeth Moss, Vincent Kartheiser…; 60's–New–York–set television drama series focused on an ad exec basking in the glow of the golden age of advertising. An…
Man from Earth, The (2007): Dir. Richard Schenkman
Feat. Tony Todd, William Katt; Considered sci–fi focused on a history professor who unexpectedly resigns without reason, until he reveals the shocking secret that he is…
Man Who Lost His Head, The (2007): Dir. Terry Johnson
Feat. Martin Clunes, John Leigh, Nicola Kawana; Martin Clunes plays a museum curator on a New Zealand sojourn, traveling from Britain to the small Maori community of Otakataka appealing the return…
Manual of Love 2 (Capitoli successivi) (2007): Dir. Giovanni Veronesi
Feat. Carlo Verdone, Monica Bellucci, Riccardo Scamarcio; Monica Bellucci climbs abroad in this wry sequel. Director Giovanni Veronesi delves once again into the mysterious recesses of the human heart and…
Margot at the Wedding (2007): Dir. Noah Baumbach
Feat. Nicole Kidman, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Jack Black; Nicole Kidman stars as an acid–tongued, permafrosty writer in Noah Baumbach's (THE SQUID & THE WHALE) ongoing treatment of middle–aged…
Married Life (2007): Dir. Ira Sachs
Feat. Chris Cooper, Pierce Brosnan, Patricia Clarkson…; A potentially murderous love quadrangle develops between two wealthy businessmen – one of whom is married – and the mistress they covet…
Maxwell (2007): Dir. Colin Barr
Feat. David Suchet, Dan Stevens, Patricia Hodge; The last days of newspaper tycoon Robert Maxwell are well captured in this, and especially well performed by David Suchet.
Michael Clayton (2007): Dir. Tony Gilroy
Feat. George Clooney, Tilda Swinton, Tom Wilkinson…; Razor–sharp legal thriller involving a sprawling class–action law suit and alleged cover–up, George Clooney plays a humble legal…
Mighty Heart, A (2007): Dir. Michael Winterbottom
Feat. Angelina Jolie, Dan Futterman; Michael Winterbottom's sober, well–acted docudrama covering the 2002 abduction of Wall Street Journal reporter Danny Pearl by Pakistani…
Miss Marie Lloyd (2007): Dir. James Hawes
Feat. Jessica Wallace, Richard Armitage, Shaun Parkes…; Vintage–styled bio–pic dramatising the life of Miss Marie Lloyd – a scandalous Music Hall performer renowned for her lewd songs…
Mist, The (2007): Dir. Frank Darabont
Feat. Thomas Jane, Marcia Gay Harden; Unnerving horror adapted from a Stephen King short story about a mysterious mist which rolls into a small town in Maine, driving the townsfolk to…
Monkey Puzzle (2007): Dir. Mark Forstmann; A camping trip in search of a rare tree goes pear–shaped for a group of Aussie twenty–somethings as they lose their bearings and their…
Music Within (2007): Dir. Steven Sawalich
Feat. Ron Livingston, Melissa George, Michael Sheen…; Inspirational biopic based on the true story of a Vietnam War soldier sent home after losing his hearing who embarks on a mission to help fellow…
My Blueberry Nights (2007): Dir. Wong Kar-Wai
Feat. Norah Jones, Jude Law, David Strathairn…; Urban romantic Wong Kar–wai transposes the style and erstwhile longing of his Hong Kong mood pieces to the United States, with songbird Norah…
My Boy Jack (2007): Dir. Brian Kirk
Feat. David Haig, Daniel Radcliffe, Kim Cattrall…; Haunting WW1 drama based on Rudjard Kipling's poem of the same name based on Kipling's own experience of guilt and consequences after insisting his…
My Brother Is An Only Child (Mio Fratello è Figlio Unico) (2007): Dir. Daniele Luchetti
Feat. Elio Germano, Riccardo Scamarcio, Angela Finocchiaro…; The struggle between popular Communist and Fascist groups in 60's Italy is the stage for this tale of hot–headed sibling and filial conflict.…
My Winnipeg (2007): Dir. Guy Maddin
Feat. Darcey Fehr, Ann Savage, Amy Stewart…; Jolly fantasy–autobiography concerning the sleepy whirlpool of director Guy Maddin’s birthplace Winnipeg, his love/hate relationship with the…
Nanny 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…
Nightwatching (2007): Dir. Peter Greenaway
Feat. Martin Freeman, Emily Holmes, Eva Birthistle; Ambitious re–telling of the creation of Rembrant's famous 1642 Nightwatch, the controversial painting that ultimately lead the Dutch master to…
Nina'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…
Nines, The (2007): Dir. John August
Feat. Ryan Reynolds, Hope Davis, Melissa McCarthy…; Exigent thriller commenting on the realities of Hollywood, told by way of three connected stories inside the minds of an actor, a screenwriter and a…
No 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…
Noise (2007): Dir. Matthew Saville
Feat. Brendan Cowell, Maia Thomas; An impressive Australian modern 'noir', refreshingly off–centred around a hearing–afflicted cop who is assigned the night shift at a…
Noise (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…
Noodle (2007): Dir. Ayelet Menahemi
Feat. Mili Avital, BaoQi Chen; Satisfying, well–realized tale of an Israeli flight attendant who becomes the reluctant guardian of a six–year–old Chinese boy…
Normal (2007): Dir. Carl Bessai
Feat. Carrie-Anne Moss, Kevin Zegers, Callum Keith Rennie; Multi–character drama links the seemingly unrelated stories of three strangers whose lives are altered overnight after a tragic car…
O'Horten (2007): 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…
Oliver Twist (TV Mini-series) (2007): Dir. Coky Giedroyc
Feat. Rob Brydon, Sophie Okonedo, Timothy Spall; BAFTA–winning Mini–series version of the world's most infamous orphan story brought to life by a selection of Britain's finest current…
One Hundred Nails (Centochidi) (2007): Dir. Ermanno Olmi
Feat. Raz Degan, Luna Bendandi; Quiet, thoughtful drama involving a jaded professor who in a fit of apostasy flees to the countryside only to be taken for Jesus by the locals.
Othello (2007): Dir. Wilson Milam
Feat. Tim McInnerny, Eamonn Walker, Zoe Tapper; Live recording of the Shakespearian tragedy of racial tension and raging jealousy, performed here for the first time at Shakespeare's Globe Theatre.…
P.S. I Love You (2007): Dir. Richard LaGravenese
Feat. Hilary Swank, Gerard Butler, Lisa Kudrow…; Teary afterlife romance from the dir. of LIVING OUT LOUD, about a series of love notes left for a grieving widow (Swank) by her deceased…
Paranoid Park (2007): Dir. Gus Van Sant
Feat. Taylor Momsen; Gus Van Sant shoots Blake Nelson’s coming–of–age novella, about a young skateboarder’s complicity in the death of a security guard,…
Partition (2007): Dir. Vic Sarin
Feat. Jimi Mistry, Kristin Kreuk, Neve Campbell…; Epic cross–cultural romantic drama set during the partition of India and Pakistan, told through the touching relationship between an ex British…
Persepolis (2007): 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…
Persuasion (2007): Dir. Adrian Shergold
Feat. Sally Hawkins, Rupert Penry-Jones, Alice Krige…; Brisk, sombre–toned ITV production of the Austen romance about the attempt to re–kindle a romance, previously doomed by class division…
Poor Boy's Game (2007): Dir. Clement Virgo
Feat. Rossif Sutherland, Danny Glover, Flex Alexander…; Quietly powerful boxing drama follows a paroled pugilist as he struggles with life on the outside. At times dir. Virgo's customary visual panache…
Premonition (2007): Dir. Mennan Yapo
Feat. Sandra Bullock, Julian McMahon; Sandra Bullock loses her husband to a car accident – or does she? – in this eerie time–bending thriller. While Bullock haters will view…
Private Practice (TV Series) (2007): Feat. Amy Brenneman, Taye Diggs, Tim Daly…; From the creators of GREY'S ANATOMY comes this spin–off series following the fate of neonatal surgeon Dr. Addison Montgomery (Kate Walsh) as…
Rails and Ties (2007): Dir. Alison Eastwood
Feat. Kevin Bacon, Marcia Gay Harden, Miles Heizer; Finely tuned character–driven drama from first–time director Alison Eastwood (Clint Eastwood's daughter) focused on a man who learns how…
Reaping, The (2007): Feat. Hilary Swank, David Morrissey, Idris Elba…; Apocalyptic horror hokum set in bible belt America, with Hilary Swank managing to rise above the schlock as a former missionary turned scientific…
Redacted (2007): Dir. Brian De Palma
Feat. Patrick Carroll; In typically melodramatic, unorthodox and ironic fashion, Brian De Palma returns with this wartime drama based on the true story of a group of…
Reign Over Me (2007): Dir. Mike Binder
Feat. Adam Sandler, Don Cheadle, Liv Tyler…; Soulful human drama that examines the channeling of grief and the need for outlets, with Adam Sandler playing it straight as a man who lost his…
Rendition (2007): Dir. Gavin Hood
Feat. Jake Gyllenhaal, Reese Witherspoon, Peter Sarsgaard…; Frenetic thriller by dir. of TSOTSI concerns Witherspoon's desperate search for her husband after he goes missing on an international flight,…
Reservation Road (2007): Dir. Terry George
Feat. Joaquin Phoenix, Mark Ruffalo, Jennifer Connelly…; Emotionally charged thriller from the director of HOTEL RWANDA set around two families whose lives will forever be intertwined after a hasty father…
Resurrecting the Champ (2007): Dir. Rod Lurie
Feat. Samuel L. Jackson, Josh Hartnett, Dakota Goyo; Character–driven drama focused on a young sports reporter (Hartnett) who tries to resurrect the career of a homeless man (Jackson) who he…
Rocket 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…
Roman Mysteries (TV Series) (2007): Children's mystery series set in 79 AD, Rome, based on a series of kids books that focuses on a group of young friends embarking on crime solving…
Romance Of Astrea and Ceadon, The (2007): Dir. Eric Rohmer
Feat. Stéphanie Crayencour, Andy Gillet, Cécile Cassel…; Eric Rohmer, master of the seasonal romantic tryst, steps out with this playful adaptation of a 17th century French novel, in which a handsome…
Romulus, My Father (2007): Dir. Richard Roxburgh
Feat. Eric Bana, Franke Potente, Marton Csokas…; Actor Richard Roxburgh debuts from behind the camera in this evocative, richly hued memoir of a devoted immigrant father, and his adoring…
Room with a View, A (2007): Dir. Nicholas Renton
Feat. Elaine Cassidy, Rafe Spall, Timothy Spall…; Sumptuous remake of the 1985 film, based on the E.M. Forster novel, of a daring young woman made to choose between two desirable suitors after moving…
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…
Running Deep (2007): Dir. Mark Kokkoros
Feat. Douglas. A. Hary; Affecting drama involving a scattered family unit who upon hearing of the death of their mother decide to meet up with unpredictably tragic results.…
Rush Hour (The Trial Begins) (2007): Dir. Vincenzo Marra
Feat. Michelle Lastella, Fanny Ardant, Giulia Bevilacqua…; Tightly directed drama about the temptation of amoral manipulation. Italian tax official Filippo makes himself guilty of fraud and bribery to join…
Saawariya (Beloved) (2007): Dir. Sanjay Leela Bhansali
Feat. Ranbir Kapoor, Sonam Kapoor; Notable for being the first mainstream Hindi movie to be funded by a U.S. studio, this stylistically decadent romance of unrequited love and desire…
Satisfaction (TV Series) (2007): 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…
Saturn in Opposition (Saturno Contro) (2007): Dir. Ferzan Ozpetek
Feat. Stefano Accorsi, Margherita Buy, Pierfrancesco Favino; Sensitive ensemble drama exploring the relationships of a group of friends who meet regularly for dinner. Ozpetek brings his characters…
Savage Grace (2007): Dir. Tom Kalin
Feat. Julianne Moore, Stephen Dillane, Eddie Redmayne…; Featuring another fearless performance from the great Julianne Moore, this takes the family dysfunction drama to a disturbing extreme as it maps the…
Savages, The (2007): Dir. Tamara Jenkins
Feat. Laura Linney, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Philip Bosco; Phillip Seymour Hoffman and Laura Linney make for convincing, disenchanted siblings in this acute observation of a family crisis surrounding their…
Save Me (2007): Dir. Robert Cary
Feat. Chad Allen, Robert Gant, Judith Light…; Drama following a gay man who checks into a Christian "conversion therapy" retreat in the New Mexico desert, to try to heal himself of a dangerous…
Saving Grace (TV Series) (2007): Feat. Holly Hunter, Leon Rippy, Bokeem Woodbine; Holly Hunter plays a self–destructive Oklahoma City police detective who is given a chance to redeem her life when help arrives in the form of…
Secret Diary of a Call Girl (TV Series) (2007): Feat. Billie Piper, Toyah Wilcox, Cherie Lunghi; Saucy Brit TV Series based on the real–life diaries of an anonymous prostitute who struggles to keep her night job a secret from her friends…
Secret of the Grain, The (Couscous) (2007): Dir. Abdellatif Kechiche
Feat. Habib Boufares, Hafsia Herzi, Farida Benkhetache…; Acclaimed French film siphons the daily trials and tribulations of a working class Arab clan, whose patriarch dreams of opening a restaurant…
Secret, The (Si j'étais toi) (2007): Dir. Vincent Perez
Feat. David Duchovny, Lili Taylor; David Duchovny wrestles with the possibility that his dead wife’s soul has been transferred to his teenage daughter’s body in this bizarre French…
September (2007): Dir. Peter Carstairs
Feat. Kelton Pell, Xavier Samuel, Clarence John Ryan…; Quiet coming–of–age drama about the changing mateship between two boys – one black, one white – set in rural Australia in…
Shelter (2007): Dir. Jonah Markowitz
Feat. Trevor Wright, Brad Rowe, Tina Holmes; Gay surfing drama following young surfer Zach (Wright), who, when forced to give up dreams of art school to help care for his family, finds solace in…
Sherlock Holmes and the Baker Street Irregulars (2007): Dir. Julian Kemp
Feat. Jonathan Pryce, Bill Paterson, Anna Chancellor; Holmes gets kicked into the 21st century with this made–for–TV family drama in which the crime–busting duo must rely on a gang of…
Shotgun Stories (2007): Dir. Jeff Nichols
Feat. Michael Shannon, Douglas Ligon, Barlow Jacobs…; Sturdy, atmospheric independent drama detailing the simmering rivalry between two sets of half–brothers which boils over after the death of…
Silk (2007): Dir. Francois Girard
Feat. Michael Pitt, Keira Knightley, Koji Yakusho…; Sensuous period drama based on the popular Alessandro Baricco novel about a married silkworm smuggler who becomes infatuated with a local woman…
Skins (TV Series) (2007): Feat. Nicholas Hoult, Kaya Scodelario; A worthy, mildly refreshing addition to the youth angst genre, concerning a clique of present–day Bristol teens negotiating the pitfalls of…
Slipstream (Slipstream Dream) (2007): Dir. Anthony Hopkins
Feat. Anthony Hopkins, Christian Slater, Camryn Manheim…; Anthony Hopkins cartwheels into the director's chair and attempts to channel David Lynch for this befuddling ensemble fantasy in which a screenwriter…
Snow Angels (2007): Dir. David Gordon Green
Feat. Kate Beckinsale, Sam Rockwell, Michael Angarano…; Grimly rewarding relationship drama set in smalltown '70s New England, based on the novel by Stewart O'Nan, in which a group of ordinary townsfolk…
Son Of A Lion (2007): Dir. Benjamin Gilmour
Feat. Niaz Khan Shinwari, Sher Alam Miskeen Ustad; Pertinent, courageous drama filmed entirely in the Pashtun tribal area, telling the story of a young Pakistani boy who yearns to go to school and…
Sopranos, The (TV Series) - Season 6, Part B (2007): Concluding episodes of the groundbreaking TV–series that ironically portrays the life of a New Jersey Mafia clan.
Starter Wife, The (Mini-Series) (2007): Dir. Jon Avnet
Feat. Debra Messing, Miranda Otto, Judy Davis…; Attractive, summery affair concerns a pampered Hollywood trophy wife (Messing) who must get back on the horse after her marriage comes abruptly to an…
Starting Out in the Evening (2007): Dir. Andrew Wagner
Feat. Frank Langella, Lauren Ambrose, Lili Taylor…; An aging, all–but–forgotten author (Langella) finds himself the object of an eager grad student’s attention when she decides to make…
Stomp the Yard (2007): Dir. Sylvain White
Feat. Columbus Short; A stomping ghetto melodrama that follows a gangbanger's transformation into a champion hip–hop krump dancer, set in a fictional all–black…
Stone Angel, The (2007): Dir. Kari Skogland
Feat. Ellen Burstyn, Cole Hauser, Elliot Page; Margaret Laurence’s beloved Canadian novel is mushily adapted for the screen, with Ellen Burstyn plucky in the role a 90–year–old widow…
Strange Culture (2007): Dir. Lynn Hershman-Leeson
Feat. Thomas Jay Ryan, Tilda Swinton, Peter Coyote; Topical and important docu–drama focusing on the charges of bio–terrorism brought against acclaimed artist Steve Kurtz after his wife's…
Strangers (2007): Dir. Guy Nattiv, Erez Tadmor
Feat. Patrick Albenque, Lubna Azabal, Mila Dekker; Balancing hopeful romanticism with political realism, this fatalistic drama brings together an Israeli and Palestinian in Paris during the frenzy of…
Stuck (2007): Dir. Stuart Gordon
Feat. Mena Suvari, Stephen Rea, Russell Hornsby; Macabre morality play that's unfortunately based on the true tale of a young woman who ran over a homeless man, and left him bleeding to death in her…
Suso'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…
Talk To Me (2007): Dir. Kasi Lemmons
Feat. Don Cheadle, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Martin Sheen; Don Cheadle talks the talk and walks the walk in a dynamite turn as ex–con turned people’s provocateur Ralph Waldo ‘Petey’ Greene Jr., an…
Ten Empty (2007): Dir. Anthony Hayes
Feat. Brendan Cowell, Jack Thompson, Lucy Bell…; A prodigal son returning from Sydney to his suburban family home is forced to face up to the stark reality of a father and brother struggling to cope…
There Will Be Blood (2007): Dir. Paul Thomas Anderson
Feat. Daniel Day-Lewis, Paul Dano, Kevin J. O'Connor…; Rising to the challenge, overachiever Paul Thomas Anderson delivers some formidable filmmaking to match his grim, egocentric tale of burning…
This Kiss (2007): Dir. Kylie Eddy
Feat. Melanie Lockman, Tamsin Gatewood; Drama about the relationship between two women, best friends since childhood but torn apart by a heartbreaking incident. One has become a successful…
Towelhead (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…
Tracey Fragments, The (2007): Dir. Bruce McDonald
Feat. Elliot Page, Julian Richings; Experimentally inclined coming–of–age drama follows a troubled teen (JUNO’s Elliot Page) searching for her little brother after he goes…
Turn the River (2007): Dir. Chris Eigeman
Feat. Famke Janssen, Rip Torn, Lois Smith; Whit Stillman fixture Chris Eigeman directs this assured pool hall thriller, casting Famke Janssen as a hustler playing to win her son away from an…
Under the Same Moon (La Misma Luna) (2007): Dir. Patricia Riggen
Feat. Adrian Alonso, Kate del Castillo, Eugenio Derbez…; Stirring drama following Carlitos (Alonso) a young boy living in Mexico and his mother Rosario (del Castillo) living in LA, and their epic journey to…
Unfinished Sky (2007): Dir. Peter Duncan
Feat. William McInnes, Monic Hendrickx; Cross–cultural Australian romantic drama, in which a widowed farmer discovers a distressed Afghani refugee on his property, who he lets into…
Visitor, The (2007): Dir. Tom McCarthy
Feat. Richard Jenkins, Hiam Abbass, Marian Seldes; Compassionate, beautifully–measured tale of a widowed college professor whose banal mid–life finds renewed joy (and heartbreak) after he…
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,…
Waiting Room, The (2007): Dir. Roger Goldby
Feat. Anne-Marie Duff, Ralf Little, Rupert Graves…; Brit romantic drama follows two strangers whose accidental meeting causes them to believe in love at first sight, however first they must face the…
Walk All Over Me (2007): Dir. Robert Cuffley
Feat. Leelee Sobieski, Tricia Helfer, Lothaire Bluteau…; Shadowy crime thriller leavened by screwball comedy–styled pickles sees small–town woman (Sobieski) adopting her friend's dominatrix…
Walker, The (2007): Dir. Paul Schrader
Feat. Woody Harrelson, Kristin Scott Thomas, Lauren Bacall…; Woody Harrelson plays against type as a sharp–witted blueblood socialite who tries to solve the mystery of a murder he's framed for after…
War and Peace (TV Mini-Series) (2007): Dir. Robert Dornhelm, Brendan Donnison
Feat. Alexander Beyer, Clemence Poesy, Alessio Boni…; Extremely lavish – the most expensive mini–series produced in the EU – adaptation of Tolstoy's classic story of five aristocratic…
Water Horse, The: Legend of the Deep (2007): Dir. Jay Russell
Feat. Alex Etel, Ben Chaplin, Emily Watson…; NZ–filmed magical adventure inspired by the legend of Loch Ness in which a small boy secretly adopts a baby mythical creature that grows to…
We're Here to Help (2007): 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…
Weapons (2007): Dir. Adam Bhala Lough
Feat. Nick Cannon, Paul Dano, Mark Webber…; Nihilistic thriller revolves around the intersecting lives of gun–toting teenagers and the circumstances surrounding a murder filled…
Wind Chill (2007): Dir. Gregory Jacobs
Feat. Emily Blunt, Ashton Holmes, Martin Donovan; A prickly college student (Blunt) catches a ride home for Christmas with a random classmate, but when their car ploughs off the icy road, stranding…
Witnesses, The (2007): Dir. Andre Techine
Feat. Michel Blanc, Emmanuelle Beart, Sami Bouajila…; Told in three chapters, this matter–of–fact ensemble drama centred on the AIDS crisis as it hit Paris during the eighties, develops into…
World Unseen, The (2007): Dir. Shamim Sarif
Feat. Sheetal Sheth, Lisa Ray; Actors Lisa Rayand and Sheetal Sheth team up again for director Shamim Sarif (I CAN'T THINK STRAIGHT) in this beautiful depiction of a lesbian love…
XXY (2007): Dir. Lucía Puenzo
Feat. Ricardo Darín, Ines Efron, Martin Piroyanski; Articulate portrayal of the life of an intersex teenager searching for identity and exploring the complexities of coming–of–age in a…
Year 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…
You the Living (2007): Dir. Roy Andersson
Feat. Jessica Lundberg, Elisabeth Helander, Björn Englund; Master of the painstaking, deadpan vignette, Roy Andersson, continues his singular and obsessive vision with this absurdist comedy of…
Youth Without Youth (2007): Dir. Francis Ford Coppola
Feat. Tim Roth, Alexandra Maria Lara, Bruno Ganz; Joining a recent glut of Dorian Gray–like fantasies, this Francis Ford Coppola comeback (following a 10 year sabbatical) centres on a Romanian…
2:37 (2006): Dir. Murali K. Thalluri; Topical and wrenching youth drama links six Australian teenagers to an unspeakable tragedy, unraveling with assured and precocious confidence their…
A Good Year (2006): Dir. Ridley Scott
Feat. Russell Crowe, Marion Cotillard, Albert Finney…; Russell Crowe plays workaholic bonds–dealer who inherits a vineyard in Provence and discovers the easy life in this lightweight tale of…
After the Wedding (Efter brylluppet) (2006): Dir. Susanne Bier
Feat. Mads Mikkelsen, Sidse Babett Knudsen; A rewarding drama with a political conscience and a romantic heart, Mads Mikkelsen plays a teacher at an Indian orphanage who returns to Denmark to…
Akeelah and the Bee (2006): Dir. Doug Atchison
Feat. Laurence Fishburne, Angela Bassett; A fictional African–American take on the SPELLBOUND craze, with a firm but fair Laurence Fishburne coaching an underprivileged…
All The King's Men (2006): Dir. Steven Zaillian
Feat. Sean Penn, Jude Law, Anthony Hopkins…; A heavyweight, if not entirely functional adaptation Robert Penn Warren's political novel about a failed idealist turned corrupt, powermongering…
Along the Ridge (Anche libero va bene) (2006): Dir. Kim Rossi Stuart
Feat. Barbora Bobulova, Kim Rossi Stuart; Italian actor Kim Rossi Stuart's directorial debut is a heart–rending drama told through the eyes of an 11 year old boy whose family must cope…
Alpha Dog (2006): Dir. Nick Cassavetes
Feat. Ben Foster, Emile Hirsch, Sharon Stone…; The versatile Emile Hirsch plays a rich, white, and very teenage drug dealer whose charmed existence is threatened when a kidnapping–murder…
Amazing Grace (2006): Dir. Michael Apted
Feat. Ioan Gruffudd, Romola Garai, Albert Finney…; Stirring dramatisation of the true story of 18th–century abolitionist William Wilberforce and his revolt against Britain’s slave…
Amazing Mrs Pritchard, The (TV Series) (2006): 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…
Ancient Rome (TV Series) (2006): Extensive series dramatising the rise and fall of the Ancient Roman Empire through six episodes each presenting a different turning point in the fate…
Architect, The (2006): Dir. Matt Tauber
Feat. Anthony LaPaglia, Isabella Rossellini, Hayden Panettiere…; Downbeat tale of the architect of a high rise complex confronted by it's angry tenants who demand it be torn down. Meanwhile, the architects home…
Art School Confidential (2006): Dir. Terry Zwigoff
Feat. Max Minghella, Sophia Myles, John Malkovich…; CRUMB dir. Terry Zwigoff and comic book icon Daniel Clowes (GHOST WORLD) re–team for this darkly set, though often hilarious stakeout of the…
As 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…
Ask the Dust (2006): Dir. Robert Towne
Feat. Colin Farrell, Salma Hayek, Donald Sutherland; Classically seductive romance set in depression–era LA, based on John Fante’s novel, and directed by CHINATOWN scribe Robert Towne, who…
Babel (2006): Dir. Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu
Feat. Brad Pitt, Cate Blanchett, Gael Garcia Bernal…; A bold, virtuoso three–peat for the writer–director team behind AMORES PERROS and 21 GRAMS, grafting a biblical parable of ill…
Ball, The (Liscio) (2006): Dir. Claudio Antonini
Feat. Laura Morante, Umberto Morelli; Slender tale boasts a fine performance by Morante as a chanteuse and solo mother, whose son attempts to find her a boyfriend.
Bamako (The Court) (2006): Dir. Abderrahmane Sissako
Feat. Aissa Maiga; A mock trial of the International Monetary Fund and World Bank – whose representatives must defend charges of reckless lending and…
Bartali - The Iron Man (Mini-Series) (Gino Bartali - L'intramontabile) (2006): Dir. Alberto Negrin
Feat. Pierfrancesco Favino; Spirited made–for–TV biopic of Italy’s indomitable road cyclist Gino Bartali, twice winner of the Tour de France.
Beauty In Trouble (Kráska v nesnázích) (2006): Dir. Jan Hrebejk
Feat. Anna Geislerova, Josef Abrhám, Jana Brejchová; Exquisite Czech drama focused on a young woman living in Prague who, while struggling to care for her family after their home is destroyed by a…
Bella (2006): Dir. Alejandro Gomez Monteverde
Feat. Eduardo Verastegui, Tammy Blanchard; Sweet–natured, unconventional romantic drama which follows one day in life of a Hispanic chef in New York City, and his relationship with a…
Bernard 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…
Big Love (TV Series) (2006): Feat. Bill Paxton, Chloe Sevigny, Jeanne Tripplehorn…; Another class act series from the always edgy HBO network, centred around a practicing polygamist, his three wives and seven children in the mormon…
Blame it on Fidel! (La Faute à Fidel!) (2006): Dir. Julie Gavras
Feat. Nina Kervel-Bey, Julie Depardieu, Stefano Accorsi; A warm, wise and wryly observed evocation of a child's accelerated maturation in the midst of early 1970s social and political upheaval, Nina…
Bobby (2006): Dir. Emilio Estevez
Feat. Laurence Fishburne, Heather Graham, Anthony Hopkins…; In the sprawling, overlapping traditional of Robert Altman, dir. Emilio Estevez time capsules the hours leading up to Robert F. Kennedy's…
Bombshell (TV Series) (2006): Dir. Jim Loach
Feat. Zoe Lucker; Gritty television series set amidst the conflicts of a modern army troop starring Zoe Lucker from FOOTBALLER'S WIVES as an army sergeant in charge of…
Bonneville (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…
Book of Revelation, The (2006): Dir. Ana Kokkinos
Feat. Tom Long, Greta Scacchi; Daring, if not entirely coherent gender–subversion recalls in flashback the ordeal of a talented male dancer (Long) who's abducted, tortured…
Born Equal (2006): Dir. Dominic Savage
Feat. Robert Carlyle, Colin Firth, Peter OConnor…; A film intertwining the stories of several characters living in one neighbourhood in London, which offers insights into themes of poverty, race,…
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…
Boy Culture (2006): Dir. Q. Allan Brocka
Feat. Derek Magyar, George Jonson, Patrick Bauchau; Gay 'guy' movie exploring an enigmatic hustler's most intimate thoughts and desires, in strict contrast to his macho exterior. Although the thick…
Brand Upon the Brain! (2006): Dir. Guy Maddin
Feat. Gretchen Krich, Andrew Loviska, Maya Lawson; Further autobiographical adventures from Canada’s silent movie alchemist, delving into Maddin's repressed childhood past: a delirious, Gothic…
Breaking and Entering (2006): Dir. Anthony Minghella
Feat. Jude Law, Juliette Binoche, Robin Wright…; A consummate adult drama from A–list writer–director Anthony Minghella, who tightly constructs a meaningful portrait of scarred lives and…
Brothers and Sisters (TV Series) (2006): Feat. Calista Flockhart, Rachel Griffiths, Balthazar Getty…; The deceptively normal lives of the Walker clan make for compelling viewing in this layered family drama about the political disparity between adult…
Bug (2006): Dir. William Friedkin
Feat. Ashley Judd, Michael Shannon, Harry Connick Jnr.…; Claustrophobic, knife's–edge drama in which a victim of spousal abuse (Judd) develops an obsessive, paranoid relationship with an enigmatic…
Burke and Wills (2006): Dir. Oliver Torr, Matthew Zeremes
Feat. Oliver Torr, Matthew Zeremes; A moving psychological drama about male bonding and emotional crises set in Sydney, from first–time directors Zeremes and Torr. Named after…
Caiman, 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…
Candy (2006): Dir. Neil Armfield
Feat. Heath Ledger, Abbie Cornish, Geoffrey Rush…; Injecting free–spirited performances and downbeat songs into a predictable heroin dramaturgy , this roving drama concerns two young bohemians…
Catch a Fire (2006): Dir. Phillip Noyce
Feat. Tim Robbins, Derek Luke; Sturdy, serious–minded political thriller from the steady hand of dir. Phillip Noyce, couched in the turbulence of South Africa’s Apartheid…
Caterpillar Wish, The (2006): Dir. Sandra Sciberras
Feat. Susie Porter; Modest, foreboding small–town drama tugs at some heavy–set themes: a teenage girl, fatherless from birth, suspects her missing biological…
Celestine Prophecy, The (2006): Dir. Armand Mastroianni
Feat. Matthew Settle, Hector Elizondo, Annabeth Gish…; New Age prophecy meets jungle thriller in this exotic, widescreen adaptation of the James Redfield bestseller. Concerning a teacher who travels to…
Chatterley Affair, The (2006): Dir. James Hawes
Feat. Isla Fisher, Rafe Spall; Steamy sidebar to Lady Chatterley's Lover tingles the loins of two attractive jurors sitting on a real–life obscenity trial to determine…
Children of Men (2006): Dir. Alfonso Cuaron
Feat. Clive Owen, Julianne Moore, Chiwetel Ejiofor…; Clive Owen is pursued across a dystopian England of 2027 in this stimulating, pertinent sci–fi parable, rendered with stunning virtuosity by…
Choking Man (2006): Dir. Steve Barron
Feat. Octavio Gómez Berríos, Eugenia Yuan, Aaron Paul…; A gloomy Ecuadorian dishwasher pines after his co–worker and relieves boredom with outrageous fantasies in this humdrum, if occasionally…
Climates (Iklimler) (2006): Dir. Nuri Bilge Ceylan
Feat. Nuri Bilge Ceylan, Ebru Ceylan; The director of UZAK employs startlingly high definition photography and an Antonioni–inspired dissection of male–female relations to…
Coeurs (Private Fears in Public Places) (2006): Dir. Alain Resnais
Feat. Sabine Azema, Laura Morante, Pierre Arditi…; Romantic French drama with a vulnerable edge explores the modern dilemmas of loneliness and adoration through the lives of six alienated Parisians…
Colossal Youth (2006): Dir. Pedro Costa; A major work of contemporary art cinema, this mesmerizing sleepwalk throughout the demolished slums of Lisbon, Portugal is seen through the eyes of…
Conversations With God (2006): Dir. Stephen Deutsch
Feat. Henry Czerny; Earnest biopic based on the life and writings of rags–to–riches New Age author Neal Donald Walsch, whose searching questions were, to his…
Copying Beethoven (2006): Dir. Agnieszka Holland
Feat. Diane Kruger, Ralph Riach, Ed Harris…; Fictionalised account of the last year of Beethoven’s life which looks at the musical genius’ personal fall from grace and struggle for…
Court of Lonely Royals (2006): Dir. Rohan Michael Hoole
Feat. Damon Gameau, Samantha Noble, Leah De Neise…; Atypical Aussie indie in which a group of twisted teen mercenaries kill for the cops, using their targets’ weaknesses against them, in an urban…
Crown Prince, The (TV Mini-series) (Kronprinz Rudolf) (2006): Dir. Robert Dornhelm
Feat. Max von Thun, Vittoria Puccini, Klaus Maria Brandauer…; Sumptuous historical Austrian mini–series based on the Crown Prince's doomed love affair with a baroness, that eventually requires the pair to…
Dance Party USA (2006): Dir. Aaron Katz
Feat. Cole Pensinger, Anna Kavan; At the cruder end of the Mumblecore movement, two idle teenagers share a fleeting connection at a dance party in this talky, micro–budgeted…
Days of Glory (Indigènes) (2006): Dir. Rachid Bouchareb
Feat. Jamel Debbouze, Samy Naceri, Bernard Blancan…; Epic Algerian WW2 drama focused on a determined group of Algerian soldiers fighting to defend France with little acknowledgement of their sacrifices…
Dead Girl, The (2006): Dir. Karen Moncrieff
Feat. Toni Collette, Piper Laurie, Rose Byrne…; A superb ensemble cast give rich life to this exceptional drama that interlinks the unsettling stories of five women connected to the discovery of a…
Deadwood - Season 3 (TV Series) (2006): Feat. Timothy Olyphant, Ian McShane, Molly Parker…; Further tales from the troubled Arizona town of Deadwood. Season Three: 12 episodes across four discs. Disc 1: Tell Your God to Ready for Blood, I…
Departed, The (2006): Dir. Martin Scorsese
Feat. Leonardo DiCaprio, Matt Damon, Jack Nicholson…; A rip–roaring remake of Hong Kong actioner INFERNAL AFFAIRS, Martin Scorsese returns to the mean streets in this high–performance game of…
Desperate Housewives (TV Series) - Season 3 (2006): Feat. Teri Hatcher, Felicity Huffman, Marcia Cross…; More episodes from the popular drama–black comedy set among the denizens of suburban America. 23 episodes over 6 discs.
Devil Wears Prada, The (2006): 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…
Diggers (2006): Dir. Katherine Dieckmann
Feat. Ron Eldard, Paul Rudd, Josh Hamilton…; Easy–paced 70's small–town drama focused on four clam–digging buddies destined to drift through life until a close death provides a…
Dirty Carnival, A (Biyeolhan geori) (2006): Dir. Ha Yoo
Feat. In-sung Zo, Ku Jin, Tae won Kwon; Dynamite entry in the burgeoning Korean gangster genre explores the meteoric rise – and inevitable fall – of one Byung–du, a lowly…
Don't Worry, I'm Fine (Je Vais Bien, Ne T'en Fais Pas) (2006): Dir. Philippe Lioret
Feat. Mélanie Laurent; Understated French drama centres on a distraught young woman's search for her twin brother after being told he has run away from the family…
Dreamgirls (2006): Dir. Bill Condon
Feat. Jamie Foxx, Beyonce Knowles, Eddie Murphy…; Dazzling musical numbers and sassy performances jive in this acclaimed Motown musical charting the rise of fictional girl group, 'The Dreamettes', in…
Driving 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…
Eden (2006): Dir. Michael Hofmann
Feat. Josef Ostendorf, Charlotte Roche; Charming romance revolves around an eccentric chef, and a random encounter with a mother trapped in a monotonous relationship. Fans of…
El Cantante (2006): Dir. Leon Ichaso
Feat. Jennifer Lopez, Marc Anthony; Off–screen couple Lopez and Anthony team up to portray salsa singer Héctor Lavoe and his wife Puchi in this musical bio–pic documenting…
El Cortez (2006): Dir. Stephen Purvis
Feat. Lou Diamond Phillips, Glenn Plummer; Moody neo–noir stars Lou Diamond Phillips as a mildly autistic ex–con tending the night desk at the 'El Cortez' hotel in Reno, Nevada,…
Etoile Du Soldat, L' (Star of the Soldier) (2006): Dir. Christophe de Ponfilly
Feat. Sacha Bourdo, Philippe Caubere, Hanns Zischler; Maladroit war drama based on the true story of a Russian soldier captured by the Mujahedin in Afghanistan who becomes enthralled by his freedom…
Even Money (2006): Dir. Mark Rydell
Feat. Kim Basinger, Danny De Vito, Kelsey Grammer…; Admonitory gambling drama concerning the lives of nine individuals who become ensnared in a world of high–class addiction and each other.…
Factory Girl (2006): Dir. George Hickenlooper
Feat. Sienna Miller, Hayden Christensen, Guy Pearce…; Sienna Miller plays the ill–fated Warhol 'superstar' Edie Sedgwick in this flashy, precocious portrait of her rise and fall out of the New York…
Family 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…
Fast Food Nation (2006): Dir. Richard Linklater
Feat. Greg Kinnear, Patricia Arquette, Ethan Hawke…; A grave, caustic expose of industry malpractice and greed in the fast food business, told from the dramatic perspective of multiple characters…
Fireworks Wednesday (Chaharshanbe-soori) (2006): Dir. Asghar Farhadi
Feat. Taraneh Alidoosti, Matin Heydar-nia; This earlier feature from the director of A SEPARATION similarly explores the mores of the urban middle and lower classes with depth and complexity.…
First Snow (2006): Dir. Mark Fergus
Feat. Guy Pearce, Piper Perabo, William Fichtner; Fateful neo–noir thriller stars Guy Pearce as a shyster salesman whose life is sent into a paranoid tailspin after a trailer park palm reader…
Five Moments of Infidelity (2006): Dir. Kate Gorman; Independent Australian drama traces five acts of sexual infidelity in the lives of five, very different Melbourne couples. Intimately filmed, with…
Flags of our Fathers (2006): Dir. Clint Eastwood
Feat. Ryan Phillippe, Jesse Bradford, Adam Beach…; Part one of Clint Eastwood’s Pacific double–bill trades unrelenting battle scenes for an insightful and crucially honest back–story…
Flying Scotsman, The (2006): Dir. Douglas Mackinnon
Feat. Jonny Lee Miller, Brian Cox, William Boyd; Dramatisation of triumphant Scottish cyclist Graeme Obree, who overcame personal demons and sports admin flak to break the world one–hour…
Footy 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…
Four Minutes (Vier Minuten) (2006): Dir. Chris Kraus
Feat. Monika Bliebtreu, Hannah Herzsprung; Unrelentingly gritty German drama of redemption details the hostile relationship between an incarcerated piano player and her emotionally chilly…
Friday Night Lights (TV Series) (2006): Feat. Kyle Chandler, Taylor Kitsch, Jesse Plemons…; This acclaimed movie–spin off eschews high school and sporting cliches to expand on the community surrounding a Texan football team and the…
Friends 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…
Fur (2006): Dir. Steven Shainberg
Feat. Nicole Kidman, Robert Downey Jnr.; Taking fictional liberties with the real–life character of revered New York photographer Diane Arbus, the dir. of SECRETARY fashions another…
Ghosts (2006): Dir. Nick Broomfield
Feat. Ai Qin Lin, Zhe Wei; A rare fictional feature from director Nick Broomfield, who uses his experience as a documentarian to tell this semi–fictionalised story set…
Gilmore Girls - Season 7 (TV Series) (2006-2007): Final episodes from the fresh and quirky drama set around a mother and daughter in suburban Connecticut. Season Seven: 22 episodes across six…
Glory Road (2006): Dir. James Gartner
Feat. Josh Lucas, Jon Voight, Derek Luke; Appealing despite its familiarity, this underdog sports yarn concerns the true–life basketball coach who, during the segregated US 1960s,…
Golden Door, The (Nuovomondo) (2006): Dir. Emanuele Crialese
Feat. Charlotte Gainsbourg, Vincenzo Amato; Award–winning Italian drama from the dir. of RESPIRO follows the fortunes of a family of dirt–poor Sicilian peasants, from their homeland…
Good German, The (2006): Dir. Steven Soderbergh
Feat. George Clooney, Cate Blanchett, Tobey Maguire; Dir. Steven Soderbergh takes another extravagant artistic punt with this meticulous pastiche of 1940's war stories, shot not only in…
Good Shepherd, The (2006): Dir. Robert De Niro
Feat. Matt Damon, Angelina Jolie, Robert De Niro…; Robert De Niro directs this dramatization of the CIA’s clandestine origins, with Matt Damon in the central role of a colourless career…
Goya's Ghosts (2006): Dir. Milos Forman
Feat. Javier Bardem, Natalie Portman, Stellan Skarsgard…; A lavish, if ill–designed costume epic based around Spanish artist Francisco Goya (Skarsgard), his closest acquaintances, and the eventful late…
Grey's Anatomy (TV Series) - Season 2 (2006): Feat. Ellen Pompeo, Sandra Oh, Katherine Heigl…; Second season of the popular female–driven medical soap, continuing the trials and tribulations of five first–year interns as they juggle…
Grey's Anatomy (TV Series) - Season 3 (2006): Feat. Ellen Pompeo, Sandra Oh, Katherine Heigl…; Third season of the popular female–driven medical soap, continuing the trials and tribulations of five first–year interns as they juggle…
Grimm Love (Rohtenburg) (2006): Dir. Martin Weisz
Feat. Keri Russell, Thomas Kretschmann, Thomas Huber; Morbidly fascinating drama based on the sensational true story of Armin Meiwes, a cannibal who searched the internet for a companion willing to be…
Groomsmen, 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…
Guide to Recognizing Your Saints, A (2006): Dir. Dito Montiel
Feat. Robert Downey Jnr., Shia LaBeouf, Chazz Palminteri…; A ‘Mean Streets’ memoir of growing up rough in the eighties, this accomplished feature debut evokes its boys–in–the–hood…
Gymnast, The (2006): Dir. Ned Farr
Feat. Dreya Weber, Addie Yungmee; This nimble lesbian drama with an appreciation for the physical concerns a disenchanted Olympic gymnast whose invitation to join a Vegas–style…
Half Nelson (2006): Dir. Ryan Fleck
Feat. Ryan Gosling, Anthony Mackie, Omar Epps; Ryan Gosling proves serious acting chops in this subtle yet prickly drama about a teacher with a crack habit and the student – his dealer's…
Halo Effect, The (2006): Dir. Lance Daly
Feat. Stephen Rea; Half–baked Irish jig delivers an enjoyable performance from Stephen Rea, but little else in its story of a downtrodden takeaway worker whose…
Hawk is Dying, The (2006): Dir. Julian Goldberger
Feat. Paul Giamatti, Michelle Williams, Michael Pitt; Paul Giamatti digs his claws into another angsty middle–aged role, playing a disaffected 40–something whose troubled home front – a…
Hills, The (TV Series) (2006-2008): Heavy–handed Reality TV series focused on Laguna Beach It girl Lauren Conrad and her sassy friends trying to gain careers, a great tan and the…
History 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…
Hoax, The (2006): Dir. Lasse Hallstrom
Feat. Richard Gere, Alfred Molina, Marcia Gay Harden…; Solid Lasse Hallstrom–directed ‘literary hoax’ recounts the true story of Clifford Irving, a struggling writer allegedly commissioned by…
Holly (2006): Dir. Guy Moshe
Feat. Ron Livingston, Christopher Penn, Udo Kier…; Urgent, ambitious drama about a small time crook who, after witnessing the Cambodian sex trade first hand, sets out to rescue a…
Hollywoodland (2006): Dir. Allen Coulter
Feat. Adrien Brody, Diane Lane, Ben Affleck…; The intriguing, mysterious circumstances surrounding George ‘Superman’ Reeves’ suicide are exhumed by a private eye (Adrien Brody) in this…
Hotel Babylon (TV Series) (2006): 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…
Hottest State, The (2006): Dir. Ethan Hawke
Feat. Ethan Hawke, Mark Webber, Laura Linney…; A young Texan actor on the make in NYC obsesses about his ex, post their heady trip to Mexico, in this drama of youthful narcissism and lurve.…
House - Season 2 (TV Series) (2006): Feat. Hugh Laurie; Further episodes from the Hugh Laurie–fronted hospital thriller, which involve his medical team having to unravel baffling cases,…
House - Season 3 (TV Series) (2006): Feat. Hugh Laurie; Further episodes from the Hugh Laurie–fronted hospital thriller, which involve his medical team having to unravel baffling cases,…
Housewife, 49 (2006): Dir. Gavin Millar
Feat. Victoria Wood, David Threlfall, Christopher Harper…; Emmy–nominated British TV movie set in WW2 England that follows a housewife finding new purpose in her life through volunteer work for the war…
Hula Girls (2006): Dir. Sang-il Lee
Feat. Yasuko Matsuyuki, Yu Aoi; Feel–good true story of a depleted coal–mining town in Japan, and its residents’ efforts to build a Hawaiian–themed tourist…
I Don't Want to Sleep Alone (2006): Dir. Ming-liang Tsai
Feat. Kang-sheng Lee, Shiang-chyi Chen; This achingly serene, Kuala Lumpur–set fable is one of Tsai Ming–liang’s best, starring his alter ego Lee Kang–sheng as a…
Illusionist, The (2006): Dir. Neil Burger
Feat. Edward Norton, Jessica Biel, Paul Giamatti…; Edward Norton plays an enigmatic magician who courts a Viennese Dutchness (Biel) with the art of illusion in this lush and mystical period…
Impressionists, The (TV Mini-series) (2006): Dir. Tim Dunn
Feat. Richard Armitage, Andrew Havill, Julian Glover…; A mini–series presentation of the intimate history of a most illustrious brotherhood of Impressionist artists – Monet, Degas, Renoir,…
Infamous (2006): Dir. Douglas McGrath
Feat. Toby Jones, Sandra Bullock, Daniel Craig…; Beaten to the punch, this second take on Truman Capote’s infamy suffers inevitably from de–ja vu, yet has plenty new to offer as an alternate…
Inland Empire (2006): Dir. David Lynch
Feat. Laura Dern, Jeremy Irons, Justin Theroux…; Warped and optically haunting suspense starring Lynch regular Laura Dern as a focused actress ecstatic about receiving a part in a new film, until…
Inside Paris (Dans Paris) (2006): Dir. Christophe Honore
Feat. Romain Duris, Louis Garrel, Guy Marchand…; Sprinkled with the magic of the Nouvelle Vague, this hip and happening ode to big city Paris spends a night and day in the company of two brothers…
Ira & 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…
Irresistible (2006): Dir. Ann Turner
Feat. Susan Sarandon, Sam Neill, Emily Blunt; Susan Sarandon feels the wrath of Emily Blunt in this Hitchcockian fable of one woman's struggle to prevent her life from being overtaken by another.…
Jane Eyre (TV Mini-Series) (2006): Dir. Susanna White
Feat. Toby Stephens, Ruth Wilson; Commendable mini–series version of the classic Charlotte Bronte tale of a headstrong governess who falls madly in love with her employer.…
Jindabyne (2006): Dir. Ray Lawrence
Feat. Laura Linney, Gabriel Byrne, Deborra-Lee Furness…; Searing psychological drama from the dir. of LANTANA pinpoints a small outback community in Australia, examining the ripple effects created by the…
Journey From the Fall (2006): Dir. Ham Tran
Feat. Kieu Chinh; Emotionally charged, stylishly filmed historical drama follows the twin fortunes of an incarcerated Vietnamese man and his refugee family forced to…
Journey to the End of the Night (2006): Dir. Eric Eason
Feat. Brendan Fraser, Mos Def, Scott Glenn…; Though eager to rub our faces in it, this grubby, back–alley potboiler set on the streets of Sao Paolo spins a heady yarn around a stolen…
Kidulthood (2006): Dir. Menhaj Huda; Authentic and bleak slice of West London street life in which a group of jive–talking teenagers plot their moves in the 48 hours after a…
Kiss Me Again (2006): Dir. William Tyler Smith
Feat. Jeremy London, Katheryn Winnick, Mirelly Taylor; Interesting results ensue when a college professor contrives a threesome between himself, his wife and an attractive female student. An ambitious…
Kiss 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…
Kyle XY (TV Series) (2006): Feat. Matt Dallas; Engaging sci–fi series concerning an adopted teenager with super human abilities on a quest to uncover his past and reveal his true identity.…
Lady Chatterley (2006): Dir. Pascale Ferran
Feat. Hippolyte Girardot, Marina Hands, Jean-Louise Coulloc'h; Sensuous, heartrendingly tender French/Belgian adaptation of an alternate version of D.H. Lawrence's once notorious novel 'Lady Chatterley's Lover'…
Lake House, The (2006): Dir. Alejandro Agresti
Feat. Keanu Reeves, Sandra Bullock; Languid, high–concept romance teaming SPEED–buddies Sandra Bullock and Keaua Reeves as would–be soul mates exchanging love letters…
Land, The (La Terra, Our Land) (2006): 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…
Last Kiss, The (2006): Dir. Tony Goldwyn
Feat. Zach Braff, Casey Affleck, Rachel Bilson…; Well–intentioned remake of Gabriel Muccino’s award–winning Italian melodrama, with Zach Braff as an architect lodged between…
Last Monk, The (2006): Dir. Sudipto Sen, Abhinav Tiwari
Feat. Rachna Shah; Sumptuous Indian epic revealing the life of a newly married woman, whose journey into the Himalayas for research into Buddhism unearths in her a…
Last Train to Freo (2006): Dir. Jeremy Sims
Feat. Tom Budge, Steve LaMarquand; Chamber–suspenser begins when two thuggish crims (Budge, LaMarquand) catch the last train of the night from Perth to 'Freo' (Fremantle), with…
Letters From Iwo Jima (2006): Dir. Clint Eastwood
Feat. Ken Watanabe; Reading from the letters of fallen comrades, Clint Eastwood crosses enemy lines in the second part of his Pacific War twofer, encapsulating the…
Life on Mars (TV Series) (2006): Feat. John Simm; John Simm is a modern day detective inadvertently transported back in time to 1973, where his investigative skills are now obsolete in a…
Like Minds (2006): Dir. Gregory J. Read
Feat. Toni Collette, Richard Roxburgh, Eddie Redmayne…; Determinedly creepy psychological thriller with Richard Roxburgh and Toni Collette partnered as detective and forensic psychologist investigating a…
Line of Beauty, The (2006): Dir. Saul Dibb
Feat. Tim McInnerny, Oliver Coleman, Dan Stevens; BBC serial adaptation of Alan Hollinghurst's Booker award–winning novel about a young, gay man who gains entree to an upper class milieu during…
Lipstick (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 Children (2006): Dir. Todd Field
Feat. Kate Winslet, Patrick Wilson, Jennifer Connelly; Kate Winslet goes all–American as a mildly desperate housewife, whose suburban idyll becomes unsettled when a convicted sex offender moves back…
Little Miss Sunshine (2006): 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…
Living and the Dead, The (2006): Dir. Simon Rumley
Feat. Leo Bill, Kate Fahy, Roger Lloyd Pack…; Intense, left–field chamber piece takes the over–familiar scenario of a dysfunctional aristocratic family out of the ordinary, centering…
LOL (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…
London to Brighton (2006): Dir. Paul Andrew Williams
Feat. Lorraine Stanley, Georgia Groome; Two women on the lam board a train in hope of evading their violent pursuers in this tough–as–nails contemporary British…
Lost (TV Series) - Season 2 (2006): Feat. Dominic Monaghan, Naveen Andrews, Harold Perrineau, Jr.…; The mysterious consequences of the downing of Oceanic Flight 815 continue in this excellent followup season. Season 2 (24 episodes) over 7 discs.
Lost Children, The (TV Series) (2006): Feat. Hudson Mills, Beatrice Joblin, Rhys Castle-Hughes…; Well–crafted adventure series follows three children washed ashore from a shipwreck as they search for their parents..
Love and Dance (Sipur Hatzi-Russi ) (2006): Dir. Eitan Anner
Feat. Jenya Dodina, Avi Kushnir, Oksana Korostyshevskaya…; This "Middle Eastern BILLY ELLIOT" sees the young protagonist oppose the macho aspirations of his secretly soft–centred Israeli father to…
Love and Honor (Bushi no ichibun) (2006): Dir. Yoji Yamada
Feat. Takuya Kimura, Nenji Kobayashi, Ken Ogata; Third chapter in dir. Yamada's revisionist samurai trilogy looks at a recently blinded samurai and the lengths his wife will go to protect his…
Loving Annabelle (2006): Dir. Katherine Brooks
Feat. Diana Gaidry, Erin Kelly; Lesbian drama of forbidden love between a naughty, punkish Catholic schoolgirl and her Sapphic poetry teacher. Softly sincere and visually very…
Macbeth (2006): Dir. Geoffrey Wright
Feat. Sam Worthington, Steve Bastoni; A black–lacquered contemporary retelling of Shakespeare’s 'Macbeth' set in the ganglands of Melbourne, with dir. Wright (ROMPER STOMPER)…
Marie Antoinette (2006): Dir. Sofia Coppola
Feat. Kirsten Dunst, Jason Schwartzman, Judy Davis…; Girl wonder Sofia Coppola lets a fetching Kirsten Dunst eat cake (and then some) as a reluctant Queen in late–18th century Versailles, stifled…
Melissa P. (2006): Dir. Luca Guadagnino
Feat. Marcello Mazzarella, Maria Valverde; Saucy, if ultimately restrained memoir of sexual adolescence, concerning a promiscuous teenage girl who seeks solace from her troubled life by…
Miss Potter (2006): Dir. Chris Noonan
Feat. Renee Zellweger, Ewan McGregor, Emily Watson; Charming biopic tells the tale of Beatrix Potter – specifically the story of the woman behind the drawings – and her fixation from a…
Moll Flanders (TV Mini-Series) (2006): Feat. Daniel Craig, Alex Kingston; The hardships of the 18th century England prove a lifelong test of character for the eponymous heroine. Born into poverty, her swings of fortune…
Namesake, The (2006): Dir. Mira Nair
Feat. Irfan Khan, Kal Penn, Jagannath Guha…; Cutting right to the heart of the 'immigrant experience', this outstanding melodrama from the dir. of MONSOON WEDDING beautifully explores the…
Nativity Story, The (2006): Dir. Catherine Hardwicke
Feat. Keisha Castle-Hughes, Ciaran Hinds; Not the greatest telling of the 'greatest story ever told' but it does nicely as a festive family film, with the casting of WHALE RIDER's Keisha…
New Street Law (TV Series) (2006): Feat. John Hannah, Paul Freeman, John Thomson…; Engrossing legal drama with Hannah and Freeman as heads of two law firms sharing the same premises. Plenty of ethical conundrums populate a tightly…
New World, The (2006): Dir. Terrence Malick
Feat. Colin Farrell, Q'orianka Kilcher, Christopher Plummer…; An epic naturalist meditation on the European settlement of America from dir. Terrence Malick (DAYS OF HEAVEN), which reveals a thoughtful and at…
Night 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…
Nina's Journey (2006): Dir. Lena Einhorn
Feat. Agnieszka Grochowska; Based on the captivating real–life story of writer–director Einhorn's mother, this restrained yet profoundly moving docudrama recaptures…
No. 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…
Notes on a Scandal (2006): Dir. Richard Eyre
Feat. Cate Blanchett, Judi Dench, Bill Nighy; Authorities Cate Blanchett and Judi Dench go head–to–head in this psychological gambit between a pottery teacher engaged in an illicit…
Number 13 (2006): Dir. Pier Wilkie
Feat. Greg Wise, Paul Freeman, David Burke; A hotel–dwelling sceptic is haunted by the appearance of a mysterious room, marked by the number thirteen, and is compelled to investigate.…
OC, The (TV Series) - Season 4 (2006): Forth year of the extraordinarily popular, ironic, knowing soap opera. 16 episodes over 4 DVDs (+ 5th sp. features disc). DVD 1: The Avengers,…
Offside (2006): Dir. Jafar Panahi; Filmed using non–professionals, in and around the unfolding events of an actual World Cup qualifier, Jafar Panahi expertly weaves a…
Old Joy (2006): Dir. Kelly Reichardt
Feat. Will Oldham, Daniel London; Downbeat naturalism is the tramping ground for this meditative, softly spoken indie of two distanced friends who reunite for a weekend camping trip…
Once (2006): Dir. John Carney
Feat. Glen Hansard, Marketa Irglova, Hugh Walsh; A gorgeous, understated paean to the transformative power of music, this unique, Irish independent follows the burgeoning relationship between a…
Open Window (2006): Dir. Mia Goldman
Feat. Robin Tunney, Joel Edgerton, Cybill Shepherd…; Understated drama explores the effects of a an act of violence on a young couple's relationship.
Orchestra Seats (Fauteuils d'orchestre) (2006): Dir. Daniele Thompson
Feat. Cecile De France, Sydney Pollack; A fetching French soufflé with a keen eye for Parisian charms, this dainty bohemian offering follows an appealing ensemble cast headed by café…
Our Country (A Casa Nostra) (2006): Dir. Francesca Comencini
Feat. Valeria Golino, Giuseppe Battiston, Luca Zingaretti…; Hard–nosed ensemble drama aims straight at the Italian big business jugular, levelling broadsides at capitalism and Big Brother as it critiques…
Out of the Blue (Aramoana) (2006): Dir. Robert Sarkies
Feat. Karl Urban, Matthew Sunderland, Simon Ferry…; A moving, uncomfortably harrowing account of New Zealand’s worst mass murder, bringing the trauma of 1990’s Aramoana massacre to the screen with…
Page Turner, The (2006): Dir. Denis Drecourt
Feat. Catherine Frot, Deborah Francois; A typically frosty, femme–centric French chamber–piece about a classical music prodigy whose career is sabotaged by a concert pianist,…
Painted Veil, The (2006): Dir. John Curran
Feat. Naomi Watts, Edward Norton, Toby Jones…; Haunting tragi–romance unveils the lives of a young English couple whose relocation to Shanghai and history of infidelity force them to…
Pan's Labyrinth (El Laberinto del fauno) (2006): Dir. Guillermo Del Toro
Feat. Ariadna Gil, Ivana Baquero, Sergi Lopez…; A stunning, sinister netherworld fantasy that parallels an equally compelling story of uprising against a fascist military unit in WWII Spain, this…
Paris, Je T'aime (Paris, I Love You) (2006): Dir. Olivier Assayas, Gurinder Chadha, Sylvain Chomet
Feat. Fanny Ardant, Juliette Binoche, Steve Buscemi…; A prestige line–up of actors and filmmakers converge in this grand anthology of love letters to the city of romance. With each vignette…
Peaceful Warrior (2006): Dir. Victor Salva
Feat. Nick Nolte, Amy Smart, Scott Mechlowicz; Empowering soul food from dir. Victor Salva about an injured, Olympic–aspiring gymnast who finds solace and spiritual growth in the imparted…
Perfume - The Story of a Murderer (2006): Dir. Tom Tykwer
Feat. Dustin Hoffman, Alan Rickman, Ben Whishaw…; Lush, faithful adaptation of Patrick Suskind’s 1985 novel, with Ben Whishaw as Jean–Baptiste Grenouille, the gifted ‘nose’ turned…
Pinochet's Last Stand (Pinochet in Suburbia) (2006): Dir. Richard Curson Smith
Feat. Derek Jacobi, Anna Massey, Phyllida Law…; Drama about former Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet, following attempts that were made to extradite him to Spain after he was arrested for human…
Prague (Prag) (2006): Dir. Ole Christian Madsen
Feat. Mads Mikkelsen, Stine Stengade; A journey to Prague to collect a deceased father's coffin turns into a prolonged, poignant and gruelling dissection of an estranged Danish couple's…
Prairie 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…
Provoked (2006): Dir. Jag Mundhra
Feat. Aishwarya Rai, Miranda Richardson, Naveen Andrews…; Provocative indeed, this is the true story of an Indian woman (played by Bollywood star Aishwarya Rai) who radically changed how the British public…
Pursuit of Happyness, The (2006): Dir. Gabriel Muccino
Feat. Will Smith, James Karen, Thandiwe Newton…; Will Smith assumes the inspirational life story of Chris Gardner, a struggling salesman and single father on the poverty line who works his way up…
Queen, The (2006): Dir. Stephen Frears
Feat. Helen Mirren, Michael Sheen, James Cromwell…; A regal Helen Mirren brings command and pathos to the screen as Queen Elizabeth II, an iconic yet closely–guarded world figure whose retreat in…
Quinceañera (2006): Dir. Wash Westmoreland, Richard Glatzer
Feat. Emily Rios, Jesse Garcia, Chalo Gonzalez; Accessible indie about a Mexican–American teen approaching her Quinceañera ( "sweet 15"), who is forced to seek refuge with her great uncle…
Rang De Basanti (2006): Dir. Rakesh Omprakash Mehra
Feat. Aamir Khan, Alice Patten; Progressive Bollywood fare bypasses musical melodrama for an overarching tale of history and self–discovery, guided by a British–Indian…
Red Kebaya, The (2006): Dir. Oliver Knott
Feat. Ramli Hassan, Vanida Imran, Corinne Adri; A lonely photographer with an excessive amount of haunting childhood baggage discovers the key to his past while recording abandoned houses in this…
Red Like the Sky (2006): Dir. Cristiano Bortone
Feat. Luca Carpriotti, Paolo Sassanelli, Marco Cocci; Affecting drama testifies to a young boy's steely resolve after being blinded, after he discovers a newfound joy in sound. An understated narrative…
Red Road (2006): Dir. Andrea Arnold
Feat. Kate Dickie, Tony Curran, Martin Compston…; Absorbing, unbearably tense drama of undisclosed motivations, which follows a lonely surveillance operator and her pursuit of a man throughout the…
Reprise (2006): 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…
Requiem (2006): Dir. Hans-Christian Schmid
Feat. Sandra Huller; Tightly coiled within Sandra Huller’s commanding lead performance, this riveting account of a young woman’s struggle with epilepsy and religious…
Rescue Dawn (2006): Dir. Werner Herzog
Feat. Christian Bale, Steve Zahn, Jeremy Davies; In dramatizing the unforgettable true story of Dieter Dengler – heroic subject matter of doco LITTLE DIETER NEEDS TO FLY – Werner Herzog…
Road to Guantanamo, The (2006): Dir. Michael Winterbottom, Mat Whitecross; A searing, politically pertinent docu–drama from the prolific Michael Winterbottom (w/ co–dir. Whitecross), reenacting with…
Robin Hood (TV Series) (2006): Feat. Jonas Armstrong, Lucy Griffiths, Richard Armitage…; The latest reincarnation of Robin Hood is a lavish, broadly appealing small screen BBC revival of the Sherwood legend. All of Robin’s friends and…
Running with Scissors (2006): Dir. Ryan Murphy
Feat. Annette Bening, Brian Cox, Joseph Fiennes…; Star–studded adaptation of Augusten Burroughs’ humourous yet hard–hitting memoir of a childhood locked between distanced and abusive…
Sally Lockhart Mysteries, The (TV Mini-series) (The Ruby in the Smoke, The Shadow in the North ) (2006-2007): Dir. Brian Percival
Feat. Billie Piper, Julie Walters; Billy Piper stars as Sally Lockhart – the gutsy mystery–solving heroine of this Victorian England mystery series adapted straight from…
Save The Last Dance 2 (2006): Dir. David Petrarca
Feat. Izabella Miko, Jacqueline Bisset; Not the last dance, but a sequel reprising the aspirations of Sarah (now played by Izabella Miko), here on the verge of attending prestigious…
Science of Sleep, The (2006): 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…
Secret Journey (Viaggio Segreto) (2006): Dir. Roberto Ando
Feat. Marco Baliani, Alessio Boni, Emir Kusturica; Leo, a psychoanalyst in his forties lives with his younger sister, Ale. When Harold , a famous and hugely successful artist, announces his intention…
See No Evil - The Story of the Moors Murders (2006): Dir. Christopher Menaul; Well–made, sensitive teledrama that depicts in grim detail the story of the notorious "Moors murderers" Ian Brady and Myra Hindley, who…
Shark (TV Series) (2006): Feat. James Woods; Fine courtroom series headlined by James Woods as a big–time lawyer who back steps to the position of District Attorney and imparts his…
Sherrybaby (2006): Dir. Laurie Collyer
Feat. Maggie Gyllenhaal, Danny Trejo, Giancarlo Esposito…; Overfamiliar but sincere portrait of a recovering addict, with a warts–and–all Maggie Gyllenhaal fresh out of jail and determined to go…
Shortbus (Short bus) (2006): 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…
Singer, The (Quand j'étais chanteur) (2006): Dir. Xavier Giannoli
Feat. Gerard Depardieu, Cecile De France, Mathieu Amalric; Gerard Depardieu works his rotund charm as a journeyman lounge singer, crooning his way through half–empty nightclubs while forging an unlikely…
Situation, The (2006): Dir. Philip Haas
Feat. Damian Lewis, Connie Nielsen, Mido Hadama; A noted fictional dramatisation of the Iraq conflict and its many complex participants and victims, this film interweaves a love triangle with…
Sixty Six (2006): 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…
Snow Cake (2006): Dir. Marc Evans
Feat. Alan Rickman, Sigourney Weaver, Carrie-Anne Moss; Poignant, far–from–icy Canadian drama of an autistic woman’s relationship with a downcast ex–con, whom she befriends in the…
Sopranos, The (TV Series) - Season 6, Part A (2006): Continuing episodes of the groundbreaking TV–series that ironically portrays the life of a New Jersey Mafia clan.
Southland Tales (2006): Dir. Richard Kelly
Feat. Sarah Michelle Gellar, Seann William Scott, Mandy Moore…; A chaotically comedic, pre–apocalyptic sci–fi ensemble piece, helmed with self–importance and unrestraint by the…
Special (2006): Dir. Hal Haberman, Jeremy Passmore
Feat. Michael Rapaport, Josh Peck, Paul Blackthorne…; Michael Rappaport plays a lonely parking warden who enrolls in a program for an experimental anti–depressant that has the unusual side effect…
State Within, The (TV Series) (2006): Dir. Daniel Percival
Feat. Jason Isaacs, Ben Daniels, Sharon Gless; Gripping political series centred on the British Ambassador to Washington who finds himself entangled in the midst of political scandal after a plane…
State's Evidence (2006): Dir. Benjamin Louis
Feat. Alexa Vega, Douglas Smith, Majandra Delfino…; Six high school students make a suicide pact which goes nastily awry, in this prurient youth drama clearly influenced by cinema provocateurs Larry…
Step Up (2006): Dir. Anne Fletcher
Feat. Channing Tatum, Rachel Griffiths; Rigidly adhering to the dance movie formula, two prodigious dancers from the wrong sides of the track become unlikely partners, dancing up a storm at…
Stephanie Daley (2006): Dir. Hilary Brougher
Feat. Amber Tamblyn, Tilda Swinton, Halley Feiffer…; A closely–observed, cogent indie drama about a teenager’s concealed pregnancy and the suspicious death of her baby. The truth surrounding…
Stick It (2006): Dir. Jessica Bendinger
Feat. Jeff Bridges, Missy Peregrym, Vanessa Lengies…; A wild–child shoots for Olympic Gold in this gymnastics sporting underdog yarn by the writer of BRING IT ON, shot through with a skate punk…
Still Life (Dong) (2006): Dir. Jia Zhang-ke
Feat. Zhao Tao; Another arresting globalisation story from China's leading contemporary filmmaker, situated on the banks of the Yangtze River, where once thriving…
Street, The (TV Series) (2006-2009): Dir. Jimmy McGovern
Feat. Timothy Spall, Ger Ryan, Lee Ingleby; TV series with each episode a stand–alone story about a different house on the same Northern British backstreet. Creator Jimmy McGovern…
Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip (TV Series) (2006): Feat. Amanda Peet, Matthew Perry, Bradley Whitford…; WEST WING creator Aaron Sorkin transplants the walk–and–talk posturing of his long–running White House series to the corridors of a…
Suburban Mayhem (2006): Dir. Paul Goldman
Feat. Emily Barclay, Michael Dorman, Anthony Hayes…; NZ's Emily Barclay crashes this trailer–trash satire of murderous alpha–males and vindictive females set in the god–awful 'burbs of…
Suddenly (Underbara älskade) (2006): Dir. Johan Brisinger
Feat. Michael Nyqvist, Anastasios Soulis, Moa Gammel…; Quality Swedish drama explores themes of grief and solace in its portrait of a bereaved family man, who must come to terms with the sudden death of…
Sunshine 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…
Syndromes and a Century (2006): Dir. Apichatpong Weerasethakul
Feat. Arkanae Cherkam, Jaruchai Iamaram, Nu Nimsomboon; A rural hospital surrounded by Thailand's evergreen jungle is the setting for this blissful meditation on memory and desire, shot in the exquisite…
Take the Lead (2006): Dir. Liz Friedlander
Feat. Antonio Banderas, Rob Brown; A thinnish retelling of the true story of Pierre Dulaine (played here by Antonio Banderas) who is credited with provoking the current enthusiasm for…
Tan Lines (2006): Dir. Ed Aldridge
Feat. Jack Baxter, Lorena Arancibia, Jed Clarke…; Sun–soaked coming of age drama with a hard partying surfer stuck in small town Australia falling under the spell of a worldly older surfer.…
Ten Canoes (2006): Dir. Rolf De Heer, Peter Djigirr
Feat. David Gulpilil, Jamie Gulpilil; Beguiling Aboriginal parable from Rolf de Heer is an evocative time–warp of Australia’s rich ancestry, told through the campfire narration of…
Tenants, The (2006): Dir. Danny Green
Feat. Dylan McDermott, Snoop Dogg, Rose Byrne…; Gripping drama about two ambitious writers – one black, one white – who spar in an abandoned New York tenement block. McDermott plays…
These Foolish Things (2006): Dir. Julia Taylor-Stanley
Feat. Zoe Tapper, Andrew Lincoln, David Leon…; Pleasant tale concerns a young womans attempts to carve out a career on the stage in 1930's London. Rife with catty dialogue and double entendres and…
This is England (2006): Dir. Shane Meadows
Feat. Thomas Turgoose, Stephen Graham, Jo Hartley…; Utterly authentic, hard–hitting memoir from the dir. of A ROOM FOR ROMEO BRASS, about a boy’s coming–of–age as a skinhead during…
Time to Leave (2006): Dir. Francois Ozon
Feat. Melvil Poupaud, Jeanne Moreau, Valeria Bruni Tedeschi…; Dir. Ozon expands on the theme of death and mourning, first explored in UNDER THE SAND, with this carefully composed, if somewhat underdeveloped male…
Times and Winds (Bes Vakit) (2006): Dir. Reha Erdem
Feat. Ozkan Ozen, Ali Bey Kayali, Elit Iscan; Set in a remote Turkish village three friends on the cusp of adolescence struggle with both with their changing emotions and growing resentment of…
TranSylvania (2006): Dir. Tony Gatlif
Feat. Asia Argento, Birol Unel, Amira Casar; Tony Gatlif tones his freewheeling musical romanticism down a notch, but doesn’t discard the ramshackle sensuality of his earlier films, in this…
Tristan and Isolde (2006): Dir. Kevin Reynolds
Feat. James Franco, Rufus Sewell, Sophia Myles; Accessible and handsome rendering of the legendary Celtic love affair between a noble British knight (Franco) and an Irish princess (Myles), which…
True North (2006): Dir. Steve Hudson
Feat. Peter Mullan, Martin Compston, Gary Lewis; Devastating thriller concerning the crew of a Scottish trawler in financial strife who smuggle Chinese immigrants in appalling conditions across the…
Tsunami: The Aftermath (TV Mini-Series) (2006): Dir. Bharat Nalluri
Feat. Tim Roth, Toni Collette, Hugh Bonneville…; Inspired by the tsunami that devastated the coast of Thailand, this HBO miniseries focuses on a group of fictional characters caught up in the…
TV 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…
United 93 (2006): Dir. Paul Greengrass; Intensely affecting recreation of the fated last flight of United Airlines Flight 93 on September 11th 2001, where passengers successfully rose up…
Vanaja (2006): Dir. Rajnesh Domalpalli
Feat. Mamatha Bhukya; Heartfelt story of empowerment centres around the rape and subsequent pregnancy of a 15–year–old Indian girl who aspires to be a…
Venus (2006): Dir. Roger Michell
Feat. Peter O'Toole, Jodie Whittaker, Leslie Phillips…; The writer and dir. of THE MOTHER reteam for a companion piece to that film, this time inverting its premise to detail a relationship between a…
Vitus (2006): Dir. Fredi M. Murer
Feat. Julika Jenkins, Urs Jucker, Bruno Ganz…; Sweet–natured chronicle of a young prodigy whose parents demand success as a pianist. The problem of trying to foster a child’s talent but…
Volver (2006): Dir. Pedro Almodovar
Feat. Penelope Cruz, Carmen Maura, Lola Dueñas; Formidable Spanish brand–name dir. Almodovar re–embracing what he knows best – womanhood – in a vibrant and tempestuous tale of…
We Are Marshall (2006): Dir. McG
Feat. Matthew McConaughey, Matthew Fox, David Strathairn…; Sport biopic centered around the 1970 plane crash that killed much of the Marshall University Thundering Herd football team and their coaches and…
What is Love? (Quale Amore) (2006): Dir. Maurizio Sciarra
Feat. Giorgio Pasotti, Arnoldo Foa, Vanessa Incontrada…; Sullen adaptation of Tolstoy's "Kreutzer Sonata" has jealous Pasotti recount how he murdered his wife. Good looking film features some accomplished…
What the Bleep!? - Down the Rabbit Hole (2006): Dir. William Arntz, Betsy Chasse
Feat. Marlee Matlin; A sequel–recut of WHAT THE BLEEP? which again presents an New Age spread of provocative comparisons between the theories of quantum physics and…
Who Loves The Sun (2006): Dir. Matt Bissonnette
Feat. Lukas Haas, Molly Parker, Adam Scott; Subtle reunion drama, with Lukas Haas reacquainting with his best friend–turned–successful novelist (Scott) and estranged former wife…
Wild at Heart (TV Series) (2006): Feat. Stephen Tompkinson, Amanda Holden; Gratifying drama series following the adventures of a middle class British family who travel to the wilds of Africa with their veterinarian father…
Wind That Shakes the Barley, The (2006): Dir. Ken Loach
Feat. Cillian Murphy, Liam Cunningham, Gerard Kearney; Thoroughly gripping Cannes winner from "kitchen sink" exponent Ken Loach, retelling with parochial force Ireland's tumultuous twenties, where the…
Winter's Tale, The (2006): Dir. Dominic Cooke
Feat. Sir Antony Sher; The Royal Shakepeare Company's 2006 adaptation of one of Shakespeare's 'problem' plays is, as you would expect, a vibrant, perfectly studied affair,…
World Trade Center (2006): Dir. Oliver Stone
Feat. Nicolas Cage, Maria Bello, Maggie Gyllenhaal…; Powerful and gripping rendering of the plight of two NYC cops who became trapped in the rubble of the collapsing World Trade Center in the 9/11…
Wristcutters: A Love Story (2006): Dir. Goran Dukic
Feat. Patrick Fugit, Shannyn Sossamon, Tom Waits…; Wilfully eccentric suicide comedy (!?) set in a warped and washed–out afterlife inhabited solely by suiciders, in which a young no–hoper…
3 Needles (2005): Dir. Thom Fitzgerald
Feat. Chloe Sevigny, Lucy Liu, Stockard Channing…; Three globally sprawling dramas about the A.I.D.S. crisis set in South Africa, China and Canada. Attempting to replicate the effect TRAFFIC had on…
50 Ways of Saying Fabulous (2005): Dir. Stewart Main
Feat. Rima Te Wiata; Rural New Zealand forms a stylised background to this unusual rites–of–passage drama which combines whimsy, pathos and cruelty for a…
Accused (Anklaget) (2005): Dir. Jacob Thuesen
Feat. Troels Lyby, Sofie Grabol; Unnerving Danish chamber–piece concerns the accusation by a 14–year–old girl that her father has sexually abused her – a…
Actress, 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 Apples (2005): 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…
Airlift, The (2005): Dir. Dror Zahavi
Feat. Heino Ferch, Ulrich Tukur, Bettina Zimmerman; Sweeping historical drama set in post–WWII Berlin with the love affair between a German single mother and an American General complicated by…
Alice, The (TV Series) (2005): Feat. Erik Thomson, Simon Burke; Compulsive Aussie melodrama –spiked with touches of quirky humour and ponderings on fate – set in the baking outback town of Alice…
Allegro (2005): Dir. Christoffer Boe
Feat. Ulrich Thomsen, Helena Christensen; Conceptually intriguing Danish sci–fi drama concerns a gifted concert pianist whose lack of intimacy leads to amnesia, forcing him to enter…
Always - Sunset on Third Street (Always san-chôme no yûhi ) (2005): Dir. Takashi Yamazaki
Feat. Koyuki, Shin'ichi Tsutsumi, Hiroko Yakushimaru; A wistful Japanese drama, set against the backdrop of a developing Tokyo skyline in the 50's, centred on a handful of residents living in the…
An Unfinished Life (2005): Dir. Lasse Hallstrom
Feat. Robert Redford, Jennifer Lopez, Morgan Freeman…; Surprisingly robust and appealing drama set in bleak outland Wyoming, with Redford playing an embittered rancher, whose estranged…
Angel-A (2005): Dir. Luc Besson
Feat. Jamel Debbouze, Rie Rasmussen; This sleek, stylized departure for dir. Luc Besson dabbles in an unlikely romance between a statuesque blonde (Rassmusen), and a nebbish, diminutive…
Aurora Borealis (2005): Dir. James C.E. Burke
Feat. Joshua Jackson, Donald Sutherland, Juliette Lewis; A drifting twenty–something is torn between embarking on a burgeoning new romance, and caring for his Alzheimer’s–stricken…
Auschwitz: Inside the Nazi State (2005): The BBC present a comprehensive visual and verbal account of the "Final Solution" phase of the Nazi Holocaust, focused on the most infamous of the…
Ballad of Jack and Rose, The (2005): Dir. Rebecca Miller
Feat. Daniel Day-Lewis, Camilla Belle, Catherine Keener…; Affecting coming–of–age melodrama from the dir. of PERSONAL VELOCITY about father Daniel Day–Lewis and daughter Camille Belle who…
Battle in Heaven (Batalla en el cielo) (2005): Dir. Carlos Reygadas
Feat. Marcos Hernández; Heavyset follow–up to JAPON finds Mexican dir. Reygadas dealing in the spiritual and moral crises of two lost souls: one an underprivileged…
Beast in the Heart, The (La Bestia nel cuore, Don't Tell) (2005): Dir. Cristina Comencini
Feat. Giovanna Mezzogiorno, Stefania Rocca, Alessio Boni…; Oscar–nominated Italian drama centred on the life of a successful career woman who finds herself haunted by nightmares of an abusive childhood…
Beauty Remains (Mei ren yi jiu) (2005): Dir. Ann Hui
Feat. Vivian Wu, Xun Zhou; Two sisters negotiate the turbulent rise of communism in China during the 1940s in this family melodrama. Sensuously filmed in tones reminiscent…
Bee Season (2005): Dir. Scott McGehee, David Siegel
Feat. Richard Gere, Juliette Binoche; Elegant, well–grounded adaptation of Myla Goldberg's acclaimed novel about a San Franciscan family of high achievers whose domestic and…
Bigger 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…
Blacktown (2005): Dir. Kriv Stenders
Feat. Niki Owen, Tony Ryan; Rough–edged but rewarding human drama interested in the relationship between a disenchanted married woman and a charismatic Aboriginal man in…
Bleak House (Mini-series) (2005): Dir. Justin Chadwick
Feat. Gillian Anderson, Alun Armstrong, Warren Clarke…; From the pen of Charles Dickens comes this pacy, razor sharp BBC adaptation dabbling in murder, lineage, and the 19th century legal…
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 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…
Breakfast on Pluto (2005): Dir. Neil Jordan
Feat. Cillian Murphy, Stephen Rea, Brendan Gleeson…; Cillian Murphy glitters in this whimsical drama as an Irish transgender escort during the social and political upheaval of the 70s. Despite the…
Brokeback Mountain (2005): Dir. Ang Lee
Feat. Heath Ledger, Jake Gyllenhaal, Michelle Williams…; A 'cause celebre' of recent cinema, this epic romantic drama is set around the terse and smouldering long–term love affair between two cowboys…
Broken Flowers (2005): 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…
Brothers of the Head (2005): Dir. Keith Fulton, Louis Pepe
Feat. Harry Treadaway, Luke Treadaway; Believably real mockumentary centres around the carnivalesque (mis)fortunes of Siamese twins who get manufactured into punk rock sensations.…
Bubble (2005): Dir. Steven Soderbergh
Feat. Debbie Doebereiner, Dustin Ashley, Misty Wilkins; Steven Soderbergh's creepy, independent sojourn (made between OCEAN'S 12 and 13) casts an uneasy eye on a midwestern doll factory, where the…
Capote (2005): Dir. Bennett Miller
Feat. Philip Seymour Hoffman, Catherine Keener, Clifton Collins Jr.…; Polished and sophisticated dramatisation of how writer Truman Capote came to research and create his seminal 'true–crime' masterpiece IN COLD…
Carnivale - Season 2 (TV Series) (2005): Further episodes from this unusual TV series which continues a running duel between two quasi–supernatural figures (Stahl and Brown) in the…
Cave of the Yellow Dog, The (2005): Dir. Byambasuren Davaa; The dir. of THE WEEPING CAMEL weaves an enchanting tale of nomads through the eyes of a young girl, using her friendship with a stray dog as a launch…
Child, The (L'enfant) (2005): Dir. Luc and Jean-Pierre Dardenne
Feat. Jeremie Renier, Deborah Francois; The latest humanist imprint from the Dardenne's is a gripping, logical extension of their socio–economic character studies, here following the…
Chumscrubber, The (2005): Dir. Arie Posin
Feat. Jamie Bell, Camilla Belle, Glenn Close…; A sadsack teenager (Bell) living in a sterile new suburb in Southern California discovers his best friend has committed suicide, an event which seems…
Cinderella Man (2005): Dir. Ron Howard
Feat. Russell Crowe, Renee Zellweger, Paul Giamatti…; Premium Hollywood biopic has Russell Crowe sluggin' it out as real–life prizefighter Jim Braddock, who during the Great Depression rose from…
Civilization of Maxwell Bright, The (2005): Dir. David Beaird
Feat. Patrick Warburton, Simon Callow, Jennifer Tilly…; Redemptive LA story of one angry, bigoted dude whose life is transformed by his relationship with his subservient, Asian mail–order bride (and…
Closer, The (TV Series) (2005-2009): Feat. Kyra Sedgwick; Capable and assured detective drama dodges most of the worst cliches of the genre, with Kyra Sedwick playing a talented 'Southern Belle' investigator…
Coach Carter (2005): Dir. Thomas Carter
Feat. Samuel L. Jackson, Rob Brown; Fact–based story of a Californian high school basketball coach (Jackson) who brought a fresh approach to motivating his young players,…
Colditz (TV Mini-series) (2005): Dir. Stuart Orme
Feat. Damian Lewis, Sophia Myles, Laurence Fox…; Respectable mini–series focusing on the WW2 'Colditz' story of three British officers escaping a notoriously impenetrable POW camp to begin a…
Commander in Chief (TV Series) (2005): Feat. Geena Davis, Donald Sutherland, Bruce Boxleitner…; Excellent WEST WING–style political drama has Geena Davis depict an imagined first woman President of the USA, an independent senator who is…
Constant Gardener, The (2005): Dir. Fernando Mierelles
Feat. Ralph Fiennes, Rachel Weisz, Bill Nighy…; A British diplomat in Kenya (Fiennes) becomes obsessed with uncovering the secrets that lie behind his wife's (Weisz) murder which seem to lead to…
Conversations with Other Women (2005): 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…
Crash (2005): Dir. Paul Haggis
Feat. Don Cheadle, Sandra Bullock, Matt Dillon…; A thoughtful dramatic meditation on race and fate in modern–day America, in which a group of urbanites in Los Angeles find their lives…
Crime Novel (Romanzo criminale) (2005): Feat. Kim Rossi Stuart, Pierfrancesco Favino, Claudio Santamaria…; Novel–based Italian crime drama concerning a group of small–town crims who went on to become Rome's most merciless crime family and a…
Daltry 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 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…
Dawn Anna (2005): Dir. Arliss Howard
Feat. Debra Winger; Well–regarded TV tear–jerker in which Winger plays the titular true character, a successful teacher and single mother in Denver,…
Days of Abandonment, The (I Giorni dell'abbandono) (2005): Dir. Roberto Faenza
Feat. Margherita Buy, Luca Zingaretti; Shattering Italian drama with Margherita Buy in a breathtakingly brutal performance as a middle–age woman left by her husband who deteriorates…
Deadwood - Season 2 (TV Series) (2005): Feat. Timothy Olyphant, Ian McShane, Molly Parker…; Further tales from the troubled Arizona town of Deadwood. Season Two: 12 episodes across four discs. Disc 1: A Lie Agreed Upon – Part 1, A…
Dear Wendy (2005): Dir. Thomas Vinterberg
Feat. Jamie Bell, Bill Pullman; Pressed from the same pattern as DOGVILLE, this stylised allegory scripted by Lars Von Trier also proffers a tale set in some timeless era of the…
Death of Mr Lazarescu, The (2005): Dir. Cristi Puiu
Feat. Ion Fiscuteanu, Luminita Gheorghiu; Whirling, labyrinthine black comedy follows with interest the Kafkaesque plight of an ailing elderly drunk, whose stomach pains are met with…
Desperate Housewives (TV Series) - Season 2 (2005): Feat. Teri Hatcher, Felicity Huffman, Marcia Cross…; More episodes from the popular drama–black comedy set among the denizens of suburban America. Season 2 (24 episodes) over 6 discs.
DL Chronicles, The (TV Series) (2005): Feat. Damian T. Raven, Sheilynn Wactor, T. Ashanti Mozelle; Pioneering TV series about a group of gay African–American males who choose to lead double lives and attempt to keep their homosexual…
Don't Come Knocking (2005): Dir. Wim Wenders
Feat. Sam Shepard, Jessica Lange, Tim Roth…; Desultry tale of a washed–out actor who goes missing from a film production and, with the insurance company on his tail, ends up uncovering…
Down in the Valley (2005): Dir. David Jacobson
Feat. Edward Norton, Evan Rachel Wood, David Morse…; Slow–burn yet layered and intense drama has Edward Norton in fine form as a delusional 'cowboy' who charms his way into trouble via the heart…
Dreamer (2005): Dir. John Gatins
Feat. Dakota Fanning, Kurt Russell, Kris Kristofferson…; Good, old–fashioned family fare in which Russell plays an ace horse trainer who rescues an injured filly on behalf of his young daughter…
Duane Hopwood (2005): Dir. Matt Mulhern
Feat. David Schwimmer, Janeane Garofalo; Low–key slice–of–life indie film that mixes comedy and drama to subtly get its point across that alcoholism can affect anyone.…
Edmond (2005): Dir. Stuart Gordon
Feat. William H. Macy, Julia Stiles, Joe Mantegna…; Raw, unapologetic adaptation of David Mamet's 1982 stageplay stars William H. Macy as a downtrodden everyman who embarks on a volatile…
El Violin (2005): Dir. Francisco Vargas
Feat. Angel Tavira; A one–handed violinist commands this potent political history of Mexico’s 1970s Guerrero peasant revolt. Plotting to befriend the…
Elizabethtown (2005): Dir. Cameron Crowe
Feat. Orlando Bloom, Kirsten Dunst, Susan Sarandon…; A fatefully 'personal film' from dir. Cameron Crowe, who is plainly given too much rope to tell this semi–autobiographical story. Orlando…
Elsa and Fred (2005): Dir. Marcos Carnevale
Feat. Manuel Alexandre, China Zorrilla; Exquisitely acted romance between a pair of senior citizens expresses enough tenderness and fragility to overcome its rather prosaic storyline.…
Elvis: The Early Years (2005): Dir. James Steven Sadwith
Feat. Johnathon Rhys-Myers, Randy Quaid, Rose McGowan…; Glossy look at Elvis' early years leading up to his joining the army. Superficial with a silly script but the performances are something else with…
Empire Falls (TV Mini-series) (2005): Dir. Fred Schepisi
Feat. Ed Harris, Paul Newman, Philip Seymour Hoffman…; Conventional and well–handled drama series set in the once–booming factory town of Empire Falls, Maine, and mostly getting down in among…
End Of The Spear (2005): Dir. Jim Hanon
Feat. Louie Leonardo, Chad Allen, Jack Guzman; Docudrama that tackles the true story of the violent Waodani tribe from the rainforest of Ecuador, and the tragedy that occurred when five Christian…
Everything (2005): Dir. Richard Hawkins
Feat. Ray Winstone, Jan Graveson; Intriguing two–hander with a man visiting a London prostitute nine days in succession without soliciting a single sexual favour. Shot in ten…
Everything is Illuminated (2005): 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…
Exonerated, The (2005): Dir. Bob Balaban
Feat. Brian Dennehy, Danny Glover, Delroy Lindo…; Jarring prison drama focusing on six death row inmates that are exonerated just before their executions due to new evidence becoming available.…
Factotum (2005): Dir. Bent Hamer
Feat. Matt Dillon, Lili Taylor, Marisa Tomei…; The most droll and tender adaptation of Charles Bukowski's fiction to date has a stocky Matt Dillon chronicle the meandering adventures of 'Hank…
Familia (2005): Dir. Lousie Archambault
Feat. Mylene St-Sauveur, Macha Grenon, Sylvie Moreau; Multi–faceted, thoroughly entertaining drama centres on the frequently discordant child–rearing beliefs of two friends as they attempt to…
Family Stone, The (2005): 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…
Fateless (Sorstalanság) (2005): Dir. Lajos Koltai
Feat. Marcell Nagy, Aron Dimeny, Daniel Craig; Harrowing and distilled vision of the Holocaust adapted from a novel by concentration–camp survivor and Nobel prize–winning author Imre…
Fingersmith (2005): Dir. Aisling Walsh
Feat. Elaine Cassidy, Charles Dance, Imelda Staunton…; BBC teledrama set around a girlish pickpocket (Hawkins) in Victorian London who becomes involved in a nasty plan to defraud a wealthy heiress…
Four Brothers (2005): Dir. John Singleton
Feat. Mark Wahlberg, Tyrese Gibson, Andre Benjamin…; Four adopted brothers of mixed race band together – despite their differences and life problems – to avenge their elderly mother's murder…
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,…
Gabrielle (2005): Dir. Patrice Chereau
Feat. Isabelle Huppert, Pascal Greggory; Absorbing adaptation of a Joseph Conrad short story coolly dissects the disintegrating marriage of a bourgeois French couple. Gorgeously framed…
Game 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…
Game of Their Lives, The (2005): Dir. David Anspaugh
Feat. Gerard Butler, Wes Bentley, John Rhys-Davies; Based on the true story of how a hurriedly–assembled US soccer team beat England 1–0 in a 1950 World Cup match in Brazil, an upset which…
Ghost Whisperer (TV Series) (2005): Feat. Jennifer Love Hewitt, Camryn Manheim; Further primetime paranormal activity, with a prissy Jennifer Love Hewitt as a small town newlywed overcoming her initial skepticism at being able to…
Gilmore Girls - Season 6 (TV Series) (2005-2006): More episodes from the fresh and quirky drama set around a mother and daughter in suburban Connecticut. Season Six: 22 episodes across six discs.
Girl 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…
Goal! (2005): Dir. Danny Cannon
Feat. Kuno Becker, Alessandro Nivola, Stephen Dillane…; A gifted Hispanic teenager (Becker) fulfils his dream to play soccer, leaving East Los Angeles for a prized spot on the Newcastle United team and an…
Great New Wonderful, The (2005): Dir. Danny Leiner
Feat. Olympia Dukakis, Jim Gaffigan, Judy Greer…; New York City drama centered around five interweaving stories all of which exhibit a distinctive characteristic of a changing society post–911.…
Greatest Game Ever Played, The (2005): Dir. Bill Paxton
Feat. Shia LaBeouf, Stephen Dillane; Inspiring Disney drama based on the true story of an ambitious amateur golfer determined to defeat his idols at the 1913 US Open. Shia LaBeouf…
Green Street Hooligans (2005): Dir. Lexi Alexander
Feat. Elijah Wood, Claire Forlani, Charlie Hunnam; Expelled from Harvard, a journalism student (Wood) travels to London to stay with his sister, where he becomes drawn into the world of the 'Green…
Grey's Anatomy (TV Series) - Season 1 (2005-2006): Feat. Ellen Pompeo, Sandra Oh, Katherine Heigl…; Unusually female–driven spin on the hospital soap genre, follows the overcomplicated lives of five interns at Seattle's Grace Hospital as they…
Gypo (2005): Dir. Jan Dunn
Feat. Paul McGann; A resolutely–gritty drama set in a monotonous small town in Kent, where a marriage in crisis gets unexpectedly shaken–up when the…
Happy 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 Candy (2005): Dir. David Slade
Feat. Elliot Page, Patrick Wilson, Sandra Oh; Unflinchingly dark and slickly impressive thriller proceeds from the chatroom flirtations between a precocious teenager (Page) and a…
Hard Pill (2005): 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…
Harsh Times (2005): Dir. David Ayer
Feat. Christian Bale, Freddy Rodríguez, Eva Longoria; An urban masculine tale of crime, violence and staunch brotherhood in seedy South Central L.A., this is raw yet highly implicative about wasted male…
Havoc (2005): Dir. Barbara Kopple
Feat. Anne Hathaway, Bijou Phillips, Freddy Rodríguez…; Two pretty teenage girls in Los Angeles (Hathaway, Phillips) become impatient with the wannabe–gangsta antics of their high–school…
Heading South (Vers le sud) (2005): Dir. Laurence Cantet
Feat. Charlotte Rampling, Karen Young, Louise Portal; Pensive women's drama from the dir. of TIME OUT, set on a Haitian beach resort frequented by wealthy westerners and male gigolos. Set in the 70s…
Heartbreak Hotel (2005): 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…
House of Sand, The (2005): Dir. Andrucha Waddington
Feat. Fernanda Montenegro, Fernanda Torres, Ruy Guerra; Rapturous cinematography transforms this melodramatic saga of three generations of women stranded in Brazil’s inhospitable Maranhão region, into…
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…
Human Trafficking (2005): Dir. Christian Duguay
Feat. Mira Sorvino, Donald Sutherland, Remy Girard…; Tough, at times miserly two–part telemovie detailing the efforts of an Immigration Enforcement agency fighting to curb the Eastern European…
Hustle and Flow (2005): Dir. Craig Brewer
Feat. Terrence Howard, Isaac Hayes, DJ Qualls…; A Memphis pimp (Terrence Howard) tries to break out from his scuzzy, middle–aged existence by persuading an old friend (DJ Qualls) to help…
Ice Princess (2005): Dir. Tim Fywell
Feat. Michelle Trachtenberg, Joan Cusack, Kim Cattrall; A gawky high schooler (Trachtenberg) who excels at physics but dreams of being an ice skater, gets a slim chance to slide her way into the National…
Illustrated Family Doctor, The (2005): Dir. Kriv Stenders
Feat. Samuel Johnson, Colin Friels, Jessica Napier…; Sterile, oddball Australian feature set within the corridors of a glacial office building. When a zombie publishing employee proofing a medical guide…
In Her Shoes (2005): 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…
In the Light of the Sun (Alla luce del sole) (2005): Dir. Roberto Faenza
Feat. Luca Zingaretti; Grave Italian drama, set in a time of increased Mafia terrorism and based on the chain of events that led to the assassination of the Catholic priest…
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…
Inspector Soneri: Fog and Crimes (Nebbie e delitti) (2005): Feat. Luca Barbareschi, Natasha Stefanenko; Inspired by the best–selling crime novels by Valerio Varesi, this atmospheric policier set along the river Po, with Barbareschi as the brooding…
Into the West (TV Mini-series) (2005): Feat. Matthew Modine, Graham (Actor) Greene, Beau Bridges…; The tale of the settlement of the American West between 1820 and 1890 is laid out in sprawling confusing detail in this epic mini–series told…
Italian Film Festival Collection, The - 2007 (2005-2006): Comprehensive box–set collection of 11 of the best Italian films featured at the 'Italian Film Festival 2007' spread over 6 discs. Films…
Italian, The (Italianetz) (2005): Dir. Andrei Kravchuk
Feat. Kolya Spiridonov, Nikolai Reutov, Maria Kuznetsova…; Despite the title there is little Tuscan sunshine to be found here, but instead a frosty though warm–hearted tale from a Russian orphanage,…
Jarhead (2005): Dir. Sam Mendes
Feat. Jake Gyllenhaal, Jamie Foxx, Peter Sarsgaard; An arresting and grimly ironic vision of the 1991 Gulf War, based on the memoir of ex–marine Anthony Swofford, and depicting the experiences of…
Jewboy (2005): Dir. Tony Krawitz
Feat. Ewen Leslie; A young Rabbi–in–training struggles with the oppression of the strict Hasidic–Jewish faith, tail–spinning into a world of…
Joyeux Noel (Merry Christmas) (2005): Dir. Christian Carion
Feat. Ian Richardson, Diane Kruger, Daniel Bruhl; Fact–based WWI drama centred around how, on Christmas Eve, 1914, opposing French, German and British soldiers called a temporary ceasefire amid…
Junebug (2005): 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,…
Karol - A Man Who Became Pope (2005): Dir. Giacomo Battiato
Feat. Piotr Adamczyk; A lavish TV biopic concerning the life of the Polish–born leader of the Roman Catholic church between 1978 and 2005, Karol Wojtyla or Pope John…
Kidnapped (TV Mini Series) (2005): Feat. Adrian Dunbar, John Bach, Paul McGann…; A stirring adaptation of Robert Louis Stevenson's classic adventure yarn, set around a young boy's entanglement with the Scottish Jacobite rebellion…
King, The (2005): Dir. James Marsh
Feat. Gael Garcia Bernal, William Hurt, Laura Elena Harring; A brooding, accomplished slice of southern discomfort with Gael Garcia Bernal (in his first US film) playing recently dischargee from the Navy named…
Klimt (2005): Dir. Raul Ruiz
Feat. John Malkovich, Veronica Ferres, Stephen Dillane…; Chilean director Raul Ruiz' typically idiosyncratic biopic about the life of the Austrian painter Gustav Klimt (1862–1918) told in a series of…
L'Enfer (Hell) (2005): Dir. Danis Tanovic
Feat. Emmanuelle Beart, Karin Viard, Marie Gillain…; Intense and twisting family psychodrama based on a script by Krystof Kieslowski (THREE COLOURS) has three French sisters finding their lives…
La Maison de Nina (2005): Dir. Richard Dembo
Feat. Agnes Jaoui, Sarah Adler, Katia Lewkowicz; Quietly accomplished French drama focused on the relationships within the fragile structures of the 'houses of hope': houses run by surrogate mothers…
La Petite Jerusalem (2005): Dir. Karin Albou
Feat. Elsa Zylberstein; Passion must be reconciled with faith for two sisters growing impatient with family and religious boundaries, while living in the drab Parisian…
Lackawanna Blues (2005): Dir. George C. Wolfe
Feat. S. Epatha Merkerson, Mos Def, Delroy Lindo…; An evocative series of linked vignettes set around the memories of playwright Ruben Santiago–Hudson, about a New York boarding house in the…
Ladies in Lavender (2005): Dir. Charles Dance
Feat. Judi Dench, Maggie Smith, Natascha McElhone…; During the pre–WW2 period, a handsome Polish stranger (Bruhl) is washed up on a beach in Cornwall and taken into care by two aging spinster…
Last Days (2005): Dir. Gus Van Sant
Feat. Michael Pitt, Lukas Haas, Asia Argento; A questionable meditation on a besieged, drug–addled rock–star, clearly modelled on Kurt Cobain, as he inhabits a remote, decaying…
Lie With Me (2005): Dir. Clement Virgo
Feat. Lauren Lee Smith, Eric Balfour; Honest, if ultimately limited, study of sexual connection and consummation between two emotionally–confused twentysomethings in…
Little Fish (2005): Dir. Rowan Woods
Feat. Cate Blanchett, Sam Neill, Hugo Weaving…; Another bleakly intense and beautiful drama from the dir. of THE BOYS, here depicting the efforts of a heroin addict (Blanchett) to put her life back…
Live and Become (Va, vis et deviens) (2005): Dir. Radu Mihaileanu; Set against a little–known human catastrophe in which thousands of Ethiopian Jews (Falasha) were evacuated to Israel during civil unrest in the…
Lonesome Jim (2005): Dir. Steve Buscemi
Feat. Liv Tyler, Casey Affleck, Seymour Cassel…; Another droll indie gem from actor–turned–director Buscemi (TREES LOUNGE), here charting the apathetic trajectory of a listless…
Look Both Ways (2005): 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…
Lords of Dogtown (2005): Dir. Catherine Hardwicke
Feat. Emile Hirsch, Victor Rasuk, John Robinson…; A quasi–fictional recreation of territory covered in DOGTOWN AND Z–BOYS, about the invention of the skateboard by a group of scruffy Los…
Lost City, The (2005): Dir. Andy Garcia
Feat. Bill Murray, Dustin Hoffman, Andy Garcia; Actor/director Andy Garcia‘s passionate tribute to his native Cuba and to the explosive chapter of history that saw it changed forever. Garcia…
Love (2005): Dir. Vladen Nikolic; Little–known but extremely worthwhile drama lays out several major storylines, but centres on the struggles of a former Serbian soldier trying…
Love + Hate (Love and Hate) (2005): Dir. Dominic Savage
Feat. Samina Awan, Tom Hudson; Pakistani Muslims and British xenophobes clash in this racially charged prism of disparate cultures and forbidden love. Young love and interracial…
Loverboy (2005): Dir. Kevin Bacon
Feat. Kyra Sedgwick, Kevin Bacon, Matt Dillon…; An earnest, if rather thin portrayal of obsessive motherhood, in which a neglected daughter (Sedgwick) grows up wanting only one thing in life…
Lower City (Cidade Baixa) (2005): Dir. Sergio Machado
Feat. Lazaro Ramos, Jose Dumont; Sensual, if sordid Latin American affair lustily relaying an ongoing threesome between two poverty–stricken ferrymen and a gorgeous Salvadorian…
Macbeth (Shakespeare Retold) (2005): Dir. Mark Brozel
Feat. James McAvoy, Richard Armitage, Keeley Hawes; An updated version of Shakespeare's tragedy by the makers of THE CANTERBURY TALES (2003) series, shifting the Scottish renegade into the…
Manderlay (2005): Dir. Lars Von Trier
Feat. Bryce Dallas Howard, Danny Glover, Willem Dafoe…; Part two of Lars von Trier’s ‘USA’ trilogy reemploys DOGVILLE’s Brechtian framework of stage outlines and minimal props in the odyssey of…
Marilyn Hotchkiss' Ballroom Dancing and Charm School (2005): Dir. Randall Miller
Feat. Robert Carlyle, Marisa Tomei, John Goodman…; Old–fashioned melodrama, shading into elegaic whimsy, in which a widowed baker (Carlyle) helps and learns the story of a car crash victim…
Mario's War (La Guerra di Mario) (2005): Dir. Antonio Capuano
Feat. Valeria Golino; Confronting Italian drama focused on a young boy taken away from his abusive mother to be cared for by a generous upper–class couple attempting…
Mary (2005): Dir. Abel Ferrara
Feat. Matthew Modine, Juliette Binoche, Forest Whitaker…; Badboy dir. Abel Ferrara returns to form with an intense, unpredictable study of Christian faith and the possiblities of redemption in the modern…
Match Point (2005): Dir. Woody Allen
Feat. Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Emily Mortimer, Scarlett Johansson…; Widely touted as Woody Allen's finest film since the mid–80's, this is also his least characteristic – set in London and entirely…
Memoirs Of A Geisha (2005): Dir. Rob Marshall
Feat. Zhang Ziyi, Ken Watanabe, Gong Li…; The ravishing Zhang Ziyi takes the lead in this exotically pleasing, if contentious adaptation of Arthur Golden's 'insider' novel, as a young woman…
Method, The (El Método) (2005): Dir. Marcelo Pineyro
Feat. Eduardo Noriega, Najwa Nimri, Ernesto Alterio…; This smart black comedy for the 21st century sees corporate ethics slyly dissected as seven candidates blindly compete for an executive position in a…
Mickybo and Me (2005): Dir. Terry Loane
Feat. Adrian Dunbar, Gina McKee, Susan Lynch…; Widely praised though little–seen drama which observes the friendship between two young lads – one Catholic, one Protestant –…
Missing In America (2005): Dir. Gabrielle Savage Dockterman
Feat. Danny Glover, David Strathairn, Ron Perlman…; Set around a "bush vet", a reclusive Vietnam veteran (Glover) who lives in the lonely pine forests of Washington State, this solid drama takes an…
Mistress 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 –…
Mozart And The Whale (2005): Dir. Petter Naess
Feat. Josh Hartnett, Radha Mitchell, Gary Cole…; An earnestly–conceived dramatic romance in which two Asperger's Syndrome (a form of autism) sufferers – a preoccupied taxi–driver…
Mrs Henderson Presents (2005): 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 Claremont (2005): 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…
Munich (2005): Dir. Steven Spielberg
Feat. Eric Bana, Daniel Craig, Mathieu Kassovitz…; Compelling, if occasionally muddily–overearnest thriller based around the aftermath of the massacre of 11 Israeli athletes at the 1972 Munich…
Must 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 Appreciation (2005): 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 Animals (2005): 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…
Neverwas (2005): Dir. Joshua Michael Stern
Feat. Ian McKellen, Aaron Eckhart, Brittany Murphy…; Emotive, 'realist' fairytale concerns a psychiatrist (Eckhart) who discovers the magical world his deceased father (Nolte) wrote about in a Lewis…
Nine Lives (2005): Dir. Rodrigo Garcia
Feat. Robin Wright, Holly Hunter, Sissy Spacek…; Soulful ensemble drama delving into the lives of nine women, portrayed by nine top–notch actresses gifted a single vignette each to portray the…
Nomad - The Warrior (2005): Dir. Sergei Bodrov, Ivan Passer
Feat. Kuno Becker, Mark Dacascos, Jason Scott Lee; Historical war epic set in Kazakhstan centred around the life of the prophesied warrior destined to unite the Kazakh peoples. With its awkwardly…
North Country (2005): Dir. Niki Caro
Feat. Charlize Theron, Frances McDormand, Sissy Spacek…; Fact–based drama about a group of women miners in 1970s Minnesota who endured a hostile work environment, bullying and sexual abuse after…
Notorious Bettie Page, The (2005): Dir. Mary Harron
Feat. Gretchen Mol, Lili Taylor, David Strathairn…; Perfectly–cast and perfectly shaped, Gretchen Mol busts out as the 'notorious' Bettie Page, giving body and soul to the pin–up queen’s…
OC, The (TV Series) - Season 3 (2005): Third year of the extraordinarily popular ironic, knowing soap opera. 24 episodes over 6 DVDs (+ 7th sp. features disc). DVD 1: The Aftermath,…
Oliver Twist (2005): Dir. Roman Polanski
Feat. Barney Clark, Ben Kingsley; The latest adaptation of Charles Dickens' classic sees prominent Polish dir. Polanski helm an artful, if not straightforward interpretation of the…
On a Clear Day (2005): Dir. Gaby Dellal
Feat. Peter Mullan, Brenda Blethyn, Sean McGinley…; Smoothly delivered feelgooder has Peter Mullan (MY NAME IS JOE) playing a middle–aged Glaswegian dockworker who decides to affirm himself and…
Once You're Born (Quando sei nato non puoi più nasconderti) (2005): Dir. Marco Tullio Giordana
Feat. Alessio Boni, Adriana Asti; Frank Italian adventure by acclaimed director Marco Tullio Giordana (THE BEST OF YOUTH) telling the coming–of–age story of a wealthy…
One 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…
Opal Dream (2005): Dir. Peter Cattaneo
Feat. Vince Colosimo, Jacqueline McKenzie; Semi–precious gem of a family drama about a precocious 10–year–old girl in Australian 'opal country', who wreaks a cute brand of…
Over There (TV Series) (2005): Feat. Josh Henderson, Luke MacFarlane, Erik Palladino; Demanding Iraqi War excursion from Steven Bochco (NYPD BLUE) focuses on a US army unit’s dispatch to Iraq. Light on politics, this nevertheless…
Pierrepoint (The Last Hangman) (2005): Dir. Adrian Shergold
Feat. Timothy Spall, Juliet Stevenson; Timothy Spall is typically excellent in this biopic of Albert Pierrepoint, who had an alarmingly prolific career as a state hangman in pre– and…
Point Pleasant (TV Series) (2005): Feat. Elisabeth Harnois, Grant Show; Short–lived, mildly cultish series may interest BUFFY fans as a brief alternative: it concerns a mysterious girl who washes up on the shoreline…
Pride and Prejudice (2005): Dir. Joe Wright
Feat. Keira Knightley, Matthew MacFadyen, Brenda Blethyn…; Well–groomed incarnation of Jane Austen's early 19th century novel in which five sisters, whose family is down on their means, must navigate…
Princesses (Princesas) (2005): Dir. Fernando León de Aranoa
Feat. Candela Pena, Micaela Nevarez; A raw, heartfelt slice of social realism on Spain's unforgiving streets, this authentic drama about the tenuous friendship between two women who…
Proof (2005): Dir. John Madden
Feat. Gwyneth Paltrow, Anthony Hopkins, Jake Gyllenhaal…; An elegant adaptation of David Auburn’s Pulitzer Prize–winning play, with Gwyneth Paltrow reprising her London stage role as the grieving…
Proposition, The (2005): Dir. John Hillcoat
Feat. Guy Pearce, Ray Winstone, Danny Huston…; Grimly intense and atmospheric 'Australian Western' – scripted by singer Nick Cave – is set the outback of the 1880s, where lawman Ray…
Puppy (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…
Quiet, The (2005): Dir. Jamie Babbitt
Feat. Elisha Cuthbert, Camilla Belle, Martin Donovan…; A creepy teenage melodrama about an orphaned deaf–mute girl (Belle) who goes to live in suburbia with her godparents (Falco, Donovan) and…
Red Doors (2005): Dir. Georgia Lee
Feat. Tzi Ma; Mild family drama set in the avenues of suburban New York – its point of difference a focus on the late–life crisis of a retiring doctor, and…
Regular Lovers (Les Amants réguliers) (2005): Dir. Philippe Garrel
Feat. Louis Garrel, Clotilde Hesme; A richly photographed, Nouvelle Vague–styled homage to the revolutionary spirit of protesters in 1968 Paris, dir. Garrel offers a lucid, at…
Rent (2005): Dir. Chris Columbus
Feat. Rosario Dawson, Taye Diggs, Anthony Rapp; An ambitious and mostly comfortable adaptation of the 1990s Broadway update of Puccini's LA BOHEME, in which a multi–racial mixture of New York…
Riding Alone for Thousands of Miles (2005): Dir. Zhang Yimou
Feat. Ken Takakura; An unmistakably poignant, tear–jerking chronicle of an elderly Japanese man’s pilgrimage to Mainland China in the hope of reconciling a…
Ring Finger, The (L'annulaire) (2005): Dir. Diane Bertrand
Feat. Olga Kurylenko, Marc Barbe, Stipe Erceg; Ravishing to look at, if lacking so much as a storyline, this exquisite erotic fiction features Bond Girl Olga Kurylenko as a gorgeous laboratory…
River Queen (2005): Dir. Vincent Ward
Feat. Samantha Morton, Kiefer Sutherland, Cliff Curtis…; Both underrated and overblown, dir. Vincent Ward's (VIGIL) ambitious historical drama depicts the journey across heart, soul and land–scapes of…
Rome (TV Series) (2005): Feat. Kevin McKidd, Polly Walker, Ian McNeice…; Lavish, handsomely–mounted cable television series chronicling dark goings–on in ancient Rome. The wide canvas of characters ranges…
Room (2005): Dir. Kyle Henry
Feat. Cyndi Williams; Inner visions of a mysterious, expansive "room" begin to afflict a dejected, struggling–class woman (Williams), and, after a near car accident,…
Sabah (2005): Dir. Ruba Nadda
Feat. Arsinee Khanjian; An impassioned telling of an oft–told culture clash, this concerns a devout Muslim woman’s love for a working class, atheistic man, and the…
Sacred Heart (Cuore Sacro) (2005): Dir. Ferzan Ozpetek
Feat. Erika Blanc, Barbora Bobulova, Camille Dugay Comencini…; Invigorating Italian drama of a successful businesswoman forced to re–assess her life by way of an encounter with a street kid after two of her…
Search for the Northwest Passage (2005): Dir. Louise Osmond; A partially dramatised documentary examines the two most famous expeditions which attempted to find a passage around the northern–most…
Secret Life of Words, The (2005): Dir. Isabel Coixet
Feat. Sarah Polley, Tim Robbins, Julie Christie; Intense character–driven drama set on an isolated oil rig that explores the relationship between a hearing–impaired factory worker…
Separate Lies (2005): Dir. Julian Fellowes
Feat. Tom Wilkinson, Emily Watson, Rupert Everett; Tense tragedy of manners stars Tom Wilkinson as a complacent lawyer whose young wife (Watson) confesses to being tangled–up in a fatal…
Shadows in the Sun (The Shadow Dancer) (2005): Dir. Brad Mirman
Feat. Harvey Keitel, Claire Forlani, Joshua Jackson…; A youthful literary editor from London (Jackson) is sent to Italy to track down a legendary reclusive writer (Keitel), esconced somewhere in the…
Shakespeare Retold Box Set (Macbeth, Midsummer Nights Dream, Much Ado About Nothing, Taming Of The Shrew) (2005): Box set anthology of four modern British adaptations of The Bard’s best–known comedy/tragedies.
Shania (A Life in Eight Albums) (2005): Dir. Jerry Ciccoritti
Feat. Megan Follows, Meredith Henderson; Music biopic mapping out the life of country music's mainstream sweetheart Shania Twain from a typically plain childhood, the drive to become a…
Shooting Dogs (Beyond the Gates) (2005): Dir. Michael Caton-Jones
Feat. John Hurt, Hugh Dancy; Based on events during the horrific genocide of close to one million Rwandans, this sincere yet insufficiently told docudrama centres on the selfless…
Shooting Livien (2005): Dir. Rebecca Cook
Feat. Jason Behr, Dominic Monaghan, Joshua Leonard…; Minor–key indie rock movie about a talented New York musician who becomes increasingly disillusioned and unstable on the brink of…
Shopgirl (2005): Dir. Anand Tucker
Feat. Claire Danes, Steve Martin, Jason Schwartzman; Generally thoughtful and subtle adaptation of Steve Martin's novella, set around the heartfelt search for life satisfaction by the lonely Danes, who…
Showbands (TV Series) (2005): Dir. Ian Fitzgibbon
Feat. Liam Cunningham, Kerry Katona; Rich, rambunctious revival of the showband era propelled by the story of a lowly Irish bar cleaner determined to work her way up to singing stardom.…
Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants, The (2005): Dir. Ken Kwapis
Feat. America Ferrera, Alexis Bledel, Amber Tamblyn…; A snappy adolescent drama concerning four teenage girlfriends spending their first summer apart, and sending a pair of magically–fitting jeans…
Six Feet Under - Season 5 (TV Series) (2005): Feat. Peter Krause, Michael C. Hall, Frances Conroy…; Fifth and final season of the acclaimed HBO drama set around a funeral home. 12 episodes over 5 discs: A Coat of White Primer, Dancing for Me,…
Sometimes in April (2005): Dir. Raoul Peck
Feat. Debra Winger, Idris Elba, Oris Erhuero; A worthy HBO dramatisation of the 1994 Rwandan genocide, in which around one million ethnic 'Tutsis' were slaughtered by ethnic 'Hutu' military and…
Sophie Scholl: The Final Days (2005): Dir. March Rothemund
Feat. Julia Jentsch; An interesting and worthy companion piece to the excellent DOWNFALL, this necessarily grim drama looks at the trial of 21–year–old…
Sorry, Haters (2005): Dir. Jeff Stanzler
Feat. Robin Wright, Abdellatif Kechiche, Elodie Bouchez…; The after–effects of September 11 act as a racially–charged backdrop to this low–budget thriller set on the mean streets of New…
Speer And Hitler: The Devil's Architect (2005): Dir. Heinrich Breloer
Feat. Sebastian Koch, Tobias Moretti; Painstaking docu–drama attempts to reevaluate the war crimes of one Albert Speer, Third Reich celebrity and Hilter’s personal architect…
Squid and the Whale, The (2005): Dir. Noah Baumbach
Feat. Jeff Daniels, Laura Linney, Jesse Eisenberg…; Two brothers negotiate the ebb and flow of adolescence following their parents' divorce in a 'family dysfunction' drama of special distinction,…
Standing Still (2005): Dir. Matthew Cole Weiss
Feat. Adam Garcia, Amy Adams, Melissa Sagemiller…; Stacked American indie gathers an attractive ensemble of twenty–somethings around a wedding doubling as a long–overdue reunion of college…
Steal Me (2005): Dir. Melissa Painter
Feat. Danny Alexander, Hunter Parrish, Paz de la Huerta; Sensitive rumination on encroaching adulthood, about a 15–year–old kleptomaniac whose friendship with a drifter precipitates…
Stephen Poliakoff's Gideon's Daughter & Friends and Crocodiles (2005): Dir. Stephen Poliakoff
Feat. Bill Nighy, Miranda Richardson; Two BBC dramas from commended writer–director Stephen Poliakoff – 'Friends and Crocodiles' confronts the changing power balance between a…
Stoned (2005): Dir. Stephen Woolley
Feat. Leo Gregory, Paddy Considine, David Morrissey…; A kaleidoscopic portrait of Brian Jones, the charismatic yet contrary founder of "The Rolling Stones". Re–imagining the rock star’s…
Stupid Boy (Garçon Stupide) (2005): Dir. Lionel Baier
Feat. Natacha Koutchoumov, Pierre Chatagny, Rui Pedro Alves; Raw drama focused around Loic, a young gay swinger in Switzerland, and his attraction to an older man who offers unexpected emotional stability.…
Sueño (Dream) (2005): Dir. Renee Chabria
Feat. John Leguizamo, Elizabeth Pena; Light but good–hearted drama about an aspiring Mexican singer (Leguizamo) who transplants with difficulty to Los Angeles, finding success…
Supervolcano (TV Series) (2005): Dir. Tony Mitchell
Feat. Michael Riley, Gary Lewis; Sci–fi/ doco hybrid from the BBC presents a possible case scenario for the cataclysmic eruption of the volcano under Yellowstone Park. comes…
Sweet Land (2005): Dir. Ali Selim
Feat. Elizabeth Reaser, Tim Guinee, Lois Smith…; Beautifully framed romantic saga about a German mail–order bride and her would–be husband's struggle to overcome the propaganda–led…
Syriana (2005): Dir. Stephen Gaghan
Feat. George Clooney, Matt Damon, Jeffrey Wright…; Fierce and dense exploration of the machinations and consequences of the global oil industry in the form of a multiple–storyline drama (from…
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…
Tara Road (2005): Dir. Gillies MacKinnon
Feat. Andie MacDowell, Olivia Williams, Stephen Rea…; An attractive cast distinguishes this middling adaptation of Mauve Binchy's (CIRCLE OF FRIENDS) best–seller, in which two women – one…
Ten Days To Victory (2005): Dir. Tim Conrad; Two–part TV documentary depicting the final days of WWII, from the perspective of ten individual storylines. Combines occasionally violent…
Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada, The (2005): Dir. Tommy Lee Jones
Feat. Tommy Lee Jones, Barry Pepper, Dwight Yoakam…; Stunning tale of redemption straddles the Texas–Mexico borderline, beginning with the offhand killing of a Mexican ranch–hand (Cedillo)…
Three Dollars (2005): Dir. Robert Connolly
Feat. David Wenham, Frances O’Connor, Sarah Wynter; The makers of THE BANK construct another tale of financial insecurity and moral fortitude, with David Wenham returning to play a decent Australian…
Three Times (2005): Dir. Hou Hsiao-Hsien
Feat. Chen Chang, Shu Qi; Taiwanese great Hou Hsiao–Hsien rekindles the memory of three of his finest films, linking a trio of elegant, erstwhile love stories (across…
Tickets (2005): Dir. Ermanno Olmi, Abbas Kiarostami, Ken Loach; Surprisingly succinct take on the "omnibus" film sees the trifecta of Olmi, Kiarostami and Loach intersect three eclectic stories on a…
Tony Takitani (2005): Dir. Jun Ichikawa
Feat. Issey Ogata, Rie Miyazawa; A small jewel of a drama, based on a story by Haruki Murakami, about a lonely illustrator (Ogata) who meets the woman of his dreams, only later…
Transamerica (2005): Dir. Duncan Tucker
Feat. Felicity Huffman, Kevin Zegers; Gender–bender road drama with a winning central performance by 'Desperate Housewife' Felicity Huffman as a transsexual about to take the final…
Trouble With Sex, The (2005): Dir. Fintan Connolly; An impressionistic love story set in rain–clouded Dublin, where two young people – a barman and a lawyer respectively – find solace…
Tsotsi (2005): Dir. Gavin Hood
Feat. Presley Chweneyagae; Deserved winner of the 2006 Foreign Language Oscar, this gripping tale of a young homicidal street–thug ('tsotsi') in post–apartheid…
Twelve and Holding (12 and Holding) (2005): Dir. Michael Cuesta
Feat. Jeremy Renner, Zoe Weizenbaum, Conor Donovan…; A dark yet heart–rending coming–of–age indie drama concerning a group of pre–teens coping with life in the aftermath of a…
Two for the Money (2005): Dir. D. J. Caruso
Feat. Al Pacino, Matthew McConaughey, Rene Russo…; Set in the world of gridiron betting, this steamy male melodrama has an injured quarterback (McConaughey) tempted into the field of 'sports…
Two Sons of Francisco (2 Filhos de Francisco) (2005): Dir. Breno Silveira; Hugely popular in its Brazilian homeland, this endearing rags–to–riches biopic charts the improbable rise to fame of two of Brazil's most…
U-Carmen Ekhayelitsha (2005): Dir. Mark Dornford-May
Feat. Pauline Malefane; An inspired contemporary rendition of George Bizet's classic opera, with events relocated to the rich cultural hotbed of modern day South Africa.…
Under the Greenwood Tree (2005): Dir. Nicholas Laughland
Feat. Keeley Hawes, James Murray; Light–hearted Victorian romance adapted from the novel by Thomas Hardy, the beautiful new village school teacher is pursued by three suitors: a…
Valley of Flowers (2005): Dir. Pan Nalin
Feat. Milind Soman, Mylène Jampanoï, Naseeruddin Shah; Visually gorgeous, sprawling love story from the director of SAMSARA revises an epic Himalayan legend of a mischievous couple whose immortal love…
Virgin Queen, The (TV Mini-Series) (2005): Dir. Coky Giedroyc
Feat. Anne-Marie Duff, Joanne Whalley, Dexter Fletcher…; Imprecise yet compelling mini–series portraying the life and loves of the infamously independent Queen Elizabeth I – from her fearful…
Wah-Wah (2005): Dir. Richard E. Grant
Feat. Gabriel Byrne, Emily Watson, Miranda Richardson…; A caustic memoir of colonial growing pains from actor Richard E. Grant (WITHNAIL AND I), chronicling his own adolescence in Swaziland during the…
Walk the Line (2005): Dir. James Mangold
Feat. Joaquin Phoenix, Reese Witherspoon, Robert Patrick; Better–than–expected biopic of iconic American country singer Johnny Cash (Phoenix), especially focusing on his intense relationship with…
Wallis and Edward (2005): Feat. Joely Richardson, Stephen Campbell Moore, Miriam Margolyes; A condensed tele–feature dramatisation of the royal scandal that shocked the world following Prince Edward from the time when he meets the…
War Within, The (2005): Dir. Joseph Castelo
Feat. Ayad Akhtar; A powerful anatomy of a suicide–bomber in the making, this unsettling thriller is notable for looking through the eyes of an immigrant to the…
Warm Springs (2005): Dir. Joseph Sargent
Feat. Kenneth Branagh, Cynthia Nixon, David Paymer…; Typically smooth and competent HBO biopic, which dramatises Franklin D. Roosevelt's (Branagh) pre–presidency years, especially the period from…
Wassup Rockers (2005): Dir. Larry Clark
Feat. Jonathan Velasquez, Francisco Pedrasa, Milton Velasquez; Teen–centric misanthropist Larry Clark offers a shockingly enthusiastic view of contemporary youth in this story of Latino…
Water (2005): Dir. Deepa Mehta
Feat. Seema Biswas; The third and finest entry in dir. Deepa Mehta's 'Elements' trilogy (FIRE, EARTH) is an opulent depiction of the plight of a group of Hindu widows…
Weather Man, The (2005): Dir. Gore Verbinski
Feat. Nicolas Cage, Michael Caine, Hope Davis; A socially hapless, self–loathing TV weatherman in Chicago (Cage) navigates the colliding mid–life storms of family, career and adulthood…
Wedding 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, 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…
West Wing, The - Season 7 (TV Series) (2005): More episodes from one of the most popular US TV–series of recent years, set in a White House presided over by Martin Sheen and his…
When Will the Girls Show Up? (Ma quando arrivano le ragazze?) (2005): Dir. Pupi Avati
Feat. Vittoria Puccini, Paolo Briguglia, Claudio Santamaria…; Charming Italian drama, billed as semi–autobiographical by its director Pupi Avati (A HEART ELSEWHERE), centred on two polar opposite musos who…
Where the Truth Lies (2005): Dir. Atom Egoyan
Feat. Kevin Bacon, Colin Firth, Alison Lohman; Challenging and kinky mystery drama from dir. Atom Egoyan (EXOTICA), in which a reporter in the 1970s (Lohman) investigates the death by overdose of…
White Countess, The (2005): Dir. James Ivory
Feat. Ralph Fiennes, Natasha Richardson, Vanessa Redgrave…; Set in the tumult of 1930s Shanghai, when China was threatened with Japanese invasion, this final Merchant–Ivory production (producer Ismail…
White Masai, The (Die Weisse Massai) (2005): Dir. Hermine Huntgeburth
Feat. Nina Hoss; A mysterious, well–textured tale of attraction concerns a young Swiss woman travelling in Africa with her boyfriend who becomes infatuated with…
Winter 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…
World's Fastest Indian, The (2005): Dir. Roger Donaldson
Feat. Anthony Hopkins, Diane Ladd; Feelgood drama with a core of goodhearted Kiwi common sense and realism, this relates the true story of Invercargill legend Burt Munro (Hopkins), who…
Yacoubian Building, The (2005): Dir. Marwan Hamed; A downtown apartment building is the main setting for this lively, ambitious cross–section of Egyptian life: a melting pot of social, political…
Zozo (2005): Dir. Josef Fares
Feat. Imad Creidi; Sincere and occasionally dreamlike tale of displacement follows the plight of a 10–year old boy (Creidi) caught in the midst of Lebanon's civil…
1 Nite (2004): Dir. Amarbir Singh
Feat. Bruce Hopkins; A successfully dramatic foray into the night–worlds of half–a–dozen characters frequenting Auckland's K' Road: a Sikh…
2046 (2004): Dir. Wong Kar-Wai
Feat. Tony Leung (Chiu-wai), Zhang Ziyi, Gong Li…; A companion piece of sorts to IN THE MOOD FOR LOVE, this has the seasoned stylist dir. Wong Kar–Wai sketch an impressionistic portrait of loss,…
24 - Season 3 (TV Series) (2004): Feat. Kiefer Sutherland; Further episodes in this high–concept TV thriller, covering 24 hours of real time events (an hour per episode) with Kiefer Sutherland as lead…
3-Iron (Bin-jip) (2004): Dir. Kim Ki-Duk
Feat. Seung-yeon Lee, Hee Song Jae; Odd, elliptical love story from the dir. SPRING, SUMMER concerns the blossoming romance between a domestic abuse victim and her savior, a…
5x2 (Five Times Two) (2004): Dir. Francois Ozon
Feat. Valeria Bruni Tedeschi, Stephane Freiss; Simple and powerful 'deconstruction' of modern marriage, which offers five widely–spaced scenes from the relationship of an average French…
9 Songs (Nine Songs) (2004): Dir. Michael Winterbottom
Feat. Margo Stilley, Kieran O'Brien; A controversially explicit sex'n'rock'n' roll drama about two stray souls – an American student and a British bloke – who over a year…
A Common Thread (Brodeuses; Sequins) (2004): Dir. Éléonore Faucher
Feat. Ariane Ascaride, Lola Naymark; A pregnant 17 year–old (Naymark) in rural France finds anonymous refuge as an apprentice to a provincial silk embroider (Ascaride), grieving…
A Good Woman (2004): Dir. Mike Barker
Feat. Scarlett Johansson, Helen Hunt, Tom Wilkinson…; An astute reprise of Oscar Wilde's play 'Lady Windemere's Fan', with its tale of class, adultery and bad publicity moved to the Amalfi coast in 1930s…
A Home at the End of the World (2004): Dir. Michael Mayer
Feat. Colin Farrell, Robin Wright, Sissy Spacek; A strange dramatic creation from the writer of THE HOURS, concerns an unusual orphan manchild (Farrell) with a desire to make 'everyone happy' who…
A Love Song for Bobby Long (2004): Dir. Shainee Gabel
Feat. Scarlett Johansson, John Travolta, Deborah Kara Unger; Lazily unravelling drama follows a bitter young woman's (Johannson) return to the New Orleans home of her estranged mother, who has recently died and…
Ae Fond Kiss (A Fond Kiss) (2004): Dir. Ken Loach
Feat. Eva Birthistle, Atta Taqub; This cross–cultural Glaswegian drama finds dir. Ken Loach in a more romantic mood than usual, portraying a Scots–Asian man and Catholic…
Aftermath (2004): Dir. Paprika Steen
Feat. Sofie Grabol, Soren Pilmark, Mikael Birkkjaer; A young couple struggle to cope following the death of their only daughter, in this somber Danish drama starring Sophie Grabol (THE…
Agatha Christie - A Life in Pictures (2004): Dir. Richard Curson Smith
Feat. Olivia Williams, Anna Massey; BBC teledrama that focuses on the real life disappearance of detective–writer Agatha Christie in 1926, which has already spawned at least one…
Alfie (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…
Angels in America (TV Mini Series) (2004): Dir. Mike Nichols
Feat. Al Pacino, Meryl Streep, Emma Thompson…; An ambitious, multi–leveled portrait of the fractures, politics and metaphysical crises of 1980s America based on the stageplay by Tony…
Around the Bend (2004): Dir. Jordan Roberts
Feat. Christopher Walken, Josh Lucas, Michael Caine…; Unusually quirky weepie, in which several generations of men are brought together unexpectedly for an extended attempt to grapple with the…
Aryan Couple (2004): Dir. John Daly
Feat. Martin Landau, Judy Parfitt, Kenny Doughty; Mild World War II drama set in against the backdrop of The Euopa Plan in which in wealthy European Jews traded their riches and property in exchange…
As 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…
Assassination of Richard Nixon, The (2004): Dir. Niels Mueller
Feat. Sean Penn, Don Cheadle, Naomi Watts…; The ghost of 'Travis Bickle' (TAXI DRIVER) pervades this accomplished diatribe on the contentious era of Richard Nixon's administration – a…
Aviator, The (2004): Dir. Martin Scorsese
Feat. Leonardo DiCaprio, Cate Blanchett, Kate Beckinsale…; Top flight cinematic biopic of fascinating 20th century figure, Howard Hughes, told with consummate skill and style by Martin Scorsese, marking a…
Baadasssss! (How to Get the Man's Foot Outta Your Ass) (2004): Dir. Mario Van Peebles
Feat. Mario Van Peebles, Ossie Davis, Nia Long…; A vibrant, thought–provoking homage by actor Mario Van Peebles to his father Melvin's 1971 blaxploitation crime indie "Sweet Sweetback's…
Bad Education (Mala Educación, La) (2004): Dir. Pedro Almodovar
Feat. Gael Garcia Bernal, Fele Martinez, Javier Camara; Another fascinating work from Almodovar who, after TALK TO HER, again matches his renowned taste in decor with adventurous yet controlled…
Bear Named Winnie, A (2004): Dir. John Kent Harrison
Feat. Michael Fassbender, Gil Bellows, David Suchet…; Interesting telemovie based on the true story of a Canadian black bear cub who was 'adopted' by a soldier in 1914, eventually placed in the London…
Beautiful Country, The (2004): Dir. Hans Petter Moland
Feat. Nick Nolte, Tim Roth, Ling Bai…; A troubling account of how a young Vietnamese man (Nguyen) – the offspring of a brief liason between a Vietnamese woman and an American G.I.…
Before Sunset (2004): Dir. Richard Linklater
Feat. Ethan Hawke, Julie Delpy; Taking up some nine years after their characters met in BEFORE SUNRISE, Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy, now in their mid–thirties, reacquaint…
Being Julia (2004): Dir. Istvan Szabo
Feat. Annette Bening, Jeremy Irons, Bruce Greenwood…; An aging diva of the London stage (Bening) falls into a flirtation, then romance with a young admirer in the uneasy England of the 1930s, in this…
Beyond the Sea (2004): Dir. Kevin Spacey
Feat. Kevin Spacey, John Goodman, Kate Bosworth…; A schmaltzy valentine to the king of big band cool, Kevin Spacey’s pet project gushingly illuminates the life and times of Bobby Darin, whose good…
Birth (2004): Dir. Jonathan Glazer
Feat. Nicole Kidman, Lauren Bacall, Danny Huston…; An absorbing psychological drama about a young widow (Kidman) whose New York life is disrupted when a 10 year–old boy claims to be the…
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…
Blood and Bones (Chi to hone) (2004): Dir. Yoichi Sai
Feat. Takeshi Kitano, Joe Odagiri; Harrowing biopic about the life and times of an infamous first–generation Korean immigrant who came to Japan in the 1920s and by dint of his…
Bobby Jones, Stroke of Genius (2004): Dir. Rowdy Herrington
Feat. Jim Caviezel, Claire Forlani, Jeremy Northam…; A curious slice of American golfing history, this biopic covers the brief career of legend Bobby Jones (Caviezel) who flourished in the early 20th…
Bombon (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…
Book of Love (2004): Dir. Alan Brown
Feat. Frances O’Connor, Simon Baker, Gregory Smith; A moody Sundance Festival entry plots the entry of a young student into the life of a 'cultured' couple: his school history teacher and more…
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…
Brides (Nyfes) (2004): Dir. Pantelis Voulgaris
Feat. Damian Lewis, Victoria Haralabidou, Steven Berkoff; Through the passages of unrequited love, this bittersweet tale set on board a ship en route to the United States evokes a universal story of…
Bridge of San Luis Rey, The (2004): Dir. Mary McGuckian
Feat. Robert De Niro, Kathy Bates, Gabriel Byrne…; This star–studded costume drama of interlinked fates is the third celluloid incarnation of the Pulitzer Prize–winning Thorton Wilder…
Brief, The (TV Series) (2004): Feat. Alan Davies; Alan Davies juggles work as a brilliant, crusading barrister, with a less than perfect home life, in this lively courtroom drama.
Brother to Brother (2004): Dir. Rodney Evans
Feat. Anthony Mackie, Larry Gilliard, Jr, Duane Boutte…; Heartfelt drama delves deep into the quagmire of identity politics in its depiction of the challenges faced by gay black artists in America set both…
Brothers (2004): Dir. Susanne Bier
Feat. Connie Nielsen, Ulrich Thomsen, Nikolaj Lie Kaas; Dialing–up the Dogme–95 credentials of its creators, this melodrama proffers a dangerous family triangle between a career soldier…
Bullet Boy (2004): Dir. Saul Dibb
Feat. Ashley Walters; Tough expose of London's violent East End tracks the spiralling events and dire consequences which follow the release of a young black man (Walters)…
C.R.A.Z.Y. (Crazy) (2004): Dir. Jean-Marc Vallée
Feat. Marc-André Grondin, Danielle Proulx, Michel Côté; Rockin' and colourful rites–of–passage drama evolves out an adolescent boy's (Grondin) experiences as part of an unusual family during…
Calcium 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…
Chorus, The (Les Choristes) (2004): Dir. Christophe Barratier
Feat. Gerard Jugnot, Francois Berleand, Jacques Perrin; Crowd–pleasing drama set in post–WW2 France, where a sympathetic and patient music teacher strives to win over the troubled orphans in…
Clean (2004): Dir. Olivier Assayas
Feat. Maggie Cheung, Nick Nolte, Beatrice Dalle…; An unorthodox drugs movie from the always–interesting Olivier Assayas (IRMA VEP), this distills with refreshing clarity the aftermath of…
Closer (2004): Dir. Mike Nichols
Feat. Jude Law, Natalie Portman, Clive Owen…; A bracingly frank and compulsive adult drama, Patrick Marber adapts his provocative, award–winning stageplay for the screen with its integrity…
Coast to Coast (2004): Dir. Paul Mazursky
Feat. Richard Dreyfuss, Judy Davis, Selma Blair…; Audience faves Judy Davis and Richard Dreyfuss play a married couple on the verge of divorce who take a road trip together in this witty but…
Coffee 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…
Collateral (2004): Dir. Michael Mann
Feat. Tom Cruise, Jamie Foxx, Jada Pinkett Smith…; A moody night–thriller that cruises the streets of Los Angeles with a taxi–driver (Foxx) whose cab is commandered by a ruthless,…
Consequences of Love, The (2004): Dir. Paolo Sorrentino
Feat. Toni Servillo, Olivia Magnani, Adriano Giannini…; Icy but utterly involving, this Italian mood piece features Toni Servillo as a mysterious, lonesome resident of a Swiss hotel whose cool facade is…
Cooler, The (2004): Dir. Wayne Kramer
Feat. William H. Macy, Maria Bello, Alec Baldwin…; Casino–cool 'indie' film starring William H. Macy as a life–long loser employed to 'cool' the winning streaks of high–rollers in a…
Criminal (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…
De-Lovely (Delovely) (2004): Dir. Irwin Winkler
Feat. Kevin Kline, Ashley Judd, Jonathan Pryce; Refined and dandy musical biopic of legendary tunesmith Cole Porter, who composed some great music while leading a gay double–life during his…
Deadwood - Season 1 (TV Series) (2004): Feat. Timothy Olyphant, Ian McShane, Molly Parker…; An acclaimed new revision of the Western genre, recounting the complex and troubling establishment of the Arizona town of Deadwood in the 1880s,…
Dear Frankie (2004): Dir. Shona Auerbach
Feat. Emily Mortimer, Gerard Butler; An effectively written drama about the consequences of a mother's desire to protect her deaf son from the truth about his violent absent…
Desperate Housewives (TV Series) - Season 1 (2004): 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…
Dirty War (2004): Dir. Daniel Percival; A BBC dramatisation which proposes how, in the post–9/11 world, a large–scale terrorist attack might be unleashed on London using 'dirty…
Do I Love You? (2004): Dir. Lisa Gornick
Feat. Harri Alexander, Birghitta Bernhard, Darren Black; Lesbian drama made on a shoestring budget exploring the life of a women in crisis. In her 30's, she is questioning her relationship with her…
Don't Move (Non ti muovere) (2004): Dir. Sergio Castellitto
Feat. Penelope Cruz, Sergio Castellitto; A sweaty reflection on lust and responsibility from actor Sergio Castellitto (MOSTLY MARTHA) in his second directorial outing, here playing a…
Door in the Floor, The (2004): Dir. Tod Williams
Feat. Jeff Bridges, Kim Basinger, Mimi Rogers…; An adult melodrama charting the dissolution of a loving marriage scarred by the tragic loss of their two sons, some years earlier. Taking place…
Down to the Bone (2004): Dir. Debra Granik
Feat. Vera Farmiga, Hugh Dillon, Clint Jordan…; A mother–of–two in wintery upstate New York grapples with cocaine addiction and checks into rehab, only to discover unexpected fissures…
Downfall (Der Untergang) (2004): Dir. Oliver Hirschbiegel
Feat. Bruno Ganz, Thomas Kretschmann, Juliane Kohler…; Widely acclaimed for its claustrophobic intensity, intelligence and detail, this vivid re–enactment of the last ten days in the life of Adolf…
Dust Factory, The (2004): Dir. Eric Small
Feat. Hayden Panettiere, Armin Mueller-Stahl, Ryan Kelly; An interesting and moderately spooky family drama, in which a traumatised teen (Kelly) – who can't bring himself to speak after witnessing his…
Edukators, The (The Educators) (2004): Dir. Hans Weingartner
Feat. Daniel Bruhl, Julia Jentsch, Stipe Erceg; A compulsive slice of German youth angst about rebels struggling with their cause, this arthouse smash–hit concerns a trio of youthful…
Ellie Parker (2004): Dir. Scott Coffey
Feat. Naomi Watts, Scott Coffey, Chevy Chase; Curiously fascinating Hollywood DV drama in which Naomi Watts plays a aspiring actress in Los Angeles, born out of 2001 short film made before Watts…
Enduring Love (2004): Dir. Roger Michell
Feat. Samantha Morton, Daniel Craig, Rhys Ifans; A studied and corrosive tale of fate, connection and love, set around victims and rescuers involved in a hot–air–balloon crash and its…
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004): 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…
Everyday People (2004): Dir. Jim McKay
Feat. Billoah Greene, Reg E. Cathey, Bridget Barker; Ensemble piece in the true spirit of workshopped drama, this telemovie centres on the possible closure of a diner in a working class Brooklyn…
Exils (Exiles) (2004): Dir. Tony Gatlif
Feat. Romain Duris; Possibly dir. Gatlif's most exuberant and personal film yet, this observes a bohemian French couple's journey southwards to their family's respective…
Familia 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…
Fida (2004): Dir. Ken Ghosh
Feat. Kareena Kapoor, Shahid Kapoor, Fardeen Khan; Typically likeable Bollywood item that intercrosses two love stories with the tale of an online bank heist. Treading lightly through the genre…
Finding Neverland (2004): Dir. Marc Forster
Feat. Johnny Depp, Kate Winslet, Julie Christie…; Impressive journey into the private life of Edwardian 'Peter Pan'–creator JM Barrie (played by Depp), and the unique circumstances in which he…
Five People You Meet in Heaven, The (2004): Dir. Lloyd Kramer
Feat. Jon Voight, Ellen Burstyn, Jeff Daniels…; An 'afterlife' drama in which five people highlight the key moments of an elderly man's life after he dies trying to save a young accident…
Football Factory, The (2004): Dir. Nick Love
Feat. Danny Dyer, Frank Harper, Tamer Hassan…; Essentially a study of the English obsession with football hooligans, this follows the activities of Chelsea fan Dyer as he spruces his dull weekly…
Forty Shades of Blue (2004): Dir. Ira Sachs
Feat. Rip Torn, Dina Korzun; Languid, deep focus Memphis melodrama, in which a Russian trophy wife (Korzun) oscillates between the false love of a wealthy music producer (Torn),…
Fracture (2004): Dir. Larry Parr
Feat. Kate Elliot, Miranda Harcourt, Jennifer Ward-Lealand…; An impressively staged adaptation of Maurice Gee's novel "Crime Story", set around two equally fractured families who enter each other's orbit after…
Friday Night Lights (2004): Dir. Peter Berg
Feat. Billy Bob Thornton, Derek Luke, Jay Hernandez…; A strong drama set in a small Texas town, where high school football (like rugby in New Zealand) is treated with near–religious…
Garden 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…
Gilmore Girls - Season 5 (TV Series) (2004-2005): More episodes from the fresh and quirky drama set around a mother and daughter in suburban Connecticut. Season Five: 22 episodes across six discs.
Good Night, and Good Luck (2004): Dir. George Clooney
Feat. George Clooney, Robert Downey Jnr., Patricia Clarkson…; An astutely–judged freezeframe of an important symbolic moment in 20th century American history, when CBS television presenter Edward Murrow…
Good Shepherd, The (2004): Dir. Lewin Webb
Feat. Christian Slater, Stephen Rea, Molly Parker; Canadian thriller loosely based on Hitchcock's I CONFESS, in which an ambitious cleric becomes uneasy about being recruited to defend the church in a…
Gothika (2004): Dir. Mathieu Kassovitz
Feat. Halle Berry, Robert Downey Jnr., Penelope Cruz…; A stylish, foreboding, though ultimately secondhand suspenser which has a psychiatrist (Berry) waking up in her own mental asylum after the slaying…
Great Journey, The (Grand Voyage, Le) (2004): Dir. Ismaël Ferroukhi
Feat. Nicolas Cazalé; A few weeks before his college entrance exams, a young man finds himself obligated to drive his stubborn father to Mecca. From France through Italy,…
Great Water, The (Golemata voda) (2004): Dir. Ivo Trajkov
Feat. Saso Kekenovski, Maja Stankovska, Mitko Apostolovski; Serious–minded Macedonian drama traces the fortunes of an orphan (Kekenovski) after WW2, who despite religious repression struggles to become a…
Gunpowder Treason and Plot (TV Mini-series) (2004): Dir. Gillies MacKinnon
Feat. Robert Carlyle, Richard Coyle, Kevin McKidd; A smokingly violent historical drama, penned by Jimmy McGovern, set around the infamous plot of Guy Fawkes to blow up the English Parliament and the…
Hawking (2004): Dir. Philip Martin
Feat. Benedict Cumberbatch, Peter Firth; BBC Miniseries interposes the fictionalised story of Stephen Hawking's overcoming motor neuron disease with a 1978 interview with Nobel Prize winning…
He Knew He Was Right (2004): Dir. Tom Vaughan
Feat. Bill Nighy, Laura Fraser, Anna Massey…; This dexterous, Dickens–esque romance from the quill of Anthony Trollope follows the marital adventures of Louis and Emily Trevelyan, with the…
Head in the Clouds (2004): Dir. John Duigan
Feat. Charlize Theron, Penelope Cruz, Stuart Townsend; Set in the turmoil of 1930s Europe, this cloudy melodrama involves an irresponsible French–American socialite (Theron) who becomes a…
Head-On (Gegen die Wand) (2004): Dir. Fatih Akin
Feat. Birol Unel, Sibel Kekilli; Set in scungy working–class Hamburg, this constructs an unusual love story around two Turkish immigrants – a drunken janitor (Unel) and a…
Healer, The (Julie Walking Home) (2004): Dir. Agnieszka Holland
Feat. Miranda Otto, William Fichtner, Lothaire Bluteau; A crisis of family and faith challenges this distilled drama of a woman’s pilgrimage to Poland in search of a mysterious healer failing modern…
Heights (2004): Dir. Chris Terrio
Feat. Glenn Close, James Marsden, Jesse Bradford; The collective aspirations and angst of a group of attractive New Yorkers, all loosely connected to the theatre and art world, collide in showers of…
Helter Skelter (2004): Dir. John Gray
Feat. Jeremy Davies, Clea Duvall; A grimly rewarding TV docudrama about murderous hipster Charles Manson, played with screwy–eyed, whisper–voiced veracity by Jeremy…
Hidden Blade (Kakushi-ken: oni no tsume) (2004): Dir. Yoji Yamada
Feat. Masatoshi Nagase; The fading glory of the Japanese feudal period in the Meiji Resoration is once again beautifully explored by the dir. of TWILIGHT SAMURAI through a…
Honey (2004): Dir. Billie Woodruff
Feat. Jessica Alba, Mekhi Phifer; Glossy fable of a community dance choreographer (Alba) who gets the chance to turn hip–hop creativeness into music–video moolah, and help…
Hotel Rwanda (2004): Dir. Terry George
Feat. Don Cheadle, Nick Nolte, Sophie Okonedo…; A deeply affecting expose of the Rwandan conflict of the early 1990s that matches its political conscience with vivid staging and terrific…
House - Season 1 (TV Series) (House M.D.) (2004): Feat. Hugh Laurie, Lisa Edelstein, Omar Epps…; Hugh Laurie cleverly overturns his nebbish comic persona to play an brilliant, yet misanthropic disease specialist in this surprisingly distinctive…
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…
Ike: Countdown to D-Day (2004): Dir. Robert Harmon
Feat. Tom Selleck, James Remar, Timothy Bottoms…; Historical war dramatization of the three months leading up to Operation Overlord, the Allied invasion of Normandy, and how General Dwight Eisenhower…
In 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…
In My Country (Country of my Skull) (2004): Dir. John Boorman
Feat. Samuel L. Jackson, Juliette Binoche, Brendan Gleeson; One of the first stabs at dramatising the Truth and Reconciliation Commission hearings in South Africa, here used as a grueling backdrop for romance…
In My Father's Den (2004): Dir. Brad McGann
Feat. Matthew MacFadyen, Emily Barclay, Miranda Otto…; Achieving a new high watermark in production terms at least, this vivid New Zealand melodrama harnesses the complexities of Maurice Gee's…
In Your Hands (Forbrydelser) (2004): Dir. Annette K. Olesen
Feat. Jens Albinus, Trine Dyrholm, Ann Eleonora Joergensen; Denmark’s latest Dogme dispatch concerns a prison priest whose faith is tested by a young inmate claiming to perform miracles of…
Innocence (2004): Dir. Lucile Hadzihalilovic
Feat. Zoé Auclair, Lea Bridarolli, Bérangère Haubruge…; A strange and sinister – but also uttering beguiling – fantasy combining phantasmagorical imagery and a dewy atmosphere to metaphorically…
Innocent Voices (Voces inocentes) (2004): Dir. Luis Mandoki
Feat. Carlos Padilla, Leonor Varela; The tumultuous upheaval of civil war is witnessed through the eyes of a terrified 12–year–old boy, whose approaching teenage years spell…
Inside I'm Dancing (Rory O'Shea Was Here) (2004): Dir. Damien O'Donnell
Feat. James McAvoy, Romola Garai; Inspiring Irish drama which builds up a likable yarn about a high–energy 'rebel' with muscular dystrophy who befriends a shy cerebral palsy…
Insiders Guide to Happiness, The (TV Series) (2004): 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 Strangers (Confidences trop intimes) (2004): 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…
Intruder, The (L' Intrus) (2004): Dir. Claire Denis
Feat. Michel Subor, Beatrice Dalle, Katia Golubeva…; More sensory cinema from the dir. of BEAU TRAVAIL, lodged in a globally sprawling, free–associative narrative encircled loosely around one…
Iron Jawed Angels (2004): Dir. Katja von Garnier
Feat. Hilary Swank, Anjelica Huston, Frances O’Connor…; Fairly inventive telemovie concerning the rise of the National American Woman Suffrage Association, which had the aim of gaining voting and other…
Island at War (TV Mini-Series) (2004): Dir. Peter Lydon
Feat. James Wilby, Saskia Reeves, Philip Glenister…; Above par made–for–television drama, set during the German occupation of the Channel Islands in World War II, with the struggle of three…
Jasmine Women (Mo li hua kai; Blossoming Jasmine; Jasmine Flower) (2004): Dir. Yong Hou
Feat. Joan Chen, Wen Jiang, Zhang Ziyi; Intergenerational Chinese weepie about women who are unlucky in love, set during the 1920s, '50s and '80s, and based on the book by Su Tong (also the…
Jersey 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…
K Street (TV Series) (2004): Dir. Steven Soderbergh
Feat. John Slattery, Mary McCormack, Roger Guenveur Smith; A cutting–edge political satire from Steven Soderbergh, which attempted to capture the immediacy and unpredictability of current affairs…
Keane (2004): Dir. Lodge Kerrigan
Feat. Damian Lewis, Abigail Breslin, Amy Ryan; A powerful and unnerving feat of ‘mental’ endurance, dir. Kerrigan’s follow–up to the equally unsettling CLEAN, SHAVEN plunges the viewer…
Keys to the House, The (Chiavi di casa, Le) (2004): Dir. Gianni Amelio
Feat. Charlotte Rampling, Kim Rossi Stuart; Eloquent Italian drama directed by Gianni Amelio (OPEN DOORS) following a distant father attempting to reconnect with his disabled son by…
Kings and Queen (Rois et reine) (2004): Dir. Arnaud Desplechin
Feat. Emmanuelle Devos, Mathieu Amalric, Catherine Deneuve…; A tragicomedy of multiple layers and degrees untangles the complicated life of one Emmanuelle Devos, and the various men she calls her own. Spun…
Kinsey (2004): Dir. Bill Condon
Feat. Liam Neeson, Laura Linney, Chris O'Donnell…; Polished dramatization of the life and work of Dr. Alfred Kinsey, who boldly pioneered research into human sexuality in an ultra–conservative…
L Word, The (TV Series) (2004-2009): Feat. Jennifer Beals, Mia Kirshner, Pam Grier…; A fiercely determined "queer" series exploring Los Angeles' liberal gay scene, canvasing a tight–knit community of attractive lesbians and…
Land Has Eyes, The (Pear ta ma 'on maf) (2004): Dir. Vilsoni Hereniko
Feat. Sapeta Taito, Rena Owen, Voi Fesaitu; The first ever Fijian feature film, this evokes WHALE RIDER with its tale of a young woman (Taito) who aspires to transcend an existence…
Land of Plenty (2004): Dir. Wim Wenders
Feat. Michelle Williams, John Diehl; There's good intentions aplenty in dir. Wenders latest dramatic meditation on the state of post–9/11 America, set mainly around the…
Last Trapper, The (2004): Dir. Nicholas Vanier
Feat. Norman Winther; Doco–drama covers a year in the life of real, live fur trapper Norman Winter who lives at one with nature, his Native American partner…
Le Portrait de Petite Cossette (TV Series) (2004): Dir. Akiyuki Shinbo; Wavering gothic anime series in which an antique store worker becomes obsessed with a young girl he discovers trapped inside a Venetian glass for 250…
Libertine, The (2004): Dir. Laurence Dunmore
Feat. Johnny Depp, Samantha Morton, John Malkovich…; Bustling rendition of the life of the debauched playwright John Wilmot, the Second Earl of Rochester, who filled his days and nights in inglorious…
Life 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 I Want, The (Vita che vorrei, La) (2004): Dir. Giuseppe Piccioni
Feat. Luigi Lo Cascio, Sandra Ceccarelli; Intriguing Italian romantic drama about two avid actors cast as lovers who begin to cross over the boundaries of stage–life and reality with an…
Life is a Miracle (Zivot je cudo) (2004): 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…
Light, The (L'Équipier) (2004): Dir. Philippe Lioret
Feat. Sandrine Bonnaire, Philippe Torreton, Anne Consigny; Impeccable Gallic melodrama of family history concerns the arrival of a stranger to a xenophobic Breton community in the ‘60s to work on a…
Little 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…
Lives of the Saints (TV Mini-Series) (2004): Dir. Jerry Ciccoritti
Feat. Sophia Loren, Fabrizio Filippo, Kris Kristofferson…; Vivid mini–series focused on an Italian immigrant family, headed by the insatiable Sophia Loren, which must confront their sordid past in order…
Look At Me (Comme une Image) (2004): 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…
Love in Thoughts (2004): Dir. Achim von Borries
Feat. Daniel Bruhl, August Diehl, Anna Maria Muhe…; Melancholic true story of two self absorbed teenagers who make a pact to kill themselves should they no longer feel love and kill those who robbed…
Love's Brother (2004): Dir. Jan Sardi
Feat. Adam Garcia, Giovanni Ribisi, Barry Otto…; The screenwriter of SHINE, makes an earnest debut with this romantic drama set in 1950s Victoria and the attempts of two Italian–Australian…
Ma Mere (My Mother) (2004): Dir. Christophe Honore
Feat. Isabelle Huppert, Louis Garrel, Emma de Caunes; A perverse Mediterranean sex–romp that manages to skirt regularly between tasteless debauchery and absurd immorality. A heady Isabelle…
Machinist, The (2004): Dir. Brad Anderson
Feat. Christian Bale, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Michael Ironside; A mind–twisting thriller in the industrial–gothic mould, this might at times feel like an off–cut from the David…
Machuca (2004): Dir. Andres Wood
Feat. Ariel Mateluna, Matias Quer; Observing the onset of Augusto Pinochet's bloody coup d'etat in Chile in 1973, through the eyes of two boys who become friends across the…
Maria Full of Grace (2004): Dir. Joshua Marston
Feat. Catalina Sandino Moreno, Yenny Paola Vega, Guilied Lopez…; An accomplished delve into the experience of a 'drug mule', a teenage Colombian girl who enlists to smuggle heroin into the United States, so as to…
Marie and Bruce (2004): Dir. Tom Cairns
Feat. Julianne Moore, Matthew Broderick, Bob Balaban; A portrait of a sharply declining marriage, with Matthew Broderick and Julianne Moore as diametrically opposed partners clinging to the remaining…
Masai - The Rain Warriors (2004): Dir. Pascal Plisson; Simple and visually–sweeping, this African epic follows a group of teenage warriors from their drought–stricken village out into the…
Me 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 Know (2004): 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 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…
Memories of Tomorrow (2004): Dir. Amit Tripuraneni
Feat. Richard Thompson, Rachel Gilchrist, Ray Trickitt; An artful psychological thriller set around a man's (Thompson) frustrating amnesia of a past which seemingly involves commando training and…
Merchant of Venice, The (2004): Dir. Michael Radford
Feat. Al Pacino, Jeremy Irons, Joseph Fiennes…; Al Pacino seems at home in the Bard’s world compared to his more recent contemporary forays, turning in a thorough and morally ambiguous rendition…
Million Dollar Baby (2004): Dir. Clint Eastwood
Feat. Hilary Swank, Morgan Freeman, Clint Eastwood…; Clint Eastwood's straight–ahead drama about a feisty young woman who trains under his grizzled, reluctant coach to become a boxing champion…
Millions (2004): 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…
Miracle (2004): Dir. Gavin O'Connor
Feat. Kurt Russell, Patricia Clarkson, Noah Emmerich; Effectively rousing Disney dramatisation of the true story of Herb Brooks, the player–turned–coach who led the 1980 U.S. Olympic…
Modigliani (2004): Dir. Mick Davis
Feat. Andy Garcia, Elsa Zylberstein; The debauched final years of painter Amedeo Modigliani (Garcia) – he of the famous paintings of almond–eyed women – are conveyed…
Moolaade (2004): Dir. Ousmane Sembene
Feat. Fatoumata Coulibaly; A rare glimpse for New Zealanders of the work of elderly Sengalese dir. Sembene – novelist, newspaper editor and founder of the New African…
Mountain Patrol (Kekexili) (2004): Dir. Chuan Lu
Feat. Lei Zhang, Bujie Duo; An enthralling eco–thriller which portrays the battle over the endangered Tibetan antelope between poachers and a hard–knit unit of…
Murder in Suburbia (TV Series) (2004): Feat. Lisa Faulkner, Caroline Catz; Another variation on Britain’s fetish for sleuthing duos, this is a spunkier, sexier alternative to most under the female eye two abrasively…
My Summer of Love (2004): Dir. Pawel Pawlikowski
Feat. Natalie Press, Emily Blunt, Paddy Considine; A sunlit teenage escapade, set around two girls who develop an unlikely relationship amid the unpretty but impressive Yorkshire Dales. The…
Mysterious Skin (2004): Dir. Gregg Araki
Feat. Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Elisabeth Shue, Michelle Trachtenberg…; An acclaimed realisation of 'New Queer Cinema' dir. Araki's early promise, with an uncompromising fable based around a teenage hustler who is…
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…
Nobody Knows (Dare mo shiranai) (2004): Dir. Kore-eda Hirokazu
Feat. Yuya Yagira, Ayu Kitaura, You; Based on a notorious 1988 case where four abandoned children were found to have been living on their own devices out of a Japanese apartment for six…
Noel (2004): Dir. Chazz Palminteri
Feat. Penelope Cruz, Chazz Palminteri, Susan Sarandon…; Five New Yorkers seek redemption from their problems on Christmas Eve in this not–unoriginal Festive drama. WIth a snow–powdered…
North and South (TV Mini-series) (2004): Dir. Brian Percival
Feat. Daniela Denby-Ashe, Richard Armitage, Tim Pigott-Smith…; Quality BBC adaptation of Elizabeth Gaskell's epochal novel of the Victorian Industrial era, in which a country–raised woman from the south of…
Notebook, The (2004): Dir. Nick Cassavetes
Feat. Ryan Gosling, Rachel McAdams, James Garner…; An old–fashioned weepie set in a coastal town in 1940's North Carolina, this nostalgic "woman's picture" finds a sure–footed romantic…
OC, The (TV Series) - Season 2 (2004): Second year of the extraordinarily popular ironic, knowing soap opera. 24 episodes over 6 DVDs. DVD 1:The Distance, The Way We Were, The New Kids…
Offbeat (Kammerflimmern) (2004): Dir. Hendrik Hölzemann
Feat. Matthias Schoenaerts, Jessica Schwarz, Florian Lukas; Fitfully intense indie drama is set around the daily rounds of a paramedic (Schweighöfer) struggling with his own dreams, memories and a few lurking…
Omagh (2004): Dir. Peter Travis
Feat. Gerard McSorley, Michele Forbes, Brenda Fricker; Powerfully affecting docudrama revisits the deadliest act of terrorism in Northern Ireland history and its grievous aftermath, focusing on a…
One Last Chance (2004): Dir. Stewart Svaasand
Feat. Iain Robertson, Dougray Scott, Kevin McKidd; Scottish hi–jinks cut in the same droll humour as SHALLOW GRAVE, with a young man landlocked in his small highland village discovering a gold…
One Perfect Day (2004): Dir. Paul Currie
Feat. Dan Spielman, Leeanna Walsman, Nathan Phillips; Praying at the altar of rave culture, this music–tribute drama set in Melbourne will find a small appreciative audience, but it plays a…
Overture, The (Hom rong) (2004): Dir. Ittisoontorn Vichailak
Feat. Anuchit Sapanpong, Aratee Tanmahapran; Biopic exploring the life of Thai musical master Luang Pradit Pairoh (Sorn Silapabanleng), who was a palace musician and ra–nad ek (Thai…
Oyster Farmer (2004): Dir. Anna Reeves
Feat. David Field, Jack Thompson, Kerry Armstrong…; Richly steeped in atmospheric Aussie locales and boondock lingo, this appealing drama follows a footloose young man (O'Lachlan) from Sydney to care…
P.S. (2004): Dir. Dylan Kidd
Feat. Laura Linney, Topher Grace, Gabriel Byrne…; Nervy and refined sophomore effort from RODGER DODGER dir. Dylan Kidd, here unbuttoning the thirty–something dilemmas of a university…
Palindromes (2004): Dir. Todd Solondz
Feat. Ellen Barkin, Jennifer Jason Leigh; A queasy fairytale about a suburban teenage girl who quests to fall pregnant, does so, but is then forced by her mother (Barkin) to have an abortion,…
Passion of the Christ, The (2004): Dir. Mel Gibson
Feat. Jim Caviezel, Monica Bellucci; A visceral depiction of Jesus Christ's final day before being crucified, this controversial work from devout Christian Mel Gibson is bluntly literal,…
Phantom of the Opera, The (2004): Dir. Joel Schumacher
Feat. Gerard Butler, Minnie Driver, Miranda Richardson…; An opulently kitschy version of the amazingly successful Andrew Lloyd Webber musical, in which the shadowy, disfigured 'phantom' (Butler) tries to…
Poster Boy (2004): Dir. Zak Tucker
Feat. Karen Allen, Michael Lerner, Jack Noseworthy…; A campaigning right–wing senator conscripts his closeted gay son to play happy families for the public, but the stakes are raised when the son…
Producing 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…
Prozac Nation (2004): Dir. Erik Skjoldbjaerg
Feat. Christina Ricci, Jason Biggs, Anne Heche…; Rites–of–passage drama distinguished by an intense performance by Christina Ricci, as a young woman struggling through her first year at…
Pure (2004): Dir. Jim Donovan
Feat. Giancarlo Caltabiano, Robert Crooks, Laura Jordan; Boasting one of the hottest music scenes in recent years, Montreal takes centre stage in this character–driven piece involving a girl torn…
Queen of Sheba's Pearls, The (2004): Dir. Colin Nutley
Feat. Helena Bergstrom; Set in post–WW2 England this centres its tale on a rural West Country family, whose members are on the cusp of various life passages, upset by…
Raincoat (2004): Dir. Rituparno Ghosh
Feat. Ajay Devgan, Aishwarya Rai; Dramatically–ambitious dir. Ghosh here creates an understated chamber piece from the usual Bollywood melodramatics, staging a rainy–day…
Ray (2004): Dir. Taylor Hackford
Feat. Jamie Foxx, Kerry Washington; The life and career of innovative blues–singer Ray Charles (here played by Jamie Foxx) gets epic and reverential treatment in this…
Red Dust (2004): Dir. Tom Hooper
Feat. Hilary Swank, Chiwetel Ejiofor; A boldly straightforward courtroom drama set during the Truth and Reconciliation Commission era of post–Apartheid South Africa, where a former…
Redemption (2004): Dir. Vondie Curtis Hall
Feat. Jamie Foxx, Lynn Whitfield, C.C.H. Pounder; Above–average telemovie biopic about Stan 'Tookie' Williams (Foxx), founder of the notorious street gang, 'The Crips', who after years of…
Rescue Me (TV Series) (2004-2006): Feat. Denis Leary, Jack McGee; Fast and furious drama about the vigorous lives of firefighters in New York City. Created by and starring comedian Denis Leary in the lead part, this…
Rice 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…
Rocket Post, The (2004): Dir. Stephen Whittaker
Feat. Shauna Macdonald, Gary Lewis, Kevin McKidd…; Gently humorous true–life love story set on a remote Scottish island in the 30's shielded from a world of political unrest until a German…
Sea Inside, The (Mar Adentro) (2004): Dir. Alejandro Amenabar
Feat. Javier Bardem, Belen Rueda, Lola Dueñas…; A deserving winner of the Best Foreign Film Academy Award, this outstanding melodrama is based on the unique real–life story of Ramon Sampedro,…
Shadows Of Time (Scatten der Zeit) (2004): Dir. Florian Gallenberger
Feat. Prushant Narayanan, Tanishta Chaterjee; Sumptuous romantic melodrama of a high order, following the bittersweet relations between two abandoned children, who graduate from working in a…
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 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…
She's Gone (2004): Dir. Adrian Shergold
Feat. Ray Winstone, Lindsey Coulson, Gary Lucy…; Ray Winstone is typically compelling as the father of a young British woman who goes missing in Turkey. Travelling to the Middle East, he quests to…
Show Me Yours (TV Series) (2004-2005): Feat. Rachael Crawford, Adam Harrington, Rachel Wilson…; Diverting comedy with 'sexpert' Kate Langford's life is tipped upside down when her publisher insists on a particularly obnoxious co–author for…
Sideways (2004): 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 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…
Six Feet Under - Season 4 (TV Series) (2004): Feat. Peter Krause, Michael C. Hall, Frances Conroy…; Further episodes of the acclaimed HBO drama set around a funeral home. 12 episodes over 5 discs: Falling into Place, In Case of Rapture, Parallel…
Slasher (2004): Dir. John Landis; Documents a frenzied working weekend in the life of Michael "The Slasher" Bennett, a travelling used car salesman – the worst of his breed…
Somersault (2004): Dir. Cate Shortland
Feat. Abbie Cornish, Sam Worthington, Lynette Curran…; Visually impressive though underwritten account of a fragile Australian teenager who flees her home for the wider world after being caught in bed…
Something The Lord Made (2004): Dir. Joseph Sargent
Feat. Alan Rickman, Mos Def, Mary Stuart Masterson…; Superior telemovie observes the pioneering medical teamship in the 1940s between a gifted black lab technician (Mos Def) and a surgeon (Rickman), who…
Sopranos, The (TV Series) - Season 5 (2004): Continuing episodes of the groundbreaking TV–series that ironically portrays the life of a New Jersey Mafia clan.
Spanglish (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…
Stage Beauty (2004): Dir. Richard Eyre
Feat. Claire Danes, Billy Crudup, Rupert Everett…; An unusual delve into the gender politics of English theatre in the Restoration period of the 1660s, when King Charles II (Everett) decided to end…
Stray Dogs (Sag-haye velgard) (2004): Dir. Marziyeh Meshkini
Feat. Gol-Ghotai , Zahed , Agheleh Rezaie; A wrenching, emotionally gripping tale of two children, orphaned after their parents are imprisoned, who must fend for themselves in…
Sucker Free City (2004): Dir. Spike Lee
Feat. Ken Leung, Ben Crowley, Anthony Mackie; Originally a pilot, Spike Lee’s little–known excursion into the realm of Cable TV is an ethnically diverse gang drama converging black,…
Summer Storm (Sommersturm) (2004): Dir. Marco Kreuzpaintner
Feat. Robert Stadlober, Kostja Ullmann; Two best friends – the pride of the local rowing club – find their loyalties and chances of winning threatened, as one gets serious about…
Sun, The (2004): Dir. Alexandr Sokurov
Feat. Robert Dawson, Issey Ogata; A lucid, painstaking portrait of Emperor Hirohito, whose authority over Japanese troops during WWII is contrasted against intimate scenes of…
They Came Back (Les Revenants) (2004): Dir. Robin Campillo
Feat. Géraldine Pailhas, Jonathan Zaccai, Frédéric Pierrot…; This disquieting, unconventional ‘zombie’ movie concerns a global phenomenon of returning dead, and their subsequent integration back into living…
Three Dancing Slaves (2004): Dir. Gaël Morel
Feat. Nicolas Cazalé, Stephane Rideau, Thomas Dumerchez…; French romantic drama set in a working class Annecy neighbourhood where three brothers are in and out of the criminal world after their mother dies,…
Thunderstruck (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…
Tom Brown's Schooldays (2004): Dir. David Moore
Feat. Stephen Fry, Jemma Redgrave, Alex Pettyfer; Movie based on the classic novel of the same name by Thomas Hughes, with Stephen Fry playing the young Tom Brown at a Victorian boys' public school…
Tom White (2004): Dir. Alkinos Tsilmidos
Feat. Colin Friels, Rachael Blake, Bill Hunter…; Colin Friels plays a successful middle–aged architect who suffers a nervous breakdown in this overly earnest Aussie drama about the search for…
Trilogy 1: The Weeping Meadow (To Livadi pou dakryzei) (2004): Dir. Theo Angelopoulos; The first part of an intended trilogy of films dealing with 20th century Greece, this monumental epic depicts the travails of a Greek refugee family…
Tropical Malady (2004): Dir. Apichatpong Weerasethakul
Feat. Banlop Lomnoi, Sakda Kaewbuadee; A gorgeous two–hander from the dir. of BLISSFULLY YOURS begins as a tender romance between a farmer and a solider, before transforming into a…
Tulse Luper Suitcases, The (The Moab Story, Vaux to the Sea, From Sark to Finish) (2004): Dir. Peter Greenaway; For the first time groundbreaking British director Peter Greenaway's three film oeuvre is released in this must–have set. Includes the three…
Turtles Can Fly (Lakposhtha hâm parvaz mikonand) (2004): Dir. Bahman Ghobadi
Feat. Soran Ebrahim, Avaz Latif; The first widely–released film to emerge from post–Hussein Iraq, this wrenching tale concerns a raucous gang of children who scratch out…
Twenty Thirty Forty (20 30 40) (2004): Dir. Sylvia Chang
Feat. Sylvia Chang, Rene Liu, Lee Sinji; The destinies of three women in contemporary urban Taiwan – aged 20, 30 and 40 – evolve in parallel as each feels their way through the…
Undertow (2004): Dir. David Gordon Green
Feat. Jamie Bell, Josh Lucas, Dermot Mulroney; Southern Gothic melodrama from dir. Green (GEORGE WASHINGTON) who here applies his off–centre visual tics to a story of family inheritances,…
Unexpected Journey, The (Miracle Run) (2004): Dir. Gregg Champion
Feat. Mary-Louise Parker, Aidan Quinn, Zac Efron; Tele–movie with Mary–Louise Parker as a determined solo mother raising two autistic boys. Warm–hearted and soft–headed in…
Upside 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…
Ushpizin (2004): Dir. Giddi Dar; Respectful and dryly humorous parable of an ultra–Orthodox Jewish couple on the eve of the festival of Succoth, who invite two travellers…
Vanity 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…
Vera Drake (2004): Dir. Mike Leigh
Feat. Imelda Staunton, Phil Davis, Peter Wight; An impeccable period drama from Mike Leigh that ranks alongside the director's best work, this is the moving story of a middle aged woman who was…
Veronica Mars (TV Series) (2004): Feat. Kristen Bell, Jason Dohring, Enrico Colantoni…; Addictive, dark–hued mystery noir masquerading as a high school drama, centred on the socially ostracised teen daughter of a private eye whose…
Very Long Engagement, A (Long dimanche de fiançailles, Un) (2004): Dir. Jean-Pierre Jeunet
Feat. Audrey Tautou, Gaspard Ulliel, Clovis Cornillac…; Another crowd–pleasing favourite from the dir. of AMELIE, which uses the Great War as setting for the fairytale search by Audrey Tatou for her…
Way of Life, A (2004): Dir. Amma Asante
Feat. Stephanie James, Brenda Blethyn; Emotionally brutal yet skillful 'kitchen sink' drama from first–time dir. Asante, about a single teenage mum giving and taking the hard knocks…
Wayward Cloud, The (2004): Dir. Ming-liang Tsai
Feat. Kang-sheng Lee, Shiang-chyi Chen; Eye–popping musical numbers burst forth from this outré Tsai Ming–liang offering, which couples the Taiwanese director’s usual…
We Don't Live Here Anymore (2004): Dir. John Curran
Feat. Naomi Watts, Mark Ruffalo, Laura Dern…; Toughly gritty and unfairly–overlooked drama about two marriages knotted together in dual adultery, career–crises, and personal cynicism,…
West Wing, The - Season 6 (TV Series) (2004): More episodes from one of the most popular US TV–series of recent years, set in a White House presided over by Martin Sheen and his…
What the Bleep do we Know!? (What the #$*! Do We (K)now!?) (2004): Dir. William Arntz, Betsy Chasse, Mark Vicente
Feat. Marlee Matlin; A unique and certainly popular piece of 'New Age intellectualism", this follows the travails of a deaf photographer (Matlin) through life and…
When Will I Be Loved? (2004): Dir. James Toback
Feat. Neve Campbell, Dominic Chianese, Frederick Weller…; A typically crackpot concoction from dir. Toback (BLACK AND WHITE), in which Neve Campbell plays a New Yorker who, feeling undervalued by her…
Whore (Yo Puta / The Life) (2004): Dir. Maria Lidon
Feat. Daryl Hannah, Denise Richards, Joaquim De Almeida; A quasi–documentary about prostitution, which weaves together genuine interviews from Europe with a storyline in which a writer (Richards)…
Wilby Wonderful (2004): Dir. Daniel MacIvor
Feat. Elliot Page, Sandra Oh; Slice–of–life indie drama about the residents of the small island of Wilby and the ups and downs they experience during a typical day.…
Woodsman, The (2004): Dir. Nicole Kassell
Feat. Kevin Bacon, Kyra Sedgwick, Benjamin Bratt…; Controversial, though convincingly rounded and serious drama which follows the attempts of a convicted paedophile (Bacon) to rebuild his life in a…
Wool Cap, The (2004): Dir. Steven Schachter
Feat. William H. Macy, Ned Beatty, Catherine O'Hara…; A feelgood telemovie with Macy playing the mute, wool–capped superintendent of a tenement block, who is landed with the care of a little girl,…
World, The (Shijie) (2004): Dir. Jia Zhang-ke
Feat. Zhao Tao; The dir. of PLATFORM continues his perceptive and wry dissection of Chinese society reacting with surreal clumsiness to the forces of globalisation,…
Yes (2004): Dir. Sally Potter
Feat. Joan Allen, Simon Abkarian, Sam Neill…; Love and politics are brilliantly and inextricably entwined in this daringly original drama that sees a middle–aged American woman fall out of…
Yesterday (2004): Dir. Darrell Roodt
Feat. Kenneth Khambula, Leleti Khumalo; A groundbreaking drama set in a South African village, which depicts a woman's (Khumalo) struggles with health, family and local superstition when…
You Got Served (2004): Dir. Christopher B. Stokes
Feat. Marques Houston, Omari Granberry; Hiphop melodrama in which rival 'crews' battle it out for supremacy in the arena of break–dancing. Renowned for the exceptional dance…
15 (2003): Dir. Royston Tan
Feat. Melvin Chen, Erick Chun; Doing for the tiny island nation of Singapore what LA HAINE did for France, this box–office hit follows the misfiring antics of three teenagers…
16 Years of Alcohol (2003): Dir. Richard Jobson
Feat. Kevin McKidd, Laura Fraser, Susan Lynch; A heartfelt spin through the dying memories and reflections of a Scottish hard–man (Kevin McKidd), as he revisits his flawed childhood,…
21 Grams (2003): Dir. Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu
Feat. Sean Penn, Naomi Watts, Benicio Del Toro…; For his English–language debut, the celebrated Mexican director of AMORES PERROS weighs in with an unconventional, soul–baring drama that…
A 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…
A Heart Elsewhere (Il Cuore Altrove) (2003): Dir. Pupi Avati
Feat. Giancarlo Giannini, Neri Marcore, Vanessa Incontrada; Seemingly a soft–centred drama set in 1930s Italy, this curious tale of blind love carries its own insinuating mood of melancholy. Marcore…
After the Deluge (TV Series) (2003): Feat. David Wenham, Hugo Weaving, Ray Barrett…; A heartfelt and critically acclaimed teledrama about the troubled lives of three brothers and their father, who is disturbed by memories of WWII.…
Alexandra's Project (2003): Dir. Rolf De Heer
Feat. Helen Buday, Gary Sweet; Business executive Gary Sweet arrives home one evening and walks into a psychological trap set by his aggreived wife (Buday). Finding that she has…
All the Real Girls (2003): Dir. David Gordon Green
Feat. Patricia Clarkson, Zooey Deschanel, Paul Schneider; Wistful, nuanced tale set in a tiny North Carolina town, where the town stud must prove himself in a romance with his best friend's…
American Splendor (2003): Dir. Shari Springer Berman, Robert Pulcini
Feat. Paul Giamatti, Hope Davis; An ambitious celebration of the life of cult US comic–writer Harvey Pekar, told in a quilt–work of monologue, biopic, autobiography and…
Anatomy of Hell (Anatomie De L'enfer) (2003): Dir. Catherine Breillat
Feat. Amira Casar, Rocco Siffredi; A queasily explicit sex drama about a suicidal woman who challenges (and pays) a promiscuous gay man to participate in an uneasy nightly ritual of…
And Starring Pancho Villa as Himself (2003): Dir. Bruce Beresford
Feat. Antonio Banderas, Alan Arkin, Jim Broadbent…; Zooming–in on an intriguing corner of 20th century history, this tells the unlikely (but true) story of Mexican revolutionary Pancho Villa's…
Armaan (2003): Dir. Honey Irani
Feat. Amitabh Bachchan, Preity Zinta, Gracey Singh; A hospital soap–opera, Bollywood–style, centering around a doctor and his neurosurgeon son who dream of turning a private hospital into a…
As Far as My Feet Will Carry Me (2003): Dir. Hardy Martins; Based on the novel by Josef Martin Bauer, this film recounts the harrowing true story of Clemens Forell, the German POW who escaped a Siberian labour…
Ashes and Sand (2003): Dir. Bob Blagden
Feat. Nick Moran, Lara Belmont; Promising but ultimately disappointing drama set among the members of a girl–gang in Brighton, England. Although based on an…
At Five in the Afternoon (Panj é asr) (2003): Dir. Samira Makhmalbaf
Feat. Agheleh Rezaie, Abdolgani Yousefrazi; Delivering perhaps her most visually poetic, yet dramatically starkest work to date, the dir. of THE APPLE and BLACKBOARDS has a father and daughter…
Augustus (TV Mini-Series) (2003): Dir. Roger Young
Feat. Peter O'Toole, Charlotte Rampling; Peter O'Toole takes on the role of Augustus Caesar in this refreshing series focusing on the time when Augustus stepped into his adopted father's…
Barbarian Invasions, The (2003): Dir. Denys Arcand
Feat. Remy Girard, Stephane Rousseau, Dorothee Berryman…; Another finely–wrought drama from French–Canadian dir. Denys Arcand, who invests his keen sense of history, politics, literature and sex…
Battle 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…
Best of Youth, The (La Meglio gioventù) (2003): Dir. Marco Tullio Giordana; Sprawling and heady Italian saga tracks the lives of two brothers through the idealistic dreams of the 1960s and the long messy aftermath of…
Between the Sheets (TV Mini Series) (2003): Feat. Brenda Blethyn, Richard Armitage, Alun Armstrong; A well–to–do housewife, unhappy in marriage, rediscovers the joy of sex after a passionate encounter with a much younger man. A frank,…
Beyond Borders (2003): Dir. Martin Campbell
Feat. Clive Owen, Angelina Jolie, Teri Polo…; An underrated romantic drama in which a bored American woman (Jolie) falls in with a compassionate aid–worker who works in war ravaged…
Blackjack (TV Series) (2003-2007): Dir. Peter Andrikidis
Feat. Colin Friels, Vince Colosimo, Kate Beahan…; Tenacious Aussie crime series centred on a detective banished to work in the police archives section, who uses his new surrounds to solve long…
Blind Flight (2003): Dir. John Furse
Feat. Ian Hart, Linus Roache; True story of the 4–year kidnapping in 80s Lebanon of Irishman Brian Keenan and Englishman John McCarthy, given an affecting depth by its…
Bloom (2003): Dir. Sean Walsh
Feat. Stephen Rea, Angeline Ball, Hugh O'Conor…; The second attempt at adaptating James Joyce's famously 'difficult' novel "Ulysses" is more ambitious (and successsful) than the 1967 version at…
Blue Murder (TV Series) (2003): Feat. Caroline Quentin; Pragmatic crime series featuring British comedian Caroline Quentin as a detective at the top of her game, trying to juggle her demanding career and…
Bright 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…
Brown Bunny, The (2003): Dir. Vincent Gallo
Feat. Vincent Gallo, Chloe Sevigny; Notoriously egocentric gem from Vincent Gallo, who stars, directs, writes, shoots, edits and produces an intriguingly desultry road–trip across…
Brush With Fate (2003): Dir. Brent Shields
Feat. Glenn Close, Ellen Burstyn, Thomas Gibson…; A cloistered prep school teacher (Close) reveals to a colleague (Gibson) that she is in possession of a lost painting – 'Girl in Hyancinth…
Cafe Lumiere (Kôhî jikô) (2003): Dir. Hou Hsiao-Hsien
Feat. Tadanobu Asano, Yo Hitoto; Luminous tribute to Japanese dir. Yasujiro Ozu from a Taiwanese admirer, which honours Ozu's aesthetic in a minimalist study of personal…
Calendar 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…
Callas Forever (2003): Dir. Franco Zeffirelli
Feat. Fanny Ardant, Jeremy Irons, Joan Plowright; Dir. Franco Zeffirelli pays homage to his longtime friend and colleague, the late opera legend Maria Callas. Beautifully played by Fanny Ardant,…
Cambridge Spies (TV Series) (2003): Dir. Tim Fywell
Feat. Tom Hollander, Toby Stephens; A BBC mini–series which recounts one of the great spy stories of the 20th century, concerning the Cambridge–educated foursome of Philby,…
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…
Carandiru (2003): Dir. Hector Babenco; An expressionist series of tales set within the notorious titular prison in Sao Paolo, Brazil, as seen through the eyes of a benevolent doctor and…
Carnivale - Season 1 (TV Series) (2003): Feat. Nick Stahl, Clancy Brown, John Savage…; A most unusual TV series which sets a running duel between two quasi–supernatural figures (Stahl and Brown) in the Oklahoma dustbowl during the…
Carolina (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…
Casa de los Babys (2003): Dir. John Sayles
Feat. Maggie Gyllenhaal, Daryl Hannah, Marcia Gay Harden…; Another quality ensemble drama from dir. John Sayles, that this time brings together six American women waiting to start a family through a Mexican…
Chokher Bali (2003): Dir. Rituparno Ghosh
Feat. Aishwarya Rai, Prasenjit Chatterjee; Set in colonial Bengal, this adaptation of Nobel prizewinner Rabindranath Tagore's 1902 novel, concerns a beautiful widow (Aishwarya) who enters a…
Christmas (2003): Dir. Gregory King; Structured around a grueling family Christmas in suburban New Zealand, this stark and uncompromising drama is one of the best low–budget…
City of Men (TV Series) (Cidade dos Homens) (2003): Feat. Darlan Cunha, Douglas Silva; Brazilian TV followup to the crime epic CITY OF GOD, continues the lives of Acerola and Laranjinha in the shanties of Sao Paolo dodging drug gangs…
Cold Mountain (2003): Dir. Anthony Minghella
Feat. Jude Law, Nicole Kidman, Renee Zellweger…; Prestige historical epic set in the closing days of the American Civil War, with a wounded confederate soldier (Law) deserting the ranks to rejoin…
Company, The (Das Ensemble) (2003): Dir. Robert Altman
Feat. Neve Campbell, Malcolm McDowell, James Franco; Arch–auteur Robert Altman pirouettes his way through a multi–stranded drama about a Chicago–based ballet company, set mainly round…
Crimson Gold (Talaye sorkh) (2003): Dir. Jafar Panahi; Extraordinary, emotionally–compelling class fable set in contemporary Iran, which begins with a failed jewelery heist in Tehran, then…
Crooked E: Unshredded Truth About Enron, The (2003): Dir. Penelope Spheeris
Feat. Shannon Elizabeth, Brian Dennehy; Brazen Enron telemovie dramatizes the scandalous corporate downfall from an insider’s perspective. Like the documentary, the content is juicy,…
Dallas 362 (2003): Dir. Scott Caan
Feat. Scott Caan, Jeff Goldblum, Shawn Hatosy…; Minor but admirable drama about a young man seeking to break away from his stifling life in Los Angeles with the encouragement of his stoner…
Dead Like Me (TV Series) (2003-2004): Feat. Ellen Muth, Mandy Patinkin; Cult TV series about a recently–deceased woman – killed by a toilet seat falling off a space station – who gets recruited to help a…
Deal, The (2003): Dir. Stephen Frears
Feat. Michael Sheen, David Morrissey, Dexter Fletcher; Billed as the prequel to the 2006 hit THE QUEEN, this entertaining telepic chronicles the infamous meeting between Labour party heavyweights Tony…
Doctor Zhivago (TV Series) (2003): Dir. Giacomo Campiotti
Feat. Sam Neill, Keira Knightley, Kris Marshall…; A 'Masterpiece Theatre' adaptation of Pasternak's novel of Tsarist Russia. Generally more complete and faithful than the Lean version, but less…
Dogville (2003): Dir. Lars Von Trier
Feat. Nicole Kidman, Paul Bettany, Lauren Bacall…; This fierce parable of hypocrisy, exploitation and revenge set on a “soundstage” version of 1930s America is a brilliant conception of dir. Lars…
Dot The I (El Punto sobre la I) (2003): Dir. Matthew Parkhill
Feat. Gael Garcia Bernal, James D'Arcy, Natalia Verbeke; A skillfully moody London romance, in which the relationship of an engaged couple is disturbed by a pre–wedding ritual in which Verbeke must…
Dreamers, The (2003): Dir. Bernardo Bertolucci
Feat. Michael Pitt, Eva Green, Louis Garrel; Decadent youth drama set in politically turbulent Paris of 1968, in which a young American film–buff is drawn into an intense, peculiar…
Easy (2003): 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…
Elephant (2003): Dir. Gus Van Sant
Feat. Alex Frost, Eric Deulen, Timothy Bottoms…; A smoothly crafted, but troubling depiction of the Columbine High School massacre in which two disaffected teenagers planned and staged the multiple…
Emile (2003): Dir. Carl Bessai
Feat. Ian McKellen, Deborah Kara Unger, Tygh Runyan; A worthy homage to Bergman's WILD STRAWBERRIES, with McKellen here playing a retired professor, whose journey back to his roots in Canada stirs up a…
Enzo Ferrari (2003): Dir. Carlo Carlei
Feat. Sergio Castellitto; An Italian telemovie biopic of one of the great names of the automobile world, Enzo Ferrari, who rose from poverty to become a successful and…
Event, The (2003): Dir. Thom Fitzgerald
Feat. Olympia Dukakis, Don McKellar, Sarah Polley…; The taboo of assisted suicide is broached in this measured Canadian ensemble drama about an AIDS–afflicted musician (McKellar) who takes his…
Evil (Ondskan) (2003): Dir. Mikael Håfström
Feat. Andreas Wilson, Henrik Lundstrom, Gustaf Skarsard; Based on a renowned novel, this dramatic thriller is set in the 1950s Sweden, where a high school bully (Wilson) is expelled and sent by his mother…
Facing Windows (La Finestra di fronte) (2003): Dir. Ferzan Ozpetek
Feat. Giovanna Mezzogiorno, Massimo Girotti, Raoul Bova; An Italian woman finds her life and desires fraying away, as she struggles to support her family in the apartment blocks of Rome, while coming to…
Father and Son (Otets i syn) (2003): Dir. Alexandr Sokurov
Feat. Andrei Shchetinin, Aleksei Nejmyshev, Aleksandr Razbash; A loose 'sequel' to dir. Sokurov's arthouse hit MOTHER AND SON, this again uses an oblique, dreamlike visual style, here for an exploration of filial…
Fear and Trembling (Stupeur et tremblements) (2003): Dir. Alain Corneau
Feat. Sylvie Testud; A Belgian translator (Testud) takes a job in the corporate world of Tokyo (a city where she was born and grew up) hoping to rediscover the culture…
Finished People, The (2003): Dir. Khoa Do; Zeroing in on the plight of homeless people of the Sydney suburb of Cabramatta, this award–winning drama has a cast of non–professionals…
For Good (2003): Dir. Stuart McKenzie
Feat. Michelle Langstone, Timothy Balme, Miranda Harcourt…; Deserving of a wider audience, this assured and well–focused NZ feature debut belies its limited budget with a pertinent crime story executed…
Forest for the Trees, The (Der Wald vor lauter Bäumen) (2003): Dir. Maren Ade
Feat. Eva Löbau; Impressively insightful German drama following an idealistic young teacher who starts a job at a Karlsruhe school and contends with her own…
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…
Gilmore Girls - Season 4 (TV Series) (2003-2004): More episodes from the fresh and quirky drama set around a mother and daughter in suburban Connecticut. Season Four: 22 episodes across six discs.
Girl with a Pearl Earring (2003): Dir. Peter Webber
Feat. Scarlett Johansson, Colin Firth, Tom Wilkinson…; A superior dramatic conceit that speculates on the background to Johannes Vermeer's enigmatic 17th century portrait of the title. Johannson plays…
Going for Broke (2003): Dir. Graeme Campbell
Feat. Delta Burke, Gerald McRaney, Elliot Page; A superior telemovie about a woman's spiralling gambling addiction. Delta Burke gets hooked to the slot–machine buzz, managing to lose her…
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…
Good Morning, Night (2003): Dir. Marco Bellocchio; A dramatisation of events surrounding the kidnapping and murder of Italian Prime Minister Aldo Moro in 1978 by The Red Brigades, as seen through the…
Good Pope, The (Il Papa Buono) (2003): Dir. Rick Tognazzi
Feat. Bob Hoskins; Pope John XXIII – the 'Good Pope' – was perhaps the most progressive and influential of the Catholic church's 20th century…
Goodbye Lenin! (2003): 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…
Helen of Troy (Mini Series) (2003): Dir. John Harrison
Feat. Rufus Sewell, Stellan Skarsgard, John Rhys-Davies…; Combining various Greek legends into a grand composite tale, the stories of Helen, Agamemnon, Paris and Troy are reasonably well–served in this…
Hitler - The Rise of Evil (2003): Dir. Christian Duguay
Feat. Robert Carlyle, Stockard Channing, Peter O'Toole…; Somewhat controversial account of Adolf Hitler's rise to power, attempting to fathom his potential for evil–doing. An only…
Hou Hsiao-Hsien's Classics: From 1983 to 1986 (The Boys From Fengkuei; A Summer at Grandpa's; A Time to Live, A Time to Die; Dust in the Wind) (2003): Dir. Hou Hsiao-Hsien; A collection of four of the early films from director Hou Hsiao–Hsien, who is a leading figure in the Taiwanese New Wave. The Boys From…
House of Sand and Fog (2003): Dir. Vadim Perelman
Feat. Jennifer Connelly, Ben Kingsley, Frances Fisher…; Essentially a showdown over the ownership of a house between an abandoned wife and a stoic Iranian immigrant, this throws up a compelling, if foggy,…
Human Stain, The (2003): Dir. Robert Benton
Feat. Anthony Hopkins, Nicole Kidman, Gary Sinise…; An astute adaptation of a modern American classic, with a distinguished Anthony Hopkins and a blazing Nicole Kidman striking a surprising…
I Am David (2003): Dir. Paul Feig
Feat. Jim Caviezel, Joan Plowright, Ben Tibber; Generic adaptation of the popular young adult novel artlessly recreates the travails of young David as he flees the Eastern Europe labor camp and…
I Capture the Castle (2003): Dir. Tim Fywell
Feat. Rose Byrne, Henry Thomas, Tara Fitzgerald…; Sleepy and amiable drama set in the 1930s England where a family living in genteel poverty in a dilapidated castle are 'beseiged' by visiting…
I Love Your Work (2003): Dir. Adam Goldberg
Feat. Giovanni Ribisi, Christina Ricci, Joshua Jackson…; A puffy–eyed Ribisi plays a Hollywood actor who is unsettled, then repelled by the onerous trappings of fame, and retreats into a dangerous…
I'm Not Scared (Io Non Ho Paura) (2003): Dir. Gabriele Salvatores
Feat. Aitana Sánchez-Gijón, Dino Abbrescia, Giorgio Careccia…; Atmospheric thriller from dir. Gabriele Salvatores that deftly conveys a foreboding childhood experience during a long, hot summer in the country,…
Imagining Argentina (2003): Dir. Christopher Hampton
Feat. Antonio Banderas, Emma Thompson, Ruben Blades…; A controversial adaptation of Lawrence Thornton's award–winning novel, set in the Argentine dictatorship of the mid–1970s. Thompson is…
Incredible Mrs Ritchie, The (2003): Dir. Paul Johansson
Feat. Gena Rowlands, James Caan, Kevin Zegers; Gena Rowlands stars as greenfingered Mrs Ritchie, a saintly widow who takes a dysfunctional teen rebel into her home with the hope of curbing his…
Intermission (2003): Dir. John Crowley
Feat. Colin Farrell, Colm Meaney, Cillian Murphy…; Irish crime drama teeming with 'interconnected' plotlines and profane lowlife, dreaming various criminal and romantic endeavours into…
It's All About Love (2003): Dir. Thomas Vinterberg
Feat. Joaquin Phoenix, Claire Danes, Sean Penn…; A wacky, overambitious, though not unendearing flop for dir. Vinterberg (FESTEN), in which young couple Danes and Phoenix attempt to resolve the…
James' Journey to Jerusalem (Massa'ot James Be'eretz Hakodesh) (2003): 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…
Japanese Story (2003): Dir. Sue Brooks
Feat. Toni Collette; Winner of 8 AFI–awards, this laconic, but emotionally rich drama makes a brilliant most of its slender road–trip scenario. Colette…
Julius Caesar (2003): Dir. Uli Edel
Feat. Jeremy Sisto, Richard Harris, Christopher Walken…; A television feature which presents the life, reign and demise of Rome's first emperor. Rising from a family of minor administrators in the…
Kal Ho Naa Ho (Tomorrow May Never Come) (2003): 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…
Killing Hitler (TV Mini-series) (2003): Dir. Jeremy Lovering
Feat. Peter McDonald, Kate Ashfield, Kenneth Cranham…; Accurate docu–drama merging archival footage with recreations and educated interview to portray and dissect 'Operation Foxley' – a secret…
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…
Kiss of Life (2003): Dir. Emily Young
Feat. Peter Mullan, Ingeborga Dapkunaite, David Warner; While an aid–worker (Mullan) cut adrift in wartorn Eastern Europe tries to make his way home to London, his waiting family seem lost in a limbo…
Kitchen Stories (Salmer fra kjøkkenet) (2003): 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…
Koktebel (2003): Dir. Boris Khlebnikov, Alexei Popogrebsky
Feat. Gleb Puskepalis, Igor Chernevich; A delicately imagined journey through the Ukrainian countryside in the company of a widower and his 11–year old son, who set off on foot from…
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…
Last Life in the Universe (2003): Dir. Pen-Ek Ratanaruang
Feat. Tadanobu Asano, Riki Takeuchi, Sinitta Boonyasak; With a cool command of the aloof, this strange, seductive noir–romance merges the soulless existence of a suicidal librarian (Asano), a…
Latter Days (2003): 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 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…
Leonardo (TV Mini-series) (+ The Divine Michelangelo) (2003): Feat. Mark Rylance; Three–part BBC docu–drama exploring the life of Italian polymath Leonardo da Vinci, from early childhood to his death in 1519. Dramatic…
Levity (2003): Dir. Ed Solomon
Feat. Billy Bob Thornton, Morgan Freeman, Holly Hunter…; A bleak study of the post–prison world of paroled killer Billy Bob Thornten, who is haunted by the spectre of his teenage victim as he attempts…
Lion in Winter, The (TV Mini-series) (2003): Dir. Andrei Konchalovsky
Feat. Patrick Stewart, Glenn Close, Jonathan Rhys Meyers…; A respectable telemovie version of James Goldman's stageplay about the battle for succession to the English throne between Henry II (Stewart) and his…
Loop Select 005 (incl. Two Cars One Night) (2003): Dir. Taika Waititi, Patrick Gillies, Michael Duignan; Compilation of 9 music videos and 8 short films from New Zealand. Artists and bands include 'Black Seeds', 'Trinity Roots', Anika Moa and…
Lost in Translation (2003): Dir. Sofia Coppola
Feat. Bill Murray, Scarlett Johansson, Giovanni Ribisi; A coolly romantic and engaging tale of a “brief encounter” between two Americans stranded in Tokyo – a movie–star in midlife crisis…
Lost Prince, The (2003): Dir. Stephen Poliakoff
Feat. Gina McKee, Miranda Richardson, Bibi Andersson…; A sumptuous BBC production concerning Prince John, the youngest son of King George V of England, whose autism and mild epilepsy embarrassed the…
Love 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…
Luther (2003): Dir. Eric Till
Feat. Joseph Fiennes, Alfred Molina, Bruno Ganz…; Fiennes has an appropriate gleam in his eye playing Martin Luther, the monk whose 16th century gamble to challenge the Roman Catholic orthodoxy…
Marking Time (TV Mini-Series) (2003): Dir. Cherie Nowlan
Feat. Abe Forsythe, Geoff Morrell, Bojana Novakovic…; Teen angst and unrequited love stir in this topical outback drama, set in a small country town where the optimism behind the country's Olympic Games…
Mayor of Casterbridge, The (2003): Dir. David Thacker
Feat. Ciaran Hinds, Juliet Aubrey; The latter of two Thomas Hardy adaptations (the 1978 version scripted by Dennis Potter), this is an equally emotive, faithful to the original text,…
Mean Creek (2003): Dir. Jacob Aaron Estes
Feat. Rory Culkin, Ryan Kelly; Skillful 'delinquent thriller' about a group of highschool kids who plot to humiliate the overweight school bully on a boating daytrip. Though the…
Miracle of Bern, The (2003): Dir. Sonke Wortmann; Set in grim post–WW2 West Germany, this passionate, if broadly–handled drama respools a backdrop of events leading to the shock triumph…
Missing, The (2003): Dir. Ron Howard
Feat. Tommy Lee Jones, Cate Blanchett, Evan Rachel Wood…; A brooding historical thriller set in 19th–century New Mexico in which Blanchett reunites with her estranged father (Jones) to search for her…
Mona Lisa Smile (2003): Dir. Mike Newell
Feat. Julia Roberts, Kirsten Dunst, Julia Stiles…; Julia Roberts is restrained and fairly effective in this Ivy–League drama, set at the renowned Wellesley College in the 1950s, where she…
Monsieur Ibrahim (2003): Dir. Francois Dupeyron
Feat. Omar Sharif, Pierre Boulanger; Set on the multicultural streets of 1960s working–class Paris, this warm–hearted tale has a Sufi grocery store owner befriend a lonely…
Monster (2003): Dir. Patty Jenkins
Feat. Charlize Theron, Christina Ricci, Bruce Dern…; Powerful dramatization of the story of female serial–killer Aileen Wournos, strong enough to support an astonishing, Oscar–winning…
Mother Teresa (2003): Dir. Fabrizio Costa
Feat. Olivia Hussey; What might have been a profound and inspirational story of the tiny nun who became an icon of the 20th Century, instead falls short of any real…
Mother, The (2003): Dir. Roger Michell
Feat. Anne Reid, Daniel Craig, Stephen Mackintosh…; An unforgettable British drama about an aging widow, alienated from her ambitious son and neurotic daughter, who confronts the vacuum of her life…
Murmurs (2003): Dir. Alexander Greenhough, Elric Kane
Feat. James Ashcroft, Daniel Northcott, Kristin Smith…; The daily movements of a Mt Victoria flat are wryly observed in this sophomore DV feature from the directors of KISSY KISSY. Ensconced in a…
My House in Umbria (2003): Dir. Richard Loncraine
Feat. Maggie Smith, Chris Cooper, Giancarlo Giannini…; Maggie Smith centres this superior telemovie, playing an ex–pat romance novelist whose life in Italy is disturbed when she is caught up in a…
My Life Without Me (2003): Dir. Isabel Coixet
Feat. Sarah Polley, Mark Ruffalo, Deborah Harry…; This award–winning vignette concerns a young woman (Polley), told by her doctor she has only a short time to live, who strives to secretly…
Mystic River (2003): Dir. Clint Eastwood
Feat. Sean Penn, Tim Robbins, Kevin Bacon…; Dignified crime thriller shot in unfussy style by old pro Clint Eastwood, this is less thrilling than a reliable entertainment, with the emotional…
Napoleon (TV Mini-series) (2003): Dir. Yves Simoneau
Feat. Christian Clavier, Gerard Depardieu, John Malkovich…; A handsomely staged French (though English language) production of the life of Napoleon Bonaparte (Clavier) from his youthful antics, military…
Nathalie... (2003): Dir. Anne Fontaine
Feat. Emmanuelle Beart, Fanny Ardant, Gerard Depardieu; Steamy French confection involves frustrated wife Ardant in hiring prostitute Beart to seduce her philandering husband (Depardieu), and bring her…
New Tricks (TV Series) (2003): 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…
Nicotina (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…
Nip / Tuck (TV Series) (2003): Feat. Dylan Walsh, Julian McMahon, Joely Richardson; Television drama series set around the plastic–surgery practice of two Miami doctors, who have different priorities in life. Somewhat risque…
Noi Albinoi (Noi the Albino) (2003): 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…
Normal (2003): Dir. Jane Anderson
Feat. Tom Wilkinson, Jessica Lange, Clancy Brown; Tom Wilkinson takes on the brave role of an All–American husband and family man who one day tells his wife (Lange) that he "is a woman trapped…
Northfork (2003): Dir. Michael Polish
Feat. Nick Nolte, James Woods, Daryl Hannah…; Eerie, heavily–stylized independent film with a prestige cast and exquisite design and photography that serve less of a storyline than its…
Nowhere in Africa (Nirgendwo in Afrika) (2003): Dir. Caroline Link
Feat. Juliane Kohler; An old–fashioned epic of family survival, where a privileged Jewish family migrate from 1938 Nazi Germany into the exotic vastness of…
OC, The (TV Series) - Season 1 (2003-2004): Feat. Peter Gallagher, Mischa Barton, Kelly Rowan…; A stylish and instantly popular TV Series set in Orange County, California, in which a juvenile delinquent (McKenzie) is introduced to the…
Off the Map (2003): Dir. Campbell Scott
Feat. Joan Allen, Sam Elliott, Amy Brenneman; Low–key drama set in the unkempt outer suburbs of Taos, New Mexico in the mid–1970s, around a sleepy family of three lost, but functional…
One Last Dance (2003): Dir. Lisa Niemi
Feat. Patrick Swayze, Lisa Niemi; Three former dance–mates regroup after the death of a friend and mentor to revive a challenging piece based around Brazilian musical rhythms.…
One Tree Hill (TV Series) (2003): Feat. Chad Michael Murray, James Lafferty, Hilarie Burton…; Smallscreen teenage melodrama set in the small town of Tree Hill, North Carolina, and around the simmering relationship between two…
Osama (2003): Dir. Siddiq Barmak
Feat. Marina Golbahari; Though nothing to do with a certain infamous terrorist, this first Afghani film made since the rise and fall of the Taliban also happens to be a…
Out 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…
Owning Mahowny (2003): Dir. Richard Kwietniowski
Feat. Philip Seymour Hoffman, Minnie Driver, John Hurt…; Phillip Seymour Hoffman stars in this fact–based story of a Toronto bank manager who became legendary for gambling away millions of his…
Party Monster (2003): Dir. Fenton Bailey, Randy Barbato
Feat. Macaulay Culkin, Seth Green, Chloe Sevigny; A dramatization of the rise and fall of dandy NY nightclub promoter Michael Alig, who murdered one of his acolytes in the late 1980s, this depicts…
Perfect Strangers (2003): Dir. Gaylene Preston
Feat. Sam Neill, Rachael Blake, Joel Tobeck; Thriller of possessive love, set effectively on the rugged coastline of New Zealand’s West Coast, that changes tack mid–way into blackly…
Pieces 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…
Planman, The (2003): Dir. John Strickland
Feat. Robbie Coltrane, Graham Crowden; Ingenious two–part thriller in which Robbie Coltrane, in a near–reprise of his CRACKER role, plays a clever Scottish lawyer who in his…
Prey For Rock n Roll (2003): Dir. Alex Steyermark
Feat. Gina Gershon, Drea De Matteo, Lori Petty; Gina Gershon puts her all into a role playing an aging rock–singer who must decide whether to continue pursuing the dream after her 40th…
Radio (2003): Dir. Michael Tollin
Feat. Ed Harris, Cuba Jr. Gooding, Alfre Woodard…; A semi–biographical sports drama based on the true story of a high–school football coach and a mentally challenged young man, James…
Rage 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)…
Reagans, The (TV Mini-series) (2003): Dir. Robert Allan Ackerman
Feat. James Brolin, Judy Davis, Zeljko Ivanek; Biographical drama about U.S. President Ronald Reagan and his family, spanning the time period 1949–1989, with James Brolin as Ronald Reagan…
Real Women Have Curves (2003): 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…
Reckoning, The (2003): Dir. Paul McGuigan
Feat. Willem Dafoe, Paul Bettany, Vincent Cassel…; A sober minded recreation of plague–blasted England of the Middle Ages, with Bettany cowling–up as a monk on the run who falls in with a…
Remember Me (Ricordati di Me) (2003): Dir. Gabriel Muccino
Feat. Fabrizzio Bentivoglio, Laura Morante, Monica Bellucci; The dir. of THE LAST KISS constructs an equally heightened melodrama about the saga of a middle–class Italian family, their various personal…
Return, The (Vozvrashcheniye) (2003): Dir. Andrei Zvyagintsev
Feat. Ivan Dobronravov, Vladimir Garin, Konstantin Lavronenko…; A surprise arthouse hit about a couple of teenage brothers who are taken on a mysterious trip by their estranged and rather surly father, with his…
Return, The (2003): Dir. Dermot Boyd
Feat. Julie Walters, Neil Dudgeon, Ger Ryan; An affecting performance from Julie Walters enlivens an otherwise routine drama concerning a woman's release from prison after the murder of her…
Roman Spring of Mrs. Stone, The (2003): Dir. Robert Allan Ackerman
Feat. Helen Mirren, Olivier Martinez, Anne Bancroft…; Reasonably solid telemovie version of Tennessee Williams' only novel, with Mirren here playing the aging actress lured into an affair after the…
Room, The (2003): Dir. Tommy Wiseau
Feat. Tommy Wiseau, Juliette Danielle, Greg Sestero; Famously terrible melodrama turned cult phenomenon that has cashed in handsomely on its reputation of being "one of the worst film's ever made".…
Rosemary & Thyme (TV Series) (2003): Dir. Tom Clegg
Feat. Pam Ferris, Felicity Kendal; Utterly peculiar crime series follows two disenchanted botanists – Rosemary, a sacked horticulture lecturer, and Laura, a police officer separated…
Rosenstrasse (2003): Dir. Margarethe von Trotta
Feat. Katja Riemann, Maria Schrader, Martin Feifel; Fact–based drama set around the wartime protest movement of Aryan German women in 1943 Berlin, who were distraught at the forced detention of…
Rules of Attraction, The (2003): Dir. Roger Avary
Feat. James Van Der Beek, Shannyn Sossamon, Kate Bosworth…; James Van Der Beek tries mightily to shake off his clean–idol image in this unruly and unattractive black comedy about an over–privileged…
Runaway Jury (2003): Dir. Gary Fleder
Feat. John Cusack, Gene Hackman, Dustin Hoffman…; It's back to court with John Grisham, in a well–cast, entertaining tale of gun–control issues, jury–manipulation, big business and…
Saddest Music in the World, The (2003): Dir. Guy Maddin
Feat. Mark McKinney, Isabella Rossellini, Maria de Medeiros…; Another stunning tableaux from dir. Maddin's ongoing series of fantasies inspired by the musty, spectral qualities of early cinema, this time setting…
Seabiscuit (2003): Dir. Gary Ross
Feat. Tobey Maguire, Jeff Bridges, Chris Cooper…; Stirring drama based on a true story of a down–and–out racehorse that confounded expectations by turning around the fortunes of three…
Secondhand 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, 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…
Shark Net, The (TV Mini-series) (2003): Feat. William McInnes, Angie Milliken, Tim Draxl; Based on the memoir by Robert Drewe, this Australian mini–series focuses on Drewe's move to Perth as a young, excitable boy and his gradual…
Shattered Glass (2003): Dir. Billy Ray
Feat. Hayden Christensen, Peter Sarsgaard, Chloe Sevigny…; Compelling character–driven drama, based around the true story of 'New Republic' journalist Stephen Glass (Christensen), who was brought into…
Since Otar Left (2003): Dir. Julie Bertuccelli
Feat. Dinara Droukarova, Nino Khomassouridze, Ester Gorintin; Touching and wryly comic tale set in post–Communist Georgia, in which a mother, daughter and granddaughter partly survive through a romantic…
Singing Behind Screens (Cantando dietro i paraventi) (2003): Dir. Ermanno Olmi
Feat. Bud Spencer, Davide Dragonetti; Visually opulent Italian epic directed by Ermanno Olmi (THE TREE OF WOODEN CLOGS) set in coastal China and centred on a plucky widow who takes her…
Singing Detective, The (2003): Dir. Keith Gordon
Feat. Robert Downey Jnr., Robin Wright, Jeremy Northam…; A not unthoughtful remake of Dennis Potter's iconic 1980s TV Series, in which a psoriasis–afflicted crime writer hallucinates mystery plots and…
Six Feet Under - Season 3 (TV Series) (2003): Feat. Peter Krause, Michael C. Hall, Frances Conroy…; Further episodes of the acclaimed HBO drama set around a funeral home. 13 episodes over 5 DVDs: Perfect Circles, You Never Know, The Eye Inside,…
Snow Walker, The (2003): Dir. Charles Martin Smith
Feat. Barry Pepper, Annabella Piugattuk, James Cromwell; An adventure story well told about a pilot and an injured Inuit woman who struggle for survival against the harsh elements of the Canadian…
Something'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…
Song for a Raggy Boy (2003): Dir. Aisling Walsh
Feat. Aidan Quinn, Iain Glen; Vivid, if overly simplistic account of abuses at an Irish Boys Reformatory in the late 1930s. Quinn plays an idealistic teacher who blows the whistle…
Sopranos, The (TV Series) - Season 4 (2003): Continuing episodes of the groundbreaking TV–series that ironically portrays the life of a New Jersey Mafia clan. 13 episodes over 4 discs or…
Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter... and Spring (Bom yeoreum gaeul gyeoul geurigo bom) (2003): Dir. Kim Ki-Duk
Feat. Oh Young-Soo, Kim Ki-Duk, Kim Young-Min…; As the seasons pass through many years, the inhabitants of a floating temple on a woodland pond – a young boy and his wizened mentor –…
Springtime in a Small Town (2003): Dir. Tian Zhuangzhuang; Long–awaited followup to THE BLUE KITE for dir. Zhuangzhuang (who was banned from filmmaking for three years afterwards), constructing a…
Statement, The (2003): Dir. Norman Jewison
Feat. Michael Caine, Tilda Swinton, Jeremy Northam…; Michael Caine plays an ex–Nazi collaborator who has remained beyond the law for fifty years in post–WW2 France thanks to the Roman…
Station Agent, The (2003): Dir. Tom McCarthy
Feat. Peter Dinklage, Patricia Clarkson, Bobby Cannavale; As laid back as its rural New Jersey hamlet setting, this award–winning, small–scale film truthfully captures the worldview of a dwarf.…
Story of Marie and Julien, The (Histoire de Marie et Julien) (2003): Dir. Jacques Rivette
Feat. Emmanuelle Beart, Jerzy Radziwilowicz; Meandering and hypnotic tale of the supernatural from French master Jacques Rivette, which begins in the apparently nondescript world of a Parisian…
Swimming Pool (2003): Dir. Francois Ozon
Feat. Charlotte Rampling, Ludivine Sagnier, Charles Dance; A beguiling psychological thriller, in which a British mystery–novelist (Rampling) travels to her publisher's holiday house in rural France for…
Sylvia (2003): Dir. Christine Jeffs
Feat. Gwyneth Paltrow, Daniel Craig, Blythe Danner…; A simply formed, yet resonant portrait of the brilliant, doomed poet Sylvia Plath (Paltrow), recounting her years of marriage to (also poet) Ted…
Thirteen (2003): Dir. Catherine Hardwicke
Feat. Holly Hunter, Evan Rachel Wood, Nikki Reed; Startling depiction of a young teenager who spins out of control as she falls in with the wrong crowd and beyond the reach of her struggling…
This Girl's Life (2003): Dir. Ash
Feat. Juliette Marquis, James Woods, Michael Rapaport…; A fictionalised 'slice of life' which portrays the experiences of an international porn star (Marquis) and her ailing father (Woods). Aiming to…
Thousand Months, A (Mille Mois) (2003): Dir. Faouzi Bensaïdi
Feat. Fouad Labied, Nezha Rahile; A rare international release from Morocco, this portrays languid months of existence for a boy who, following various family crises, moves with his…
Time of the Wolf (Temps du loup, Le) (2003): Dir. Michael Haneke
Feat. Isabelle Huppert, Beatrice Dalle, Olivier Gourmet; Chilling, disconcerting post–apocalyptic nightmare that begins with Isabelle Huppert and children fleeing into a barren French countryside,…
Tiptoes (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…
Tokyo Godfathers (2003): Dir. Satoshi Kon, Shogo Furuya; An unusual 'dramatic' anime, which concerns three down–and–outs in Tokyo who rescue an abandoned baby and struggle to knit together a…
Torso (Torso: The Evelyn Dick Story) (2003): Dir. Alex Chapple
Feat. Kathleen Robertson, Victor Garber, Brenda Fricker…; Would–be socialite Evelyn Dick is arrested by Canadian police for the murder of her husband in this above–average account of the trial…
Touch of Spice, A (Politiki kouzina) (2003): Dir. Tassos Boulmetis
Feat. George Corraface; Spices build bridges in this touching account of a Greek astrophysicist and his spice merchant grandfather, conjoined by that now–familiar…
Travellers and Magicians (2003): Dir. Khyentse Norbu
Feat. Tsewang Dandup, Sonam Lhamo; A puckishly effective road movie from the Himilayan kingdom of Bhutan, this follows a young villager who gets the opportunity to travel forth from…
Travelling Light (2003): Dir. Kathyrn Millard
Feat. Pia Miranda, Sacha Horler, Marshall Napier; A lightly enjoyable coming–of–age drama set in 1970s Adelaide, with Miranda playing an artistically precocious young woman seeking to…
Tru Calling (TV Series) (2003-2005): Feat. Eliza Dushku; Paranormal TV drama with Dushku playing a morgue intern who discovers she can hear the voices of the recently deceased and reverse their fates.…
Twentynine Palms (2003): Dir. Bruno Dumont
Feat. Katia Golubeva, David Wissak; Provocative in both form and content, dir. Dumont (L'HUMANITE) crafts an opaque thriller around a dysfunctional couple's 'holiday' in the American…
Twist (2003): Dir. Jacob Tierney
Feat. Nick Stahl, Gary Farmer, Stephen McHattie…; 'Gay hustler' recasting of the Charles Dickens classic, set amid a group of heroin addicts who inhabit the inner–city dark corners of modernday…
Under the Tuscan Sun (2003): Dir. Audrey Wells
Feat. Diane Lane, Sandra Oh, Lindsay Duncan; Likeable tale of Mediterranean healing, with Diane Lane exuding considerable charm in her role as a divorcee who rebuilds her life by restoring a…
United States of Leland, The (2003): Dir. Matthew Ryan Hoge
Feat. Don Cheadle, Ryan Gosling, Chris Klein…; Solid indie drama that plumbs the soul of a youthful murderer (Gosling) and his web of life–connections after he stabs a retarded boy to…
Untold Scandal (2003): Dir. Je-yong Lee
Feat. Mi-suk Lee, Yong-joon Bae; ‘Dangerous Liaisons’ translates seamlessly to Chosun Dynasty Korea, with temptress Lady Cho (Lee) assuming role of sexual power broker in this…
Veronica Guerin (2003): Dir. Joel Schumacher
Feat. Cate Blanchett, Ciaran Hinds, Brenda Fricker; Playing an Irish journalist determined to uncover the drug–networks of Ireland, Blanchett gives a rounded portrait of a headstrong…
Vodka Lemon (2003): Dir. Hiner Saleem
Feat. Romen Avinian; The residents of a diminishing Armenian village eke out meagre living in this sombre, if delightfully deadpan post–communist…
Von 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 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…
West Wing, The - Season 5 (TV Series) (2003): More episodes from one of the most popular US TV–series of recent years, set in a White House presided over by Martin Sheen and his staff.…
Whale Rider (2003): Dir. Niki Caro
Feat. Keisha Castle-Hughes, Rawiri Paratene, Vicky Haughton…; A stirring, widely–acclaimed adaptation of Witi Ihimaera’s novel about a young girl’s struggle to win the approval of her patriarchal…
Wilbur 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…
Wit (2003): Dir. Mike Nichols
Feat. Emma Thompson, Eileen Atkins, Christopher Lloyd…; The dramatic and comedic talents of Emma Thompson flourish in a brave, heartfelt performance as a terminally ill literary professor with a…
Wonderland (2003): Dir. James Cox
Feat. Val Kilmer, Kate Bosworth, Lisa Kudrow…; Dreamy, yet scuzzily unkempt biopic of 70s porn superstar John Holmes (Val Kilmer doing the honours) and his role in the 1981 'Wonderland' drug…
Wondrous 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…
Woodenhead (2003): Dir. Florian Habicht; A remarkable and surrealistic melding of New Zealand setting and Germanic sensibility, in which a sad fairytale narrative is enacted, sung and…
Young Adam (2003): Dir. David Mackenzie
Feat. Ewan McGregor, Tilda Swinton, Peter Mullan; Evocatively set amid the grimy canal barges of post–WW2 Scotland, this follows the shady fortunes of a failed writer (McGregor), whose…
Zelary (2003): Dir. Ondrej Trojan
Feat. Anna Geislerova, Gyorgy Cserhalmi; A layered tale of war and romance set around the 1943 purge of the Czech resistance by the occupying Nazis, and a young nurse's flight to…
Zero Day (2003): Dir. Ben Coccio
Feat. Andre Keuck, Calvin Robertson; A confronting, fictionalized insight into the nihilistic mind–set of two alienated students who plotted and carried out a violent massacre at…
'R Xmas (2002): Dir. Abel Ferrara
Feat. Lillo Brancato Jr., Drea De Matteo, Ice-T; Familiar territory tinged with originality from bad boy dir. Ferrara, examining the unusual Christmas crises of a drug–dealing Latino couple in…
11'09'01 (September 11) (2002): Dir. Ken Loach, Claude Lelouch, Sean Penn
Feat. Ernest Borgnine; A consistently intriguing omnibus of 11 short films made by various top directors about the catastrophic events of September 11, 2001 in New York –…
24 Hour Party People (2002): 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…
25th Hour (2002): Dir. Spike Lee
Feat. Edward Norton, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Barry Pepper…; Slowburning drama that revolves around the personal tensions of drug–dealer Edward Norton, whose 8–year prison term begins the next…
8 Mile (Eight Mile) (2002): Dir. Curtis Hanson
Feat. Eminem, Kim Basinger, Mekhi Phifer…; Mainstream feature film vehicle for white rap star Eminem has a narrative typical of the “youth craze” genre – young working class wannabe…
A Loving Father (Aime ton père) (2002): Dir. Jacob Berger
Feat. Gerard Depardieu, Guillaume Depardieu, Sylvie Testud; Gerard Depardieu and real–life offspring Guillaume star as estranged father and son in this MISERY–inspired scenario of gaping family…
A Tale of a Naughty Girl (Mondo Meyer Upakhyan) (2002): Dir. Buddhadev Dasgupta
Feat. Samata Das, Rituparna Sengupta, Arpan Basar; Caught between the push of tradition and the pull of the promise of a new life, a bright prostitute's daughter runs away to Calcutta to escape a…
Abouna (Our Father) (2002): Dir. Mahamat-Saleh Haroun; Set in the impoverished, dusty landscapes of Chad, this fable of African fragmentation follows two brothers (aged 8 and 15) as they search…
About a Boy (2002): 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 Schmidt (2002): 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…
All or Nothing (2002): Dir. Mike Leigh
Feat. Timothy Spall, Lesley Manville, Alison Garland; Director Mike Leigh returns to (overly) familiar turf for this ensemble drama about dysfunctional, poverty–stricken lives of three families…
Amen. (2002): Dir. Costa-Gavras
Feat. Ulrich Tukur, Mathieu Kassovitz, Ulrich Muhe; An unusual WW2 drama concerning the true story of SS officer Kurt Gerstein (Tukur), who invented the chemical Zyklon–B not knowing it was to be…
And Now Ladies and Gentlemen (2002): Dir. Claude Lelouch
Feat. Jeremy Irons, Patricia Kaas, Thierry Lhermitte…; A smooth exercise in self–satire from dir. Lelouch, with Jeremy Irons playing a shifty jewel–thief who hooks up with lounge–singer…
Antwone Fisher (2002): Dir. Denzel Washington
Feat. Denzel Washington, Derek Luke; From a uniquely autobiographical screenplay by the real Antwone Fisher, Denzel Washington takes the helm and stars as a US Navy psychiatrist who…
Ararat (2002): Dir. Atom Egoyan
Feat. Arsinee Khanjian, Charles Aznavour, Christopher Plummer…; A challenging dramatic meditation on the 'forgotten' genocide of 1.5 million Armenians by Turkey during WWI, moulded into an epic of history and…
Assassination Tango (2002): Dir. Robert Duvall
Feat. Robert Duvall, Kathy Baker, Ruben Blades; Unassuming, yet engrossing crime drama, which follows aging hitman Robert Duvall on a job in Argentina, while casually digressing into a search for…
Australian Rules (2002): Dir. Paul Goldman
Feat. Nathan Phillips, Luke Carroll, Lisa Flanagan…; A powerful, ultimately compassionate story of white and aboriginal youngsters in remote South Australia, who bond both on and off the football field.…
Auto Focus (2002): Dir. Paul Schrader
Feat. Greg Kinnear, Willem Dafoe; A savvy true Hollywood story detailing the sordid life of “Hogan’s Heroes” TV star Bob Crane, whose illicit 'sex addiction' led to…
Balzac and the Little Chinese Seamstress (2002): Dir. Dai Sijie; Lovingly photographed fable of freedom, set during China's 'Cultural Revolution' in 1971 and based on the dir.'s own adolescence. Two young…
Bertie and Elizabeth (2002): Dir. Giles Foster
Feat. James Wilby, Juliet Aubrey, Alan Bates…; Above–board portrait of the relationship between George VI and future wife Elizabeth Bowes–Lyon – better known as the 'Queen…
Better Luck Tomorrow (2002): Dir. Justin Lin
Feat. Perry Shen, Jason J. Tobin, Sung Kang…; Spinning a novel twist on a few cliches, this parable concerns a group of bored Asian–American high schoolers in Orange County, California who…
Between Strangers (2002): Dir. Edoardo Ponti
Feat. Sophia Loren, Pete Postlethwaite, Mira Sorvino…; The lives of three quite different women move into thematic proximity in this lightweight, but worthy drama. As played by Loren, Sorvino and…
Birthday Girl (2002): Dir. Jez Butterworth
Feat. Nicole Kidman, Ben Chaplin, Vincent Cassel…; Competent comic–thriller in which the limited social horizons of bank–clerk Ben Chaplin lead him to ‘order’ Russian mail–order…
Black and White (2002): Dir. Craig Lahiff
Feat. Robert Carlyle, Kerry Fox, Charles Dance…; Stirring courtroom drama based on the dubious conviction for murder of an Aboriginal man in 1950s Adelaide, which dragged the government and press…
Blissfully Yours (Sud Sanaeha) (2002): Dir. Apichatpong Weerasethakul; One–of–a–kind filmmaker Weerasethakul embarks on a delicate, ethereal journey through Thailand’s magical wilderness, to beguiling…
Bloody Sunday (2002): Dir. Paul Greengrass
Feat. James Nesbitt, Tim Pigott-Smith, Kathy Kiera Clarke; Captured with handheld 'real–time' immediacy, this is a gripping recreation of the infamous 'Bloody Sunday' massacre in 1972 Northern Ireland,…
Blue Car (2002): Dir. Karen Moncrieff
Feat. Agnes Bruckner, David Strathairn; A rites–of–passage drama of distinction, this is realistic and affecting in its account of a high–school student whose flair for…
Bomb the System (2002): Dir. Adam Bhala Lough
Feat. Mark Webber; A tale of alienated youth in New York City, set around a teenager's (Webber) nocturnal activities spraying graffiti around the city streets with a…
Book Of Eve, The (2002): Dir. Claude Fournier
Feat. Claire Bloom, Susannah York, Daniel Lavoie; Canadian romantic drama with Claire Bloom playing a reclusive married woman who falls in love with a Romanian immigrant.
Born and Bred (TV Series) (2002-2005): Feat. James Bolam, Michael French; Comforting drama series, set in 1950's Britain, centred on a son who moves back home to a Lancashire village to help his father establish a medical…
Broken Wings (K’nafayim Shvurot) (2002): Dir. Nir Bergman
Feat. Orly Silbersatz Banai, Maya Maron; The fraught shuffle of daily life for an Israeli family after the death of the male head of the household, is depicted with touching and intimate…
Catch 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…
Changing Lanes (2002): Dir. Roger Michell
Feat. Samuel L. Jackson, Ben Affleck, Toni Collette…; After a rush hour fender–bender between lawyer Ben Affleck and insurance agent Samuel L Jackson, a tit for tat game of ‘get even’ for high…
Chaos (2002): Dir. Coline Serreau
Feat. Vincent Lindon, Catherine Frot; A witty French thriller where, through a chance meeting, a middle–class woman comes to the rescue of an Algerian–born prostitute who is…
Charlotte Gray (2002): Dir. Gillian Armstrong
Feat. Cate Blanchett, Billy Crudup, Michael Gambon; WWII France is the backdrop for a love–triangle in this well–made, though sappy war–romance, Cate Blanchett providing a compelling…
Chicago (2002): 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…
Chihwaseon (Painted Fire) (2002): Dir. Kwon-taek Im
Feat. Min-sik Choi, Sung-kee Ahn; A mainstay of Korean cinema, Im Kwon–taek helms this impassioned portrait of one of the country's most celebrated painters, Jang…
Christmas Shoes, The (2002): Dir. Andy Wolk
Feat. Rob Lowe, Kimberley Williams; An effective Christmas tear–jerker about a young boy who tries to get a pair of Christmas shoes for his dying mother, while a lawyer tries to…
Chutney Popcorn (2002): 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…
City By the Sea (2002): Dir. Michael Caton-Jones
Feat. Robert De Niro, Frances McDormand; Robert De Niro faces a personal and professional dilemma as a decent cop/bad father who discovers that the prime suspect in the murder of his partner…
City of Ghosts (2002): Dir. Matt Dillon
Feat. Matt Dillon, James Caan, Natascha McElhone…; A moody debut for dir. Dillon, unfolding a familiar thriller of dueling lowlifes in the exotic–chaotic scenery of presentday…
City of God (Cidade de Deus) (2002): Dir. Fernando Mierelles
Feat. Alexandre Rodrigues, Leandro Firmano da Hora, Phellipe Haagensen; An incendiary Brazilian drama depicting two decades of blood–drenched rivalry between two youth gangs who control a slum area of Rio De…
Close to Leo (Tout contre Léo) (2002): Dir. Christophe Honore
Feat. Yaniss Lespert, Pierre Mignard, Marie Bunel…; French drama exploring the tensions in a family when a closeted gay man is diagnosed HIV positive and his parents attempt to hide the news (and the…
Confessions 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…
Confessions of an American Girl (American Girl) (2002): Dir. Jordan Brady
Feat. Jena Malone, Brad Renfro, Alicia Witt…; Black comedy set around a trailer family's visit to their imprisoned father on the annual 'prison picnic' day. Over the course of this his teenage…
Crime and Punishment (TV Mini-series) (2002): Dir. Julian Jarrold
Feat. John Simm, Kate Ashfield, Lara Belmont…; Lyrical TV adaptation of the great Dostoevsky novel focused on a young murderer struggling to escape his feelings of guilt and paranoia before they…
Crime of Father Amaro, The (El Crimen del padre Amaro) (2002): Dir. Carlos Carrera
Feat. Gael Garcia Bernal; Melodramatic and ironic critique of the crimes of the Roman Catholic church that was hugely successful in its native Mexico. A young priest…
Cuckoo, The (Kukushka) (2002): Dir. Aleksandr Rogozhkin
Feat. Anni-Kristiina Juuso, Ville Haapasalo, Viktor Bychkov; An earthy drama of non–communication set amid the frozen WW2 battleground of Lapland, where a pacifist Finnish soldier, a survivalist Russian…
Cutting It (TV Series) (2002): Feat. Amanda Holden, Sarah Parish; Set in the snippily stylish world British hair salons, this television series concerns the competition between two salons facing each other across…
Dalkeith (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…
Dancer Upstairs, The (2002): Dir. John Malkovich
Feat. Javier Bardem; John Malkovich debuts as a director with this slow–burn police thriller played out in the humid atmosphere of an unamed South American…
Dangerous Lives of Altar Boys, The (2002): Dir. Peter Care
Feat. Emile Hirsch, Kieran Culkin, Vincent D'Onofrio…; A quietly sobering, yet refreshingly humorous memoir of hormonal and delinquent adolescence under the arches of a strict Catholic high school, with…
Daniel Deronda (TV Mini-series) (2002): Dir. Tom Hooper
Feat. Hugh Dancy, Romola Garai, Barbara Hershey…; Faithful and reasonably stylish BBC adaptation of George Eliot's final novel, in which the titular young man (Dancy), an orphan raised by a guardian…
Dead Zone, The (TV Series) (2002-2006): Dir. Robert Lieberman
Feat. Anthony Michael Hall, David Ogden Stiers, Nicole De Boer; Surprisingly effective spinoff from the 1983 David Cronenberg–Stephen King film, with Hall playing a coma victim who upon awakening six years…
Devdas (2002): Dir. Sanjay Leela Bhansali
Feat. Shahrukh Khan, Madhuri Dixit, Aishwarya Rai; The most expensive production in Bollywood history to date is this gorgeously extravagant soap opera based on one of India’s most widely–read…
Dirty Pretty Things (2002): Dir. Stephen Frears
Feat. Chiwetel Ejiofor, Audrey Tautou, Sergi Lopez; A tightly–wound, satisfying British melodrama about illegal immigrants in London that find themselves exploited by a medical scam. Chiwetel…
Divine Intervention (2002): 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…
Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood (2002): Dir. Callie Khouri
Feat. Sandra Bullock, Ellen Burstyn, Ashley Judd…; In this spirited adaptation of Rebecca Wells’ novel, alienated daughter Sandra Bullock is given the lowdown on her mother Ellen Burnstyn’s…
Dolls (2002): Dir. Takeshi Kitano
Feat. Miho Kanno, Tatsuya Mihashi; Beautiful to behold with its spectacular Japanese vistas, but unfocused in content, dir. Takeshi stumbles with an art film that feels stranded…
Drumline (2002): Dir. Charles Stone III
Feat. Nick Cannon, Zoe Saldana, Orlando Jones; Depicting the journey of a talented street drummer from Harlem into the world of big–time stadium marching bands, this is short on story moves,…
Edge of Madness (2002): Dir. Anne Wheeler
Feat. Brendan Fehr, Caroline Dhavernas; A dark vision of frontier marriage gone horribly wrong in 1850s Manitoba. Dhavernas plays a wife whose tyrannical husband, Fehr playing against type,…
El Bonaerense (2002): Dir. Pablo Trapero; An authentically macho tale about the notoriously clannish and corrupt police force of Buenos Aires (members are known as 'el Bonaerense') which…
Emperor's Club, The (2002): Dir. Michael Hoffman
Feat. Kevin Kline, Emile Hirsch, Embeth Davidtz…; Kevin Kline gives a rich portrait of a dedicated professor of Classics at a private boys school who finds his greatest challenge in a bad egg…
Enlightenment Guaranteed (2002): Dir. Doris Dorrie
Feat. Uwe Ochsenknecht, Gustav-Peter Wohler; Entertainment is guaranteed for those in the right headspace with this droll comedy, in which two befuddled German brothers on holiday in Japan stray…
Evelyn (2002): Dir. Bruce Beresford
Feat. Pierce Brosnan, Julianne Margulies, Stephen Rea…; A labour–of–love for Irishman Pierce Brosnan as actor and producer, this is a heartfelt family drama about a working class father who…
Face (2002): Dir. Bertha Bay-Sa Pan
Feat. Ling Bai, Will Yun Lee, Kirsty Wu…; Chinese–American drama that deals commendably with familiar themes of relationships, marriage and cultural identity. Alternating its…
Far From Heaven (2002): Dir. Todd Haynes
Feat. Julianne Moore, Dennis Quaid, Dennis Haysbert; An exquisitely designed pastiche of 50s soap opera that mimics the look and acting style of vintage–movie melodrama but cleverly deviates by…
Fidel and Che (TV Mini-series) (Fidel) (2002): Dir. David Attwood
Feat. Victor Huggo Martin, Gael Garcia Bernal; Fairly balanced exploration of the Cuban Revolution as told through the rise of Fidel Castro, from revolutionary fighter, to popular leader and…
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…
Forsyte Saga, The (TV Series) (2002): Dir. Christopher Menaul, David Moore
Feat. Rupert Graves, Damian Lewis, Gina McKee; Opulent adaptation of John Galsworthy’s cycle of novels by Granada television, with the saga of the squabbling, all–too–human Forsyte…
Foyle's War (TV Series) (2002-2015): Feat. Michael Kitchen, Honeysuckle Weeks, Anthony Howell; A distinguished drama series of mysteries set at the dawn of World War II, from the makers of Midsomer Murders. Michael Kitchen stars as charismatic…
Frailty (2002): Dir. Bill Paxton
Feat. Bill Paxton, Matthew McConaughey, Powers Boothe; After a spiritual visitation, Bill Paxton and his two young sons take an axe to unsuspecting “evil–doers” in the late 1970s, while…
Frida (2002): Dir. Julie Taymor
Feat. Salma Hayek, Alfred Molina, Ashley Judd…; Long awaited biopic of the celebrated 20th–century Mexican painter Frida Kahlo, whose troubled marriage to Diego Riviera and crippling injuries…
Full 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 Ha (2002): 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…
Gada Meilin (2002): Dir. Feng Xiaoning; Lauded, but rather obscure action drama set in 1930s Mongolia, where the nomadic tribal leader Gada Meilin tried to prevent the 'desertification' of…
Gangs of New York (2002): Dir. Martin Scorsese
Feat. Leonardo DiCaprio, Daniel Day-Lewis, Cameron Diaz…; Dir. Martin Scorsese’s messy yet resonant epic based on a 19th century chapter that witnessed mass civil unrest in NYC is painted with the…
Garage Days (2002): Dir. Alex Proyas
Feat. Pia Miranda, Maya Stange, Kick Curry…; A young garage band in Sydney look for their big break, while coping with love, drugs and everyday life, in a frisky though oddly–toned…
Gathering Storm, The (2002): Dir. Richard Loncraine
Feat. Albert Finney, Vanessa Redgrave, Jim Broadbent…; Critically acclaimed telemovie depicts the life of Winston Churchill during his 'wilderness years', the turbulent 1930s, centred by a mighty…
Gerry (2002): Dir. Gus Van Sant
Feat. Casey Affleck, Matt Damon; A stark return to experimentalism for dir. Van Sant, in the form of a narrative about two friends, both named Gerry (Damon and Affleck), whose hiking…
Gilmore Girls - Season 3 (TV Series) (2002-2003): More episodes from the fresh and quirky drama set around a mother and daughter in suburban Connecticut. Season Three: 22 episodes across six discs.
Good 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…
Happy Hour (2002): Dir. Mike Bencivenga
Feat. Eric Stoltz, Anthony LaPaglia; Mellowly old–fashioned portrait of an alcoholic writer (LaPaglia) whose underachieving NYC life masks frustrated literary ambitions. Familiar…
Heart of Me, The (2002): Dir. Thaddeus O'Sullivan
Feat. Helena Bonham Carter, Paul Bettany, Olivia Williams; A moody, though slightly outmoded period drama set in London between the wars in which two sisters become involved with the same man, as wife and…
Heaven (2002): Dir. Tom Tykwer
Feat. Cate Blanchett, Giovanni Ribisi; An art–thriller worked from a script by the late Krzysztof Kieslowski which follows the enigmatic trail of recently widowed and vengeful Cate…
Historias Minimas (Intimate Stories) (2002): Dir. Carlos Sorin
Feat. Javier Lombardo; Gentle, uneventful road movie drifts between three separate journeys from a remote village in Argentina to San Julian. Softly observed, this quietly…
Hollywood 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 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…
Hours, The (2002): Dir. Stephen Daldry
Feat. Nicole Kidman, Meryl Streep, Julianne Moore…; Michael Cunningham’s Pulitzer–prize winning novel is brought to the screen with excellent performances, and though simplified and not for all…
House of Fools (Dom Durakov) (2002): Dir. Andrei Konchalovsky; Based around the true story of a Chechen mental hospital which was abandoned by staff during the recent civil war, with patients left to fend for…
Hysterical Blindness (2002): Dir. Mira Nair
Feat. Uma Thurman, Juliette Lewis, Gena Rowlands; A red–maned Uma Thurman comes to terms with her 'Jersey Girl' existence in this noted telemovie from dir. Mira Nair (MONSOON…
I Am Sam (2002): Dir. Jesse Nelson
Feat. Sean Penn, Michelle Pfeiffer, Dianne Wiest…; High–calibre acting from Sean Penn, as a retarded man fighting to retain custody of his 8–year old daughter, distinguishes this intense…
Igby Goes Down (2002): 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…
In America (2002): Dir. Jim Sheridan
Feat. Paddy Considine, Samantha Morton, Sarah Bolger…; Heartfelt fable about a down–at–heel Irish immigrant family who take up residence in a New York slum where their fortune comes to be…
In This World (2002): Dir. Michael Winterbottom; A powerful, simply wrought story of two Afghani brothers who attempt to journey from their Pakistani refugee camp across Asia and Europe to…
Invincible (2002): Dir. Werner Herzog
Feat. Tim Roth, Udo Kier; An interesting treatment of the lives of the (secretly) Jewish strongman Zishe Breitbart and nightclub impressario Erik Jan Hanussen (Roth), who…
Japon (Japan) (2002): Dir. Carlos Reygadas; A crippled man journeys into a remote Mexican canyon in order to end his life, but becomes entangled with a saintly old woman, village politics and a…
John Q (2002): Dir. Nick Cassavetes
Feat. Denzel Washington, Ray Liotta, Robert Duvall…; Denzel Washington plays a cash–strapped pillar–of–decency who can’t afford his son’s heart–transplant in the mercenary US…
Killing Me Softly (2002): Dir. Chen Kaige
Feat. Heather Graham, Joseph Fiennes, Natascha McElhone…; The first and only English language film from respected Chinese director Chen Kaige (TOGETHER) is this erotic thriller based on the 1999 novel of the…
L'Homme du Train (Man on the Train) (2002): 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…
L'Idole (2002): Dir. Samantha Lang
Feat. Leelee Sobieski, James Hong; Playing a troubled Australian actress, Sobieski arrives in Paris and befriends her elderly Chinese neighbour in this melancholy…
Laramie Project, The (2002): Dir. Moisés Kaufman
Feat. Steve Buscemi, Clea Duvall, Jeremy Davies…; Moisés Kaufman directs this film based on his own play, set in the aftermath of the 1998 murder of Matthew Shepard, an openly gay college student in…
Laurel 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…
Leo (2002): Dir. Mehdi Norowzian
Feat. Elisabeth Shue, Joseph Fiennes, Dennis Hopper…; A murderer freshly released from prison attempts to get his life back to an orderly state while assisting a friend to deal with an alcohol dependent…
Life as a House (2002): Dir. Irwin Winkler
Feat. Kevin Kline, Kristin Scott Thomas, Hayden Christensen…; Solidly carpentered, this star–studded tearjerker is built upon architect Kevin Kline’s simultaneous sacking and discovery of terminal…
Lilya 4-Ever (2002): Dir. Lukas Moodysson
Feat. Oksana Akinshina, Artyom Bogucharsky, Pavel Ponomaryov; Lauded Swedish film–maker Lukas Moodyson turns his talents to the plight of a Russian teenage girl whose hopes for a brighter future (and…
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…
Live From Baghdad (2002): Dir. Mick Jackson
Feat. Michael Keaton, Helena Bonham Carter, Joshua Leonard…; Media drama set in war–time Iraq tracking a gutsy group of CNN journalists who are among the few to choose to remain in Baghdad to capture the…
Lost World, The (TV Mini-series) (2002): Dir. Stuart Orme
Feat. Bob Hoskins, Peter Falk, James Fox…; Sterling BBC adaptation of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s adventure novel, where an intrepid bunch of Victorians explore the Amazon jungle for dinosaurs…
Love Liza (2002): Dir. Todd Louiso
Feat. Philip Seymour Hoffman, Kathy Bates; Freshly widowed after his wife’s suicide, Phillip Seymour Hoffman staggers through and downward in an endearingly wacky yet affecting portrait of…
Madame Sata (2002): Dir. Karim Ainouz
Feat. Lazaro Ramos, Marcelia Cartaxo, Felippe Marques…; The underbelly of 1930s Rio de Janeiro glistens in this atmospheric drama about the celebrated João Francisco dos Santos (Ramos), a flamboyant gay…
Magdalene Sisters, The (2002): Dir. Peter Mullan; Devastatingly sober and straight–forward account of three young women who in 1965 were incarcerated in an Irish Roman Catholic centre for…
Man Without a Past, The (2002): 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…
Marie-Jo and her Two Loves (2002): Dir. Robert Guediguian
Feat. Ariane Ascaride, Jean-Pierre Darroussin, Gerard Meylan; A dreamy, perceptive romance gently steered under the Mediterranean sun by dir. Guédiguian, who again uses the vibrant setting of his native…
Mataku (TV Series) (2002-2005): Dir. Michael Bennett, Peter Berger
Feat. Temuera Morrison; A well–mounted anthology of contemporary one–off dramas, adapted from the unique and mystical world of Maori supernatural legends. The…
Max (2002): Dir. Menno Meyjes
Feat. John Cusack, Noah Taylor, Leelee Sobieski; Recommendable though flawed drama, concerns a fictional friendship in 1918 Munich between budding–artist Adolf Hitler and a Jewish…
Monsieur Batignole (2002): 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…
Moonlight Mile (2002): Dir. Brad Silberling
Feat. Jake Gyllenhaal, Dustin Hoffman, Susan Sarandon…; A remarkably quirky weepie, that coats its tale of Jake Gyllenhaal’s grieving and re–adjustment to life in 1973 after his fiance’s…
Morvern Callar (2002): Dir. Lynne Ramsay
Feat. Samantha Morton, Kathleen McDermott; Enigmatic drama from the dir. of RATCATCHER that unreels a woman's journey into the unknown after her boyfriend commits suicide and she purloins his…
Mr. and Mrs. Iyer (2002): Dir. Aparna Sen; A casual aquaintance between two passengers (one Hindu, one Muslim) on a bus journey in northern India becomes a matter of life and death when the…
Mystic Masseur, The (2002): Dir. Ismail Merchant
Feat. Om Puri, James Fox; An ambitious adaptation of V.S. Naipul’s first novel, that traces the rise of a poor Indian student in 1950s Trinidad who emigrates to Oxford…
Nicholas 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…
Oasis (2002): Dir. Chang-Dong Lee
Feat. Kyung-gu Sol, So-ri Moon; Tough and emotionally powerful drama, highlighted by fearless performances, which charts the romance between a recent parolee and a cerebral…
Off (.OFF.) (2002): Dir. Colin Hodson
Feat. Colin Hodson, Gregory King, George Rose…; Locally produced DV–feature which observes the activities of several drug associates, with a style both languid and, at times,…
On the Edge (2002): Dir. John Carney
Feat. Cillian Murphy, Stephen Rea; Fairly risky and consistently bleak drama set around three teenage mental patients and their doctor. Thin treatment of the subject matter is redeemed…
Once 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…
Open Hearts (Elsker dig for evigt) (2002): Dir. Susanne Bier
Feat. Mads Mikkelsen, Sonja Richter; A touch edgier than recent 'Dogme 95' melodramas, this explores the consequences of a car accident on the previously steady lives of those…
People I Know (2002): Dir. Daniel Algrant
Feat. Al Pacino, Kim Basinger, Ryan O'Neal…; A NYC publicist personally and professionally crashing helps out a high–profile client and ends up trapped in a warren of drug fuelled scandal…
Personal Velocity (2002): Dir. Rebecca Miller
Feat. Kyra Sedgwick, Parker Posey, Fairuza Balk; Daughter of playwright Arthur Miller, Rebecca, announces herself as a talent worthy of her famous father on evidence of her second feature – a…
Pianist, The (2002): Dir. Roman Polanski
Feat. Adrien Brody, Frank Finlay; Boldly visualised, fact–based drama concerning the Jewish pianist Wladyslaw Szpilman, who evaded Poland’s Nazi authorities during WW2, living…
Ping Pong (2002): 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…
Possession (2002): Dir. Neil LaBute
Feat. Gwyneth Paltrow, Aaron Eckhart, Jeremy Northam…; Faithful, though simplified adaptation of A.S. Byatt’s Booker–winning novel where two academics slowly explore a 19th century literary…
Private Property (2002): Dir. Joachim Lafosse
Feat. Isabelle Huppert, Jeremie Renier; Isabelle Huppert is held to emotional ransom by her two grown–up twin sons in this ‘Mexican standoff’ of family dysfunction and domestic…
Pumpkin (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…
Pure (2002): Dir. Gillies MacKinnon
Feat. David Wenham, Molly Parker, Keira Knightley; A close–focus, earnest depiction of a mother and her ten year old son's relationship on a bleak English housing estate tainted by drug…
Quiet American, The (2002): Dir. Phillip Noyce
Feat. Michael Caine, Brendan Fraser, Rade Serbedzija; True to the spirit of Graham Greene’s novel, this cautionary tale of American interference in 50s French Vietnam is an involving,…
Rabbit Proof Fence (2002): Dir. Phillip Noyce
Feat. Everlyn Sampi, Tianna Sansbury, Laura Monaghan…; Recounting a single true–story of Australia’s “Stolen Generation” – young Aboriginal half–castes forcibly taken from families…
Radical Digital Cinema - Vol. 1 (Egoshooter, Half the Rent) (2002-2004): Dir. Christian Becker, Oliver Schwabe, Marc Ottiker
Feat. Tom Schilling, Stephan Kampwirth; The brainchild of Wim Wenders, this digital cinema incubator provides a supportive framework for young filmmakers to push the envelope of the…
Radical Digital Cinema - Vol. 2 (Summer Moon (aka Junimond), Fools) (2002-2003): Dir. Hanno Hackfort, Tom Schreiber; The brainchild of Wim Wenders, this digital cinema incubator provides a supportive framework for young filmmakers to push the envelope of the…
Raising Victor Vargas (2002): 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…
Relative Evil (Ball in the House) (2002): Dir. Tanya Wexler
Feat. Jonathan Tucker, Jennifer Tilly, David Strathairn…; Deceptively marketed as a kind of "wicked stepmother" thriller, this is instead a well–constructed, paranoid black comedy about a teenage…
Respiro (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…
Roger Dodger (2002): Dir. Dylan Kidd
Feat. Campbell Scott, Jesse Eisenberg, Jennifer Beals…; Dodging expectations all–round, this devastating black comedy has a standout script and performances, especially Campbell Scott as the callous…
Rookie, The (2002): Dir. John Lee Hancock
Feat. Dennis Quaid, Rachel Griffiths, Jay Hernandez…; Disney sports drama based on the true story of Jim Morris, who had a brief but famous Major League Baseball career in 1999–2000.
Rosa Parks Story, The (2002): Dir. Julie Dash
Feat. Angela Bassett, Cicely Tyson, Peter Francis James; A drama based on the life of Mrs. Rosa L. Parks from director Julie Dash (DAUGHTERS OF THE DUST). In America in 1955, her courageous act of…
Russian Ark (2002): Dir. Alexandr Sokurov; Distinguised by its dazzling cinematic conceit – 300 years of Russian history staged in the Hermitage Museum (with 2000 extras) and captured in…
Satin Rouge (2002): Dir. Raja Amari
Feat. Hiam Abbass, Hend El Fahem; A still–attractive but lonely widow is liberated through the world of belly–dancing in this infectious romantic drama from Tunisia. At…
Sea is Watching, The (Umi wa miteita) (2002): Dir. Kei Kumai; Set in the red–light district of 19th century, Edo–period Tokyo, this sensitively mounted drama concerns the lives of prostitutes…
Secretary (2002): 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…
Sex is Comedy (2002): Dir. Catherine Breillat
Feat. Anne Parillaud, Gregoire Colin, Roxane Mesquida; A self–reflexive twist in the cinema of Catherine Breillat (ROMANCE), here recreating the filming of a lengthy and troublesome sex–scene…
Shackleton (2002): Dir. Charles Sturridge
Feat. Kenneth Branagh, Embeth Davidtz; Channel 4’s mini–series version of polar–explorer Ernest Shackleton’s voyage to the South Pole in 1914. A brilliant adventure tale…
Shipping News, The (2002): Dir. Lasse Hallstrom
Feat. Kevin Spacey, Judi Dench, Cate Blanchett…; Hallmark slice of Miramax tragiwhimsy that follows the odyssey of lost–in–life Kevin Spacey, led by his aunt up to his family’s…
Six Feet Under - Season 2 (TV Series) (2002): Feat. Peter Krause, Michael C. Hall, Frances Conroy…; Further episodes of the acclaimed HBO drama set around a funeral home. 13 episodes over 5 discs: In The Game, Out Out Brief Candle, The Plan,…
Skins (2002): Dir. Chris Eyre
Feat. Graham Greene; An unglamorous and brutal depiction of life on a Native American reservation, this articulates the rage of a group of people relegated to the fringes…
Slaughter Rule, The (2002): Dir. Alex Smith, Andrew J Smith
Feat. David Morse, Ryan Gosling, Clea Duvall…; Mounted on the icy prairies of Montana, this feted ‘indie’ drama sensitively portrays the balance of friendship between a troubled teenager and…
Son, The (2002): Dir. Luc and Jean-Pierre Dardenne
Feat. Olivier Gourmet, Morgan Marinne, Isabella Soupart; Finding the perfect subject for their pared down visual aesthetic, the Bros. Dardenne follow up the Cannes–winning ROSETTA with an ostensibly…
Sonny (2002): Dir. Nicolas Cage
Feat. James Franco, Brenda Blethyn, Harry Dean Stanton…; Brave directorial debut for Nicolas Cage, proffering the tale of a dischargee from the army (Franco) who has been handraised as a gigolo by his…
Spun (2002): Dir. Jonas Akerlund
Feat. Jason Schwartzman, Brittany Murphy, John Leguizamo…; A cinematically exhilarating depiction of existence among a group of methamphetamine (P) addicts in Los Angeles, that is sure to divide audiences as…
Stolen Summer (2002): Dir. Pete Jones
Feat. Aidan Quinn, Bonnie Hunt, Kevin Pollak…; The resultant product of a film–making competition in which a novice screenwriter won a chance to direct his own script, this is a respectable…
Suddenly (2002): Dir. Diego Lerman
Feat. Carla Crespo, Tatiana Saphir, Veronica Hassan; Grimy, punkish road movie morphs that into a rather tender tale with two tough girls from the hood kidnapping a local shop girl and taking her on an…
Summer 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…
Sunshine State (2002): Dir. John Sayles
Feat. Angela Bassett, Jane Alexander, Edie Falco…; Thoughtful, tightly woven ensemble drama from renowned indie filmmaker Sayles, surveys the native populous of a small Florida island community as…
Sweet 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…
Sweet Sixteen (2002): Dir. Ken Loach
Feat. Martin Compston; A bleak, yet curiously uplifting portrait of teenage high–spirits run awry in working class Scotland. Anchored by a youthfully charismatic…
Swept Away (2002): Dir. Guy Ritchie
Feat. Madonna, Adriano Giannini, Bruce Greenwood…; Rich ogress Madonna is marooned with moronic hunk Adriano Giannini in this desert island drama that was washed away by a wave of ridicule on its…
Swimming Upstream (2002): Dir. Russell Mulcahy
Feat. Geoffrey Rush, Judy Davis; A sturdily dramatic account of Australian Anthony Fingleton’s rise from his working class origins in 1950s Brisbane to becoming a champion…
Swing (2002): Dir. Tony Gatlif; The latest excursion into the music–rich culture of Europe's 'gypsy' population from dir. Gatlif (GADJO DILO), this time set around its…
Taken (TV Series) (2002): Feat. Matt Frewer; Steven Speilberg ‘presents’ this straight–faced mini–series about the impact of UFOs (abductions, investigations,…
Talk to Her (2002): Dir. Pedro Almodovar
Feat. Javier Camara, Geraldine Chaplin, Rosalie Flores…; With his fourteenth film, star Spanish director Almodovar marries his supreme style with an original, emotionally resonant story for what might just…
Ted Bundy (2002): Dir. Matthew Bright
Feat. Michel Reilly Brooke; For those not wearied of the serial–killer genre, this is a memorable portrait of America’s first acknowledged specimen, Ted Bundy…
Teknolust (2002): Dir. Lynn Hershman-Leeson
Feat. Tilda Swinton, Jeremy Davies, Karen Black; Human and artificial frontiers overlap to intriguing effect in this independent feature propelled by Tilda Swinton in four incarnations – a…
Ten (10) (2002): Dir. Abbas Kiarostami; Teasing but ultimately rewarding drama, in which a video camera, mounted on the dashboard of a car in Tehran, records the lives of the driver and…
Tipping the Velvet (2002): Dir. Geoffrey Sax
Feat. Rachael Stirling, Keeley Hawes, Anna Chancellor; Dramatises a unique love–story (from Sarah Waters' novel) between a young girl and a charismatic male impersonator in the 1890s music hall, and…
Together (He Ni Zaiyiqi) (2002): Dir. Chen Kaige
Feat. Tang Yun, Liu Peiqi, Chen Kaige; Touching story of a father and his 13–year–old son, a shy violin prodigy, who scrape up their meagre savings and set off from their…
Tracker, The (2002): Dir. Rolf De Heer
Feat. David Gulpilil; Uniquely conceived parable enacted in the heat of Australia's outback in 1922, where David Gulpilil is an Aboriginal tracker forced to help three…
Tuck Everlasting (2002): Dir. Jay Russell
Feat. Ben Kingsley, Sissy Spacek, William Hurt…; Family costumer set in 19th century Maryland, where a rebellious teenage girl discovers a mysterious world in the woods owned by her father. Therein…
Tuesdays with Morrie (2002): Dir. Mick Jackson
Feat. Jack Lemmon, Hank Azaria; Jack Lemmon's last major role was in this unassuming telemovie about the friendship between an indomitable, but dying college professor and one of…
Turning Gate (On the Occasion of Remembering the Turning Gate) (2002): Dir. Sang-soo Hong
Feat. Sang-kyung Kim; A wry and astute drama of romantic hang–ups, this follows a crestfallen actor’s trysts with two random women as he rebounds from a failed…
Twilight Samurai, The (Tasogare Seibei) (2002): Dir. Yoji Yamada
Feat. Hiroyuki Sanada, Ren Osugi, Rie Miyazawa…; Boldly subverting the masculine cliches of the genre, this refreshing and highly rewarding Samurai drama follows a dishevelled, low–status…
Twin Sisters (De Tweeling) (2002): Dir. Ben Sombogaart; An epic 'tale of two sisters', which follows their lives after being separated as children in 1920s Holland and sent to live with rich and poor…
Uzak (Distant) (2002): Dir. Nuri Bilge Ceylan; Exuding a sense of melancholic accomplishment, this slowly unfolding Turkish drama centres on two cousins – one, a successful but cynical…
Vatel (2002): Dir. Roland Joffe
Feat. Gerard Depardieu, Uma Thurman, Tim Roth…; Talent–studded drama set in the cuisine–conscious French nobility of Louis XIV’s reign, where master chef Gerard Depardieu must prepare…
Villa Des Roses (2002): Dir. Frank Van Passel
Feat. Julie Delpy, Shirley Henderson, Timothy West; A visually stylish excursion to Paris on the eve of WWI, in a shabby boarding house run by an English couple (Henderson and West) into which a new…
Waiting for Happiness (Heremakono) (2002): Dir. Abderrahmane Sissako
Feat. Khatra Ould Abder Kader, Mohamed Mahmoud; A worldly 17–year–old returns to his coastal hometown, only to find himself a stranger amongst a community caught in limbo between…
Walk to Remember, A (2002): Dir. Adam Shankman
Feat. Mandy Moore, Peter Coyote, Daryl Hannah…; Based on the Nicholas Sparks novel (who also wrote THE NOTEBOOK) this romantic drama tells the classic story of two teens from different worlds who…
Walking on Water (2002): Dir. Tom Ayres
Feat. Vince Colosimo; Award–winning drama concerns a modern, open household thrown into crisis after the death of a close friend from AIDS. Unsentimental about…
Warm Spring (2002): Dir. Tana Wulan
Feat. Chenren Tian, Yan Zhang; Little–known but rather poignant story in which an orphan girl runs away from her abusive foster parents and is sheltered by a poor elderly…
We Were Soldiers (2002): Dir. Randall Wallace
Feat. Mel Gibson, Greg Kinnear, Chris Klein…; Big–budget, lavish re–enactment of America’s curtain–raiser in the Vietnam War, the fierce battle of la Drang, with an…
West Wing, The - Season 4 (TV Series) (2002): More episodes from one of the most popular US TV–series of recent years, set in a White House presided over by Martin Sheen and his staff.…
White Oleander (2002): Dir. Peter Kosminsky
Feat. Robin Wright, Michelle Pfeiffer, Renee Zellweger…; Drama of maternal–deprival sees teenager Alison Lohman cut adrift in the world when her poet mother (Pfeiffer) is jailed for murder. Passing…
Wire in the Blood (TV Series) (2002): Feat. Robson Green, Hermione Norris, Simone Lahbib; Terrific tough–as–nails UK detective show focused on a compassionate clinical psychologist (Green) and an ambitious Detective Inspector…
Wire in the Blood - Prayer of the Bone (2002): Feat. Robson Green; Feature–length spin–off episode from the acclaimed Brit crime series 'Wire in the Blood' – centred on a fatigued psychotherapist /…
Wire, The - Complete Collector's Boxset (TV Series) (2002-2008): The entire five season legacy of David Simon's universally acclaimed HBO crime drama.
Wire, The - Season 1 (TV Series) (2002): Feat. Dominic West, Idris Elba, Wood Harris…; Tough, patient HBO TV policier (from David Simon, creator of HOMICIDE: LIFE ON THE STREETS) follows the Baltimore drug scene from both the police and…
Without a Trace (TV Series) (2002): Feat. Anthony LaPaglia, Marianne Jean-Baptiste; Television crime drama from the Jerry Bruckheimer stable (see also CSI) that traces the investigations of the FBI's Missing Persons Squad, led by the…
Yossi and Jagger (2002): Dir. Eytan Fox
Feat. Ohad Knoller; Subversive, sweetly–natured gay drama set amid the close–quarters comraderie of the IDF (Israeli Defence Force) where a commanding…
A Ma Soeur! (For My Sister, aka Fat Girl) (2001): Dir. Catherine Breillat
Feat. Anais Reboux, Roxane Mesquida, Libero de Rienzo…; An artfully impassive study of sexual predation that takes place during the summer holidays of two teenage sisters – the dumpy Anais Reboux and…
A Young Prisoner's Revenge (2001): Dir. Mu Deyuan; Obscure, but supposedly award winning Chinese drama concerns the botched plans of a couple to bribe a judge so their son, guilty of robbery, gets a…
Affair of the Necklace, The (2001): Dir. Charles Shyer
Feat. Hilary Swank, Jonathan Pryce, Joely Richardson…; Hilary Swank (BOYS DON’T CRY) wigs up as a penniless French aristocrat in pre–revolution times who conspires to defraud Cardinal Jonathon…
Aimee and Jaguar (2001): Dir. Max Farberbock
Feat. Maria Schrader, Juliane Kohler; A forbidden love story that crosses both ethnic and sexual lines, inspired by a true love affair between a role–model Nazi mother and a…
Ali (2001): Dir. Michael Mann
Feat. Will Smith, Jon Voight, Jeffrey Wright…; Boxing–legend Muhammad Ali’s (Will Smith) 10 crucial years: 1964–74, are refought in this biopic composed in dynamic visuals and epic…
All About Lily Chou-Chou (2001): Dir. Shunji Iwai
Feat. Hayato Ichihara, Yu Aoi, Ayumi Ito…; Vogue Japanese dir. Shunji Iwai renders the contemporary teen malaise with poignancy and despair in this haunting commentary on the perils of…
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…
Anne Frank (2001): Dir. Robert Dornhelm
Feat. Ben Kingsley, Brenda Blethyn, Lili Taylor; Comprehensive and authentic retelling of the Anne Frank diaries, this paints a grittier, less–than–sentimental picture of the family’s…
Anniversary Party, The (2001): 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…
Arthur's Dyke (2001): Dir. Gerry Poulson
Feat. Pauline Quirke, Dennis Waterman; Typically British comedy concerns three student friends who reunite after several decades to complete a long distance walk across the Welsh…
Atanarjuat (The Fast Runner) (2001): Dir. Zacharias Kunuk
Feat. Natar Ungalaaq, Sylvia Ivalu, Peter-Henry Arnatsiaq; A ‘cause celebre’ of recent film festivals worldwide, this filmed folktale from the ice–bound Innuit communities of northern Canada,…
Autumn Spring (Babí léto) (2001): 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…
Baran (2001): Dir. Majid Majidi; Patiently rewarding, bittersweet drama in which a young Afghan woman disguises herself as a man in order to assume her injured father's construction…
Beautiful Mind, A (2001): Dir. Ron Howard
Feat. Russell Crowe, Jennifer Connelly, Ed Harris; This ‘true story’ of mental illness in academia is the kind of earnest gloss that’s tailor made for the ‘Academy’, but its Oscar glory for…
Beckett on Film (Waiting for Godot, et al.) (2001): Dir. Michael Lindsay-Hogg, Neil Jordan, Kieron J Walsh
Feat. Julianne Moore, David Kelly, Jeremy Irons…; An ambitious anthology of Samuel Beckett's nineteen stageplays, filmed here creatively by a roster of prestige actors and directors. Disc…
Before 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 –…
Behind the Sun (2001): Dir. Walter Salles
Feat. Jose Dumont; Worthy followup to CENTRAL STATION by dir. Salles, again accessing the underlayers of Brazil in a melodrama set in the dusty hinterlands of 1910. …
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…
Beneath Clouds (2001): Dir. Ivan Sen
Feat. Dannielle Hall, Damian Pitt; A standout Australian drama of recent festivals, this elevates a slimly plotted road movie concerning two Aborigine teens (one light–skinned,…
Bitter Harvest (How Harry Became a Tree) (2001): Dir. Goran Paskaljevic
Feat. Cillian Murphy, Adrian Dunbar, Colm Meaney; Set in 1920s rural Ireland, this raw fable concerns a troubled widower (Meaney) who tries to make a comeback in life by launching a personal vendetta…
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) (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…
Boycott (2001): Dir. Clark Johnson
Feat. Jeffrey Wright; HBO’s excellent, underplayed dramatisation of the Rosa Parks story, who in Alabama in 1955 refused to give up her bus–seat to a white man, in…
Brief Crossing (2001): Dir. Catherine Breillat
Feat. Gilles Guillain, Sarah Pratt; Compelling and explicit portrayal of the brief sexual encounter between a naive French teenager and a married English woman who meet on an overnight…
Buffalo Soldiers (2001): Dir. Gregor Jordan
Feat. Joaquin Phoenix, Anna Paquin, Ed Harris…; Broadly subversive drama set among the bored US Army Corp guarding West Germany just before the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989. Chiefly tracks…
Bully (2001): Dir. Larry Clark
Feat. Brad Renfro, Leo Fitzpatrick, Nick Stahl…; A true–life story of Florida murder, teenager style, which dir. Clark uses to produce an X–rated, yet quite recognisable portrait of…
Business of Strangers, The (2001): Dir. Patrick Stettner
Feat. Stockard Channing, Julia Stiles, Frederick Weller; In what amounts to a gender–flip of “In the Company of Men”, Stocking Channing and Julia Stiles are business women polarized by money,…
Captain Corelli's Mandolin (2001): Dir. John Madden
Feat. Penelope Cruz, Christian Bale, Nicolas Cage…; A melodiously played costume–drama, that unfolds on the Greek island of Cephalonia during WWII. Occupation by Italian and later German…
Cat's Meow, The (2001): Dir. Peter Bogdanovich
Feat. Eddie Izzard, Kirsten Dunst, Edward Herrmann…; Returning to the dir.’s chair, Peter Bogdanovich revisits one of the juiciest scandals in Hollywood history: the mysterious death of filmmaker…
Cazalets, The (TV mini-series) (2001): Feat. Hugh Bonneville, Anna Chancellor, Stephen Dillane…; 6 part BBC miniseries based on the novels by Elizabeth Jane Howard, about a wealthy family in Sussex. The story takes place between the years 1937…
Conspiracy (2001): Dir. Frank Pierson
Feat. Kenneth Branagh, Stanley Tucci, Colin Firth; Presenting the planning of the Nazi’s ‘Final Solution’ of the jews as the matter of a simple business luncheon in 1942 of fifteen men, presided…
Count of Monte Cristo, The (2001): Dir. Josee Dayan
Feat. Gerard Depardieu, Ornella Muti, Jean Rochefort; The classic tale of injustice and revenge (by Alexander Dumas), gets respectful treatment in this French TV mini–series starring Gerard…
Crazy Beautiful (2001): Dir. John Stockwell
Feat. Kirsten Dunst, Jay Hernandez, Bruce Davison; Lively teenage fare, with a troubled–rich–girl (Kirsten Dunst) meets poor–boy (Jay Hernandez) tale raised (though by no means…
Crooked Earth (2001): Dir. Sam Pillsbury
Feat. Temuera Morrison, Lawrence Makoare, Nancy Brunning; Vivid action–melodrama uses the dispossession of East Coast Maori to prime its tale of tribal succession, with SAS soldier Temuera Morrison…
Crush (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 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…
Dark Blue World (Tmavomodry Svet) (2001): Dir. Jan Sverak
Feat. Krystof Hadek, Ondrej Vetchy, Charles Dance…; From the dir. of KOLYA and based on the story of Czech pilots who fled the Nazis in WW2 to fly alongside the RAF, this is an unsentimental, yet…
Devil's Backbone, The (Espinazo Del Diablo, El) (2001): Dir. Guillermo Del Toro
Feat. Eduardo Noriega, Frederico Luppi, Marisa Paredes; This elegant amalgam of melodrama and horror movie set in a boys orphanage during the Spanish Civil War is rich in baroque atmospherics, and features…
Diaries of Vaslav Nijinsky, The (2001): Dir. Paul Cox
Feat. Derek Jacobi, Chris Haywood; Loosely based on the published diaries of Vaslav Nijinsky, one of the great male ballet dancers, this experimental biopic is impressionistic and…
Dinner With Friends (2001): Dir. Norman Jewison
Feat. Dennis Quaid, Andie MacDowell, Greg Kinnear…; Warm and unexpectedly insightful telemovie that depicts a series of eventful evening meals between two couples. Based on the prize–winning…
Divided We Fall (2001): Dir. Jan Hrebejk
Feat. Boleslav Polivka, Anna Siskova, Jaroslav Dusek; In WW2 Czechoslovakia, couple Bolek Polívka and Anna Sisková shelter their Jewish neighbour during the Nazi Occupation, with much absurd comedy…
Dog Days (2001): Dir. Ulrich Seidl
Feat. Maria Hofstatter, Alfred Mrva, Erich Finsches…; A wilfully transgressive Euro–drama examining middle–class dysfunction and despair in a Viennese suburb over a few days in a summer heat…
Donnie Darko (2001): Dir. Richard Kelly
Feat. Jake Gyllenhaal, Jena Malone, Drew Barrymore…; Admired by critics and an ardent fanbase for its originality and eclecticism, this quirky teen fantasy is arguably a slick patchwork of other movie…
Down and Out With the Dolls (2001): Dir. Kurt Voss; Based around the rise and fall of an all–grrl goth–rock band in early 1990s Portland, Oregon, this packs enough scene authenticity to…
Emperor'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,…
Eureka (2001): Dir. Shinji Aoyama
Feat. Aoi Miyazaki, Koji Yakusho; Unforgettably beguiling Japanese road trip movie shot in sepia–toned cinema scope, following the existential odyssey of a group of emotionally…
Fast 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 Cannes (2001): 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…
Fluffer, The (2001): Dir. Richard Glatzer, Wash Westmoreland; Salacious piece of fluff about an aspiring filmmaker whose fascination with a male porn star leads him to scoring a job on the set. He soon rises to…
Focus (2001): Dir. Neal Slavin
Feat. William H. Macy, Laura Dern, Meatloaf; A finely crafted adaptation of Arthur Miller’s controversial novel set in the waning months of WWII, this examines the incipient racism of a…
Four Days (2001): Dir. Curtis Wehrfritz
Feat. Colm Meaney, Lolita Davidovich, Kevin Zegers…; This accomplished 'existential thriller', based on 60s crime novel by John Buell, fuses genre conventions with weightier concerns about loneliness…
Further Tales of the City (TV Series) (2001): Dir. Pierre Gang
Feat. Laura Linney, Olympia Dukakis; Armistad Maupin’s tales of San Francisco friends, families and lovers continues in its likeable way.
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…
Ghost World (2001): Dir. Terry Zwigoff
Feat. Thora Birch, Scarlett Johansson, Steve Buscemi…; Nothing to do with the paranormal, but everything to do with the anti–normal, this independent gem is a surprisingly endearing tale of two…
Gilmore Girls - Season 2 (TV Series) (2001-2002): More episodes from the fresh and quirky drama set around a mother and daughter in suburban Connecticut. Season Two: 22 episodes across six discs.
Glitter (2001): Dir. Vondie Curtis Hall
Feat. Mariah Carey, Max Beesley; Set in the early 1980's, pop idol Mariah Carey plays a teenage(!) girl who, unsurprisingly, is eager to become a famous pop–singer. Of course…
Goddess of 1967 (2001): Dir. Clara Law
Feat. Rose Byrne; An award–winning lead performance from Rose Byrne elevates this character drama set in a 1967 Citroen car, where a journey into the outback…
Gosford Park (2001): Dir. Robert Altman
Feat. Helen Mirren, Clive Owen, Maggie Smith…; A handsome recital of Agatha Christie–style whodunnit and ‘upstairs–downstairs’ class–drama set in the confines of an English…
Guinevere (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…
Hart's War (2001): Dir. Gregory Hoblit
Feat. Colin Farrell, Terrence Howard, Bruce Willis; Deserving invigoration of the POW–film, set amongst a troop of American soldiers incarcerated behind Nazi barbed–wire in WWII. When a…
Hearts in Atlantis (2001): Dir. Scott Hicks
Feat. Anthony Hopkins, Anton Yelchin, Hope Davis; Muted elegy for lost smalltown adolescence from the pen of Stephen King, that like STAND BY ME casts shadows of unease over its…
Her Majesty (2001): Dir. Mark J. Gordon
Feat. Vicky Haughton, Sally Andrews, Anna Sheridan…; A little–known, but sincerely crafted tale is set in 1950s New Zealand around a young girl's (Andrews) infatuation with Queen Elizabeth II,…
House of Mirth (2001): Dir. Terence Davies
Feat. Gillian Anderson, Eric Stoltz, Laura Linney…; With its icy view of human affairs, Edith Wharton’s novel proves a good marriage for the discrete, subtle instincts of dir. Davies (DISTANT VOICES,…
Hysteria - The Def Leppard Story (2001): Dir. Robert Mandel; Of interest to fans of the British heavy metallers who hit the big time in the 1980s, and anyone else who had ‘Pyromania’ or…
I'm Going Home (2001): Dir. Manoel de Oliveira
Feat. Michel Piccoli, John Malkovich, Catherine Deneuve; Calmly balanced between drama and sly comedy, this excursion into the trials and experiences of old age, is a late tour–de–force by the…
Ignorant Fairies, The (His Secret Life) (2001): Dir. Ferzan Ozpetek
Feat. Stefano Accorsi; A woman's life in Rome is thrown into relief after the death of her doctor husband – especially when she discovers a secret inscription on the…
In Praise of Love (Eloge de L'amour) (2001): Dir. Jean-Luc Godard
Feat. Bruno Putzulu, Cecile Camp, Jean Davy…; Dir. Godard’s first major film in over a decade presents intellect and filmmaking in full–flight, while stubbornly refusing to provide a…
In the Bedroom (2001): Dir. Todd Field
Feat. Sissy Spacek, Tom Wilkinson, Nick Stahl…; Both deservingly nominated for Oscars, Sissy Spacek and Tom Wilkinson hardly miss a beat as the middle–aged couple forced to deal with the…
Invisible Circus, The (2001): Dir. Adam Brooks
Feat. Cameron Diaz, Jordana Brewster, Christopher Eccleston…; Even–toned, detached political thriller that follows the disappearance of free–spirit Cameron Diaz in the late 1960s and the search by…
Iris (2001): Dir. Richard Eyre
Feat. Kate Winslet, Judi Dench, Jim Broadbent; Moving biopic of British novelist Iris Murdoch and her journey from literary genius to the mental wilderness of Alzheimers, that unquestionably rests…
Italian 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…
Jackpot (2001): Dir. Michael Polish
Feat. Garrett Morris, Adam Baldwin, Anthony Edwards…; An aspiring country–singer abandons his family and attempts to 'hit the jackpot' on the small–time karaoke circuit of the…
James Dean (2001): Dir. Mark Rydell
Feat. James Franco, Michael Moriarty; Skillful TV biopic of the iconic James Dean, here played with confident relish by James Franco (THE COMPANY, SPIDER–MAN) with a mixture of…
Judge John Deed (TV Series) (2001-2007): Feat. Martin Shaw, Jenny Seagrove; Well crafted BBC TV series detailing the might of a High Court Judge commited to upholding justice whatever it takes. Portrayed with insight and wit…
Julie Johnson (2001): Dir. Bob Gosse
Feat. Lili Taylor, Courtney Love, Mischa Barton…; Lily Taylor makes good fist of a wannabe scientist in this empowering story of a downtrodden housewife in pursuit of knowledge and…
Kandahar (2001): Dir. Mohsen Makhmalbaf; A Canadian–Afghani journalist travels incognito into the heart of wartorn Afghanistan to find her sister. Filmed at the height of the…
L.I.E. (2001): Dir. Michael Cuesta
Feat. Brian Cox, Paul Dano, Billy Kay…; Unsettling coming of age drama with Paul Dano as a troubled and lonely young man who after the death of his mother befriends paedophile Brian…
La Ciénaga (The Swamp) (2001): Dir. Lucrecia Martel
Feat. Graciela Borges, Mercedes Morán, Martín Adjemián…; Dir. Lucrecia Martel's debut film is an abstract Chekhovian tale of two bourgeois families roasting under the Argentinian sun within the confines of…
La 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…
Lady and the Duke, The (2001): Dir. Eric Rohmer
Feat. Jean Claude Dreyfus, Lucy Russell; Intellectually stimulating and strikingly anti–realist account of the French Revolution, told through the (true–life) relationship…
Lagaan (2001): Dir. Ashutosh Gowariker
Feat. Aamir Khan, Gracey Singh, Paul Blackthorne…; Bollywood epic that broke through to international awards and audience with its ‘test–match’ running–time, lavishness and periodic…
Laissez-Passer (Safe Conduct) (2001): Dir. Bertrand Tavernier
Feat. Jacques Gamblin, Denis Podalydes, Marie Gillain; A vivid and suspenseful drama set in the French film industry during the German occupation of WWII, this is a labour of love for leading French dir.…
Lantana (2001): Dir. Ray Lawrence
Feat. Anthony LaPaglia, Barbara Hershey, Geoffrey Rush; Quiet desperation in suburbia and mis–communication in marriage interlink the lives of four Sydney–side couples, who become further…
Last Kiss, The (L'Ultimo Bacio) (2001): Dir. Gabriel Muccino
Feat. Stefano Accorsi, Giovanna Mezzogiorno, Stefania Sandrelli; Award–winning Italian melodrama investigates the anxieties of a young unmarried couple on the verge of parenthood. Stefano Accorsi is torn…
Last Orders (2001): Dir. Fred Schepisi
Feat. Michael Caine, Tom Courtenay, David Hemmings…; A gentle, affecting road trip into mutual nostalgia among a group of Cockney mates, gathered to scatter the ashes of recently deceased friend Michael…
Late Night Shopping (2001): Dir. Saul Metzstein
Feat. James Lance; Amiable comedy set in the oddball world of late night shift–workers, stacking shelves in contemporary England. Set around a group of four…
Lawless 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…
Life With Judy Garland: Me And My Shadows (2001): Dir. Robert Allan Ackerman
Feat. Judy Davis, Victor Garber, Hugh Laurie…; The amazing, slightly tragic life of Hollywood star Judy Garland is retold with Judy Davis (eventually) in the title role, in a compelling telemovie…
Lorna Doone (TV Series) (2001): Dir. Mike Barker
Feat. Rebecca Callard, Martin Clunes, Richard Coyle; R.D. Blackmore’s classic romantic swashbuckler, set amid the dynastic squabbles of a murderous Scottish clan – the Doones. Made by the BBC.
Love in a Cold Climate (TV Mini-Series) (2001): Dir. Tom Hooper
Feat. Rosamund Pike, Megan Dodds, Alan Bates…; This witty romantic comedy of manners revolves around three upper–class girls who are launched into society with the goal of landing suitable…
Love the Hard Way (2001): Dir. Peter Sehr
Feat. Adrien Brody, Pam Grier; Big–city fable with Brody playing a snakeskin–jacketed thief with some polished one–liners, who nurses a secret ambition to be a…
Lovely and Amazing (2001): Dir. Nicole Holofcener
Feat. Catherine Keener, Brenda Blethyn, Jake Gyllenhaal…; Rewarding indie drama – seasoned with touches of painful comedy – that observes the troubles between three sisters waiting for their…
Majestic, The (2001): Dir. Frank Darabont
Feat. Jim Carrey, Martin Landau, Bob Balaban…; Jim Carrey chose the wrong horse on which to saddle his dramatic aspirations with this “Capra–esque” tale of a blacklisted…
Man From Elysian Fields, The (2001): Dir. George Hickenlooper
Feat. Andy Garcia, Mick Jagger, James Coburn…; The suave Andy Garcia plays a writer between books who is enticed into a well–paying gigolo operation by Mephistophelian entrepreneur Mick…
Man Who Cried, The (2001): Dir. Sally Potter
Feat. Christina Ricci, Cate Blanchett, John Turturro…; Typically eclectic affair from the dir. of ORLANDO and THE TANGO LESSON, composing a sweeping historical romance of early 20th century Europe with…
Martins, The (2001): 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 –…
McLeod's Daughters (TV Series) (2001): Feat. Lisa Chappell; Entire first season of the Australian TV Series.
Me Without You (2001): Dir. Sandra Goldbacher
Feat. Anna Friel, Kyle MacLachlan, Oliver Milburn…; Growing up on the outskirts of 1970s London, Anna Friel and Michelle Williams make a friendship–pact that helps them through the sex, drugs and…
Mean 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…
Merci Pour Le Chocolat (Nightcap) (2001): Dir. Claude Chabrol
Feat. Isabelle Huppert; Slyly subversive psychodrama, with Isabelle Huppert excelling as the owner of a Swiss chocolate–business, who also happens to be a…
Millennium Actress (2001): Dir. Satoshi Kon; The thinking–person's animator, dir. Satoshi Kon further extends his body of "real world" anime with a work of brilliantly conceived illusion…
Millennium Mambo (2001): Dir. Hou Hsiao-Hsien
Feat. Shu Qi; The first in dir. Hou’s ‘contemporary youth’ trilogy is a light–infused strobe of aimless young adults living in the accelerated urban…
Minor 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 Wedding (2001): 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…
Monster's Ball (2001): Dir. Marc Forster
Feat. Halle Berry, Billy Bob Thornton, Heath Ledger…; A surprising success of 2001 after Halle Berry won the Best Actress Oscar, this compelling race–drama is harrowing, angst–ridden and…
Mullet (2001): Dir. David Caesar
Feat. Ben Mendelsohn, Susie Porter, Steve LaMarquand; Those expecting IDIOT BOX Part 2, may feel a little misled by the title, for despite the return of Ben Mendelsohn, there’s nary a mullet haircut or…
Murder In Mind (TV Series) (2001): Excellent star–studded series of self–contained stories on the theme of murder, generally centered around apparently 'normal people' who…
Naked, The (Golasy) (2001): Dir. Witold Swiêtnicki; Genuine oddity, this Polish satire upon the tedium of the Soviet era, as experienced by an office full of white–collar workers, is lent a…
Navigators, The (2001): Dir. Ken Loach
Feat. Thomas Craig, Dean Andrews, Andy Swallow; Following British Rail’s privatisation in the mid–90s, a group of railway workers must steer their way through the rough times in this…
Nero Wolfe (TV Series) (A Nero Wolfe Mystery) (2001): Feat. Timothy Hutton, Maury Chaykin, Bill Smitrovich…; Witty 40's–set detective series based on the series of Rex Stout novels, following the investigations of a sensitive detective and his right…
Night at the Golden Eagle (2001): Dir. Adam Rifkin
Feat. Vinnie Jones, James Caan, Ann Magnuson…; A grimly satisfying, verbally violent drama set in a fleabag hotel in L.A. where two aging hoods plan their migration to the not–so–mean…
Night Shift (Trois Huit) (2001): Dir. Phillippe Le Guay
Feat. Gérald Laroche, Marc Barbe; Tense French workplace drama about a mild–mannered factory employee who must cope with a vindictive and domineering co–worker. Working…
No Man's Land (2001): Dir. Danis Tanovic
Feat. Branko Djuric, Rene Bitorajac, Katrin Cartlidge…; Snaring the 2002 Best Foreign Film Oscar, this black comedy set in the wartime trenches of mid–1990s Bosnia plays like a satirical diagram of…
Old Man Who Read Love Stories, The (2001): Dir. Rolf De Heer
Feat. Richard Dreyfuss, Timothy Spall, Hugo Weaving…; Acclaimed Australian dir. De Heer seeks to transport his touch for creating dramatic fables into deepest Amazonia, with Dreyfuss playing a cranky…
One Night the Moon (2001): Dir. Rachel Perkins
Feat. Paul Kelly, Kaarin Fairfax, Kelton Pell; A unique short feature, which tells the story of a true 1930s mystery using the songs of Paul Kelly, who also stars. A young girl disappears one…
On_Line (OnLine) (2001): Dir. Jed Weintrob
Feat. Josh Hamilton, Harold Perrineau, Jr., Isabel Gillies…; Modest ‘indie’ effort that explores the relationships of six people who connect via the chat room of a sex–based website run by two of the…
Othello (2001): Dir. Geoffrey Sax
Feat. Christopher Eccleston, Eamonn Walker, Keeley Hawes…; Andrew Davies' brilliantly distilled screenplay brings Othello's universal themes of love and obsession into the format of a modern crime drama set…
Pandaemonium (2001): Dir. Julien Temple
Feat. Samantha Morton, Linus Roache, John Hannah…; The intense friendship between romantic poets Wordsworth (John Hannah) and Coleridge (Linus Roache) is the subject of this 18th century psychedelic…
Pauline and Paulette (Pauline et Paulette) (2001): 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…
Pay It Forward (2001): Dir. Mimi Leder
Feat. Haley Joel Osment, Kevin Spacey, Helen Hunt; Under the weight of an alcoholic mother (Helen Hunt) an idealistic youngster (Haley Joel Osment) plans to change the world by doing good deeds in…
Piano Teacher, The (2001): Dir. Michael Haneke
Feat. Isabelle Huppert, Annie Girardot, Benoit Magimel; Isabelle Huppert gives the bravest and possibly best performance of her career as a brittle, imbalanced music teacher in a drama that might prove too…
Pinero (2001): Dir. Leon Ichaso
Feat. Benjamin Bratt, Rita Moreno, Giancarlo Esposito…; Biopic of the controversial Puerto Rican poet Miguel Pinero, whose play 'Short Eyes' and NYC junkie lifestyle propelled him to brief fame, before he…
Prime Gig, The (2001): Dir. Gregory Mosher
Feat. Ed Harris, Vince Vaughn, Julia Ormond…; A soberly played drama–thriller, in which Vince Vaughn is drawn into a shady telemarketing scam operated by philosophising villain Ed…
Purely Belter (2001): Dir. Mark Herman
Feat. Chris Beattie, Greg McLane; A pair of spotty Newcastle lads make a pact to stay out of trouble and devise legit money–making schemes to score themselves football season…
Rain (2001): Dir. Christine Jeffs
Feat. Alicia Fulford-Wierzbicki, Sarah Peirse, Marton Csokas…; Adapted from the acclaimed novel by Kirsty Gunn, this visually crafted evocation of a seaside holiday in the 1970s – bach, suntan lotion, whiskey…
Read My Lips (Sur Mes Levres) (2001): Dir. Jacques Audiard
Feat. Vincent Cassel, Emmanuelle Devos; Sturdy, unconventional French thriller about an insecure, partially–deaf office clerk who tries to help an irascible ex–con integrate…
Riding in Cars with Boys (2001): Dir. Penny Marshall
Feat. Drew Barrymore, Steve Zahn, James Woods; Based on the bestselling Me–generation memoir of Beverly D’Onofrio, this follows Drew Barrymore’s efforts to fulfill her dreams…
Safety of Objects, The (2001): Dir. Rose Troche
Feat. Glenn Close, Dermot Mulroney, Patricia Clarkson…; A multi–stranded drama set in a quietly unusual version of American suburbia where seamy dysfunction co–exists with surreal…
Samsara (2001): Dir. Pan Nalin
Feat. Shawn Ku, Christy Chung, Neelesha Bavora; A spiritual and visually resplendent drama based around the sexual awakening of a novice Buddhist monk in remote, mountainous Tibet. After…
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…
Serenades (2001): Dir. Mojgan Khadem
Feat. Aden Young, Alice Haines; Well–mounted Australian odyssey, couched in the turmoil of an interracial love affair between an Afghan immigrant and an Aboriginal woman in…
Sex and Lucia (2001): Dir. Julio Medem
Feat. Paz Vega, Tristan Ulloa, Najwa Nimri…; Another sumptuous, stylistic meditation for dir. Julio Medem that interlocks his penchant for intricate, fractured narrative with a thrust of daring…
Shot in the Heart (2001): Dir. Agnieszka Holland
Feat. Elias Koteas, Giovanni Ribisi, Eric Bogosian; Interesting slant on the Gary Gilmore case – an infamous US murderer and subject of a Norman Mailer book –this sets Gilmore (Koteas) against his…
Six Feet Under - Complete Collector's Boxset (TV Series) (2001-2005): The entire five season legacy of the Fisher Family, housed in a special 24–disc boxset.
Six Feet Under - Season 1 (TV Series) (2001): Feat. Peter Krause, Michael C. Hall, Frances Conroy…; The acclaimed, innovative HBO comedy–drama about an extremely dysfunctional family that operate a funeral home presided over by their deceased…
Son 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…
Son's Room, The (La Stanza del Figlio) (2001): Dir. Nanni Moretti
Feat. Nanni Moretti, Jasmine Trinca, Laura Morante; A Palme d’Or–winning journey into grief by Nanni Morretti (acting and directing), playing a psychotherapist whose teenage son dies in a…
Song for Martin, A (2001): Dir. Bille August
Feat. Sven Wollter, Reine Brynolfsson; Touching drama of a composer and concertmaster who fall in love through classical music, only to battle the effects of Alzheimer's. Foreseeable…
Sopranos, The (TV Series) - Season 3 (2001): Continuing episodes of the groundbreaking TV–series that ironically portrays the life of a New Jersey Mafia clan. 13 episodes on four discs…
Station Jim (2001): Feat. George Cole, Charlie Creed-Miles, Laura Fraser; Old–fashioned family frolic set in Victorian England that especially entertains through the wily antics of a Jack Russell terrier, and its…
Storytelling (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,…
Strictly Sinatra (Cocozza's Way) (2001): Dir. Peter Capaldi
Feat. Ian Hart, Brian Cox, Kelly MacDonald; Smalltime Scottish crooner Ian Hart has a thing about Frank Sinatra and like his idol flirts a little too closely with the criminal element. This…
Sweet November (2001): Dir. Pat O'Connor
Feat. Charlize Theron, Keanu Reeves; Charlize Theron takes on a new ‘man–project’ each month to see if romantic sparks will be struck, eventually coming across a…
Sword of Honour (2001): Dir. Bill Anderson
Feat. Daniel Craig, Megan Dodds, Katrin Cartlidge; Ambitious attempt to depict the entire "Sword of Honour" trilogy of novels by Evelyn Waugh in one large television film. A Catholic man joins the…
Taking Sides (2001): Dir. Istvan Szabo
Feat. Harvey Keitel, Stellan Skarsgard, Moritz Bleibtreu; The ambiguities of Germany during the Nazi era are interrogated with skill in this taut examination of the case of famed classical conductor Dr…
Tape (2001): Dir. Richard Linklater
Feat. Ethan Hawke, Uma Thurman, Robert Sean Leonard; Three school friends reunite for an evening of reminiscence and recrimination, in this tense, coiled drama filmed in ‘fly on the wall’ style by…
Tart (2001): Dir. Christina Wayne
Feat. Dominique Swain, Brad Renfro, Lacey Chabert…; Dominique Swain (LOLITA) comes a cropper in New York’s prestigious prep–school, Hewitt College, becoming involved with cocaine,…
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…
The Way We Live Now (2001): Dir. David Yates
Feat. David Suchet, Matthew MacFadyen, Shirley Henderson…; The rise and fall of a Jewish financer is laid bare by the masterful pen of Anthony Trollope. David Suchet broadly, if unlikeably encompasses the…
Thirteen Conversations About One Thing (2001): Dir. Jill Sprecher
Feat. Matthew McConaughey, Alan Arkin, John Turturro…; Not just chit–chat, but drama with its philosophical head screwed on, the various lives of middle–class Bostonians (a hot–shot…
This Filthy Earth (2001): Dir. Andrew Kotting
Feat. Rebecca R. Palmer, Shane Attwooll, Demelza Randall…; The tragic story of two sisters whose lives are disrupted by two men. Amidst a landscape of rural hardship and a community consumed with…
This 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…
Till Human Voices Wake Us (2001): Dir. Michael Petroni
Feat. Guy Pearce, Helena Bonham Carter; A supernaturally–tinged drama in which psychiatrist Guy Pearce returns his hometown and the spectres of a doomed teenage romance. Mourning…
Time for Drunken Horses, A (2001): Dir. Bahman Ghobadi
Feat. Ayoub Ahmadi, Rojin Younessi, Amaneh Ekhtiar-dini…; Set in remote Kurdistan, along the mountainous smuggling border between Iran and Iraq, this chronicles the pitiable circumstances of a recently…
Time Out (2001): Dir. Laurence Cantet
Feat. Aurelien Recoing, Serge Livrozet; A subtly layered account of middle–class businessman Aurelien Recoing, who pretends to his family and friends that he is corporate highflyer,…
To End All Wars (2001): Dir. David L Cunningham
Feat. Robert Carlyle, Kiefer Sutherland, Ciaran McMenamin; Underrated drama based around the infamous building of the bridge over the River Kwai by allied POWs during WW2, 'encouraged' by their Japanese…
Treading Water (2001): Dir. Lauren Himmel
Feat. Angie Redman, Nina Landey; Refreshing, at ease lesbian drama conveys a universal scenario of familial tensions between a mother and daughter over the latter’s choice of…
Trouble Every Day (2001): Dir. Claire Denis
Feat. Vincent Gallo, Beatrice Dalle, Alex Descas…; This messy yet mesmerizing tale of visceral sexual obsession has vamp Beatrice Dalle spoiling a couple's Paris honeymoon when she develops a carnally…
Tunnel, The (2001): Dir. Roland Suso Richter
Feat. Heino Ferch, Nicolette Krebitz; An extended though by no means deep excavation of German Cold War history, in which an East German swimmer (Ferch) defects to West Berlin in 1961 and…
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.…
Under the Sand (2001): Dir. Francois Ozon
Feat. Charlotte Rampling, Jacques Nolot, Bruno Cremer; Charlotte Rampling enters a twilit zone of denial following her husband’s disappearance into the sea on a beach holiday, and mysterious…
Uprising (2001): Dir. Jon Avnet
Feat. Leelee Sobieski, Hank Azaria, David Schwimmer…; An above–par telemovie that depicts the clearing of the Warsaw Ghetto during WWII by the Nazis. Treading similiar territory to SCHINDLER'S…
Varian's War (2001): Dir. Lionel Chetwynd
Feat. William Hurt, Julia Ormond, Maury Chaykin…; Mostly satisfactory telemovie which deals with the intriguing real–life case of Varian Fry, an American journalist who in WW2 helped smuggle…
Vertical Ray of the Sun, The (At the Height of Summer) (2001): Dir. Tran Anh Hung
Feat. Tran Nu Yen-Khe, Nhu Quynh Nguyen, Le Khanh; Conjuring once more the scent, hue and atmosphere of Vietnam, the dir. of SCENT OF GREEN PAPAYA depicts the complicated sisterhood of three women in…
Victoria and Albert (TV Mini-Series) (2001): Dir. John Erman
Feat. Victoria Hamilton, Jonathan Firth, Peter Ustinov; Lengthy and lavish account of the early life of Queen Victoria and her subsequent marriage to Prince Albert.
Visitor Q (Bizita Q) (2001): Dir. Takashi Miike
Feat. Kenichi Endo, Shungiku Uchida, Kazushi Watanabe…; Miike Takashi's most controversial film – which in this case is really saying something – finally coming to video (?). A legendarily…
Warm Water Under a Red Bridge (2001): Dir. Shohei Imamura
Feat. Koji Yakusho, Misa Shimizu; Nourishing sex fable in which Japanese everyman Koji Yakusho, down and out after losing his wife and job, discovers the joys of making love to a…
West Wing, The - Season 3 (TV Series) (2001): More episodes from one of the most popular US TV–series of recent years, set in a White House presided over by Martin Sheen and his staff.…
What Time Is It There? (2001): Dir. Ming-liang Tsai
Feat. Kang-sheng Lee, Cecilia Yip, Jean-Pierre Leaud; Three forlorn individuals bide their time between grief, ennui and loneliness in this minimalist – and unusually talky – masterpiece from…
Wild Iris (2001): Dir. Daniel Petrie
Feat. Gena Rowlands, Laura Linney, Fred Ward…; Superior tele drama that cultivates a convincingly dysfunctional relationship between mother Gena Rowlands and daughter Laura Linney, returning home…
Wind Will Carry Us, The (2001): Dir. Abbas Kiarostami
Feat. Behzad Dourani; Carried by the dir.’s deadpan comic instincts and more minimally poetic, this quasi–fable concerns (what seems to be) a documentary crew who…
World Traveler (2001): Dir. Bart Freundlich
Feat. Julianne Moore, Billy Crudup, James LeGros…; Anonymous architect Billy Crudup busts out of his dissatisfying job and family, hitting the road for a drunken odyssey across the US of…
Y Tu Mama Tambien (And Your Mother Too!) (2001): 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…
Yards, The (2001): Dir. James Gray
Feat. Mark Wahlberg, Joaquin Phoenix, Charlize Theron…; Shot through with epic ambitions, this crime–drama, set amid the corruption of a New York subway–repair yards, boasts a compelling lead…
Zookeeper, The (2001): Dir. Ralph Ziman
Feat. Sam Neill, Gina McKee, Ulrich Thomsen…; A quiet, little–seen drama set in a wartorn Communist country in Eastern Europe, with a zookeeper (Neill) struggling to care for the animals…
101 Reykjavik (2000): 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…
A Huey P. Newton Story (2000): Dir. Spike Lee
Feat. Roger Guenveur Smith; An award–winning stageplay about the co–founder of the Black Panther Party, translated into cinema with considerable verve by dir. Spike…
Aberdeen (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…
Ali - An American Hero (2000): Dir. Leon Ichaso
Feat. David Ramsey, Vondie Curtis Hall, Joe Morton…; TV–Movie biopic of boxing's greatest personality Cassius Clay/Muhummad Ali, with David Ramsey donning the gloves and mantle of charisma.
All the Pretty Horses (2000): Dir. Billy Bob Thornton
Feat. Penelope Cruz, Matt Damon, Henry Thomas…; Serious–minded adaptation of Cormac McCarthey’s neo–western novel, the epic journey of 1950s cowboy Matt Damon across the Texan border…
Almost Famous (2000): Dir. Cameron Crowe
Feat. Billy Crudup, Jason Lee, Kate Hudson…; The best music drama yet committed to film (SPINAL TAP was a comedy), this is a vibrant and bracingly assured portrait of rock music fanaticism in…
American Tragedy (2000): Dir. Lawrence Schiller
Feat. Ving Rhames, Ron Silver, Christopher Plummer; Heavyweight TV movie of the OJ Simpson trial, with Ving Rhames and Ron Silver and Christopher Plummer suiting up to defend the former football star…
Amores Perros (Love's a Bitch) (2000): Dir. Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu
Feat. Emilio Echevarria, Gael Garcia Bernal, Goya Toledo…; Bursting forth with passion, cinematic mettle and pungent local flavours, this debut feature, a triptych of stories set in polyglot Mexico City, is…
Animal Factory (2000): Dir. Steve Buscemi
Feat. Willem Dafoe, Edward Furlong, Tom Arnold…; Retaining the indie principles that distinguished TREES LOUNGE, dir. Buscemi crafts unflashy, insightful drama out of ex–con Edward…
Any Given Sunday (2000): Dir. Oliver Stone
Feat. Dennis Quaid, Aaron Eckhart, LL Cool J…; Tackling the subject of American football with trademark fervour, a mix of film stocks and some frantic editing, Oliver Stone delivers a…
At Home With The Braithwaites (TV Series) (2000): 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…
Auggie Rose (2000): Dir. Matthew Tabak
Feat. Jeff Goldblum, Anne Heche, Nancy Travis…; Bearing witness to the death of an ex–convict triggers midlife anxiety for insurance agent Jeff Goldblum, who proceeds to assume his identity…
Autumn in New York (2000): Dir. Joan Chen
Feat. Richard Gere, Winona Ryder, Anthony LaPaglia; Silver–maned Richard Gere may be an accomplished womaniser, but amid the golden–hued atmosphere of the Big Apple he can't help falling…
Beat (2000): Dir. Gary Walkow
Feat. Kiefer Sutherland, Courtney Love; Detailing the early life of writer William S Burroughs, centring round the notorious ‘William Tell’ episode, this small–scale…
Before Night Falls (2000): Dir. Julian Schnabel
Feat. Javier Bardem, Sean Penn, Johnny Depp; The life and times of Cuban poet Reinaldo Arenas (Javier Bardem) told as a florid visual collage – dream, memory and history merging on the…
Beijing Bicycle (2000): Dir. Wang Xiaoshuai
Feat. Lin Cui, Bin Li, Yuanyuan Gao; Set in the milieu of urban cycle–couriers, this retells De Sica’s BICYCLE THIEF on the teeming streets of Beijing where country–boy Lin…
Believer, The (2000): Dir. Henry Bean
Feat. Ryan Gosling, Summer Phoenix, Theresa Russell…; The darker side of Jewish identity is examined in this risky, provocative drama about a disillusioned young man who tries to reconcile his repressed…
Better Than Chocolate (2000): Dir. Anne Wheeler
Feat. Karyn Dwyer, Christina Cox; An everybody–gets–laid portrayal of lesbian culture in late 80s Vancouver that’s no GO FISH, but still better than the usual…
Better 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 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…
Big Eden (2000): Dir. Thomas Bezucha
Feat. Arye Gross, Louise Fletcher, George Coe; Benignly wishful drama set in the small Montana hometown of a slightly stressed gay NYC painter (Gross), who has returned to nurse his ailing…
Billy Elliot (2000): Dir. Stephen Daldry
Feat. Jamie Bell, Julie Walters; While his father and brother bare the burden of the protracted miner's strike in early 80s Yorkshire, an 11–year–old lad skives off from…
Blackboards (2000): Dir. Samira Makhmalbaf
Feat. Said Mohamadi, Behnaz Jafari; Set in politically unstable Kurdistan, this followup to THE APPLE by dir. Makhmalbaf, traces the adventures of a group of teachers searching the…
Bonhoeffer - Agent of Grace (2000): Dir. Eric Till
Feat. Ulrich Tukur, Johanna Klante; The historical enigma of Dietrich Bonhoeffer – a religious adviser to the Nazi Party – is examined into this informative, though thoroughly minor…
Bootmen (2000): Dir. Dein Perry
Feat. Adam Garcia, Sophie Lee, Sam Worthington; Transposing the style and attitude of his massively successful stage–show 'Tap Dogs' to the big–screen, dir. Perry presents his chunky,…
Borstal Boy (2000): Dir. Peter Sheridan
Feat. Shawn Hatosy, Danny Dyer, Michael York; Well–mannered adaptation of playwright Brendan Behan's classic memoir of being sent to a youth prison in WW2 England after being caught with…
Bread and Roses (2000): Dir. Ken Loach
Feat. Adrien Brody, Pilar Padilla, Elpidia Carrillo; Another politically–charged turn from dir. Loach follows two Latina women in Los Angeles who campaign for better working conditions and the…
Bread and Tulips (2000): Dir. Silvio Soldini
Feat. Licia Maglietta, Bruno Ganz, Marina Massironi…; When 40–something housewife Licia Maglietta is deserted by her family during vacation, she seizes on a chance to roll the romantic dice once…
Brooklyn Babylon (2000): Dir. Marc Levin
Feat. Tariq Trotter, Karen Goberman; ‘Romeo and Juliet’ is transposed to the back alleys of Brooklyn in this volatile clash of cultures, centered on a forbidden romance between a…
Burnside (TV Series) (2000): Feat. Christopher Ellison; Bearable Detective spin–off series of THE BILL, with Christopher Ellison reprising the riveting character of Detective Frank Burnside, who…
Cast Away (2000): Dir. Robert Zemeckis
Feat. Tom Hanks; Tom Hanks commits to his craft once again, here as a cocky, time–obsessed Fed–Ex courier who suffers the irony of having to subsist…
Caveman's Valentine, The (2000): Dir. Kasi Lemmons
Feat. Samuel L. Jackson, Ann Magnuson; Dir. Lemmons follows up EVE’s BAYOU with an ambitious portrayal of classical–composer–turned–paranoid–schizophrenic Samuel…
Center of the World, The (2000): Dir. Wayne Wang
Feat. Molly Parker, Peter Sarsgaard; A frank, if indulgent erotic drama from eclectic dir. Wayne Wang (SMOKE), about two lost souls transacting intimacy in a Las Vegas hotel…
Centre Stage (2000): Dir. Nicholas Hytner
Feat. Amanda Schull, Zoe Saldana, Susan May Pratt…; Fable of balletic ambition in which three young woman (Amanda Schull, Zoe Saldana, Susan May Pratt) strive to enter the elite classes at New York's…
Cheaters (2000): Dir. John Stockwell
Feat. Jeff Daniels, Jena Malone, Paul Sorvino; Solid cable–movie based on the alarming true story of a state schoolteacher (Jeff Daniels) who encouraged his team of underachievers to cheat…
Chocolat (2000): 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…
Chopper (2000): Dir. Andrew Dominik
Feat. Eric Bana, Vince Colosimo, Simon Lyndon; An unruly character–portrait of Australia's most notorious living criminal, Mark 'Chopper' Read, whose attention–grabbing exploits in the…
Christopher Lee's Ghost Stories for Christmas (2000): Dir. Eleanor Yule
Feat. Christopher Lee; Christopher Lee gloomily narrates three ghost stories while sitting around a candle lit room in this folksy adaptation of three M.R. James tales.
Chuck and Buck (2000): Dir. Miguel Arteta
Feat. Chris Weitz, Mike White, Paul Weitz…; Squirmingly funny independent film that makes exemplary use of its small budget with a sustained, original script and handsome digital videography.…
Circle, The (2000): Dir. Jafar Panahi
Feat. Brano Holicek, Pavlina Mourkova, Jeri Pecha; Banned its native Iran, this compendium of linked stories circumscribes the various oppressions women must suffer under that country’s strict…
Claim, The (2000): Dir. Michael Winterbottom
Feat. Peter Mullan, Nastassja Kinski, Sarah Polley…; On the mountainous frontier of the 1860s California goldrush, dir. Winterbottom (JUDE, WONDERLAND) reimagines Thomas Hardy’s ‘The Mayor of…
Clocking Off (TV Series) (2000-2003): Dir. John Strickland, Geoffrey Sax
Feat. Christopher Eccleston, Sarah Lancashire, Jason Merrells…; BAFTA–winning drama with a self–contained anthology format that focuses each episode on the home life of a worker at a Manchester textile…
Clubland (2000): Dir. Saul Rubinek
Feat. Alan Alda, Steven Weber, Brad Garrett…; Plaintive teledrama set on the fringes of the entertainment scene with Alan Alda as a jaded, overbearing New York nightclub talent agent who has…
Code Unknown (2000): Dir. Michael Haneke
Feat. Juliette Binoche, Arsinee Khanjian, Thierry Neuvic…; Perhaps dir. Haneke's (THE PIANO TEACHER) least straightforward effort, this sketches a series of interconnected storylines loosely bound by themes…
Comedie de L'Innocence (Comedy of Innocence) (2000): Dir. Raul Ruiz
Feat. Isabelle Huppert, Jeanne Balibar, Charles Berling; A spooky psychological thriller, in which a young boy of nine tells his mother (Huppert) that in fact he is the son of another woman. When this…
Common Ground (2000): Dir. Donna Deitch
Feat. Edward Asner, Beau Bridges, Harvey Fierstein…; Compassionate, quality trilogy of short stories dealing with gay issues over three different eras. "A Friend of Dorothy" concerns a woman…
Contender, The (2000): Dir. Rod Lurie
Feat. Joan Allen, Gary Oldman, Jeff Bridges…; Strongly performed political thriller centred around the confirmation of Vice–Presidential candidate Joan Allen, whose enemies try every trick…
Corner, The (TV Series) (2000): Feat. Khandi Alexander, Sean Nelson, T. K. Carter…; Miniseries based on the non fiction book "The Corner: A Year in the Life of an Inner–City Neighbourhood" by David Simon and his writing partner…
Coyote 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…
Dancer in the Dark (2000): Dir. Lars Von Trier
Feat. Bjork, David Morse, Catherine Deneuve…; The third successive ‘masterpiece’ from the Danish wunderkind, who has that rare gift of being able to consistently realise the wildly ambitious…
Dancing at the Blue Iguana (2000): Dir. Michael Radford
Feat. Daryl Hannah, Sandra Oh, Jennifer Tilly…; Revealing the mixed–up lives of those who work at an L.A. stripclub, this well–meaning drama was written chiefly through the…
David Copperfield (Mini-series) (2000): Dir. Simon Curtis
Feat. Bob Hoskins, Maggie Smith, Ian McKellen…; Charles Dicken's semi–autobiographical novel (and his own personal favourite) of an aspiring young lad, gets adapted by the BBC, with an…
Day I Became a Woman, The (2000): Dir. Marziyeh Meshkini
Feat. Fatemeh Cherag Akhur, Hassan Nebhan, Shahr Banou Sisizadeh; A trio of strong metaphorical tales that outline three aspects of “a woman’s lot” in contemporary Iran, with humour and cinematic…
Dinner 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…
Dirty Pictures (2000): Dir. Frank Pierson
Feat. James Woods, Craig T. Nelson; Based on the true–story of how the Chicago Arts Centre was prosecuted in 1990 for obscenity over an exhibition of Robert Mapplethorpe's…
Disco Pigs (2000): Dir. Kirsten Sheridan
Feat. Elaine Cassidy, Cillian Murphy; Bleak, edgy rites–of–passage portrait of an intense friendship between two 17 year–olds who share a twisted appetite for…
Dr 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…
Edge of Seventeen (2000): Dir. David Morton
Feat. Thomas Arklie; With its drab mid–1980s Ohio setting, complete with pastel clothing, Boy George–inspired haircuts and Bronksi Beat music, this puts a…
Erin Brockovich (2000): Dir. Steven Soderbergh
Feat. Julia Roberts, Albert Finney, Aaron Eckhart; An interesting and successful marriage of a Hollywood star vehicle (Julia Roberts) and independent credentials (dir. Soderbergh), that takes an…
Everything Put Together (2000): Dir. Marc Forster
Feat. Radha Mitchell, Megan Mullally; Terse, psychologically demanding chamber piece that unravels the inner and domestic turmoil of a suburban mother whose newborn baby dies tragically…
Faithless (2000): Dir. Liv Ullmann
Feat. Erland Josephson; Formidable high–brow drama directed by actress Ullmann from an autobiographical script by her veteran collaborator Ingmar…
Family Man, The (2000): Dir. Brett Ratner
Feat. Nicolas Cage, Tea Leoni; One Christmas Eve, a Wall Street bachelor (Nicolas Cage) is given a chance to see how different it might have been if he'd married his sweetheart and…
Farewell - Brecht's Last Summer, The (2000): Dir. Jan Schutte
Feat. Josef Bierbichler, Monika Bliebtreu, Elfriede Irrall; Prior knowledge of the life of playwright Bertolt Brecht (played by Josef Bierbichler) will enhance this accomplished chamber–drama, set at an…
Finding Forrester (2000): Dir. Gus Van Sant
Feat. Sean Connery, Rob Brown, Anna Paquin…; Dir. Van Sant reprises the outlines of his own GOOD WILL HUNTING, with Sean Connery nurturing the wayward talent of basketballing teenager Rob Brown.
Flawless (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…
George Washington (2000): Dir. David Gordon Green
Feat. Candace Evanofski, Donald Holden, Damian Jewan Lee; With impressionistic widescreen photography, this low–key coming–of–age film frames its North Carolinan setting as the key player…
Gilmore Girls - Season 1 (TV Series) (2000-2001): Feat. Lauren Graham, Alexis Bledel; Critically lauded and invitingly fresh TV drama about an amiably eccentric mother and daughter, whose suburban American lives in Connecticut explore…
Girlfight (2000): Dir. Karyn Kusama
Feat. Michelle Rodriguez; A teenage girl breaks out of her working–class rut by training as a boxer, an arena that presents sexual prejudice as her chief opponent.…
Girls Can't Swim (Les filles ne savent pas nager) (2000): Dir. Anne-Sophie Birot
Feat. Isild Le Besco, Karen Alyx, Pascale Bussieres…; Moody French coming–of–age drama about two girls, one who lives in the coastal town in Brittany, the other from the city. Best…
Golden Bowl, The (2000): Dir. James Ivory
Feat. Nick Nolte, Uma Thurman, Kate Beckinsale…; Ambitious adaptation of Henry James’ most complex novel, Merchant–Ivory recruiting Nick Nolte, Uma Thurman, Kate Beckinsale and Jeremy…
Gormenghast (TV Mini-series) (2000): Dir. Andy Wilson
Feat. Christopher Lee, Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Ian Richardson…; Immaculately designed – if somewhat overstated – BBC rendition of Mervyn Peake's cult novel set in an immense castle where the…
Gossip (2000): Dir. Davis Guggenheim
Feat. Lena Headey, Kate Hudson, Norman Reedus…; Three media students decide to create a story out of pure, unfounded gossip, targeting a affluent and prudish classmate. The story of her sexual…
Grey Zone, The (2000): Dir. Tim Blake Nelson
Feat. David Arquette, Steve Buscemi, Harvey Keitel…; Earnest examination of one of the 'greyest' moral zones of the Holocaust – the role of the Jewish Sonderkommandos in concentration camps, who…
Groove (2000): Dir. Greg Harrison
Feat. Mackenzie Firgens, Lola Glaudini, Denny Kirkwood; A night out at a San Francisco rave, evoking with dope–fuelled delirium the chaos as various party–goers either groove, burnout, get lost…
Growing Up Brady (2000): Dir. Richard A. Colla; Tele–movie version of Barry 'Greg Brady' Williams' unembittered memoirs, who spent five years of his adolescence as the eldest brother of one…
Hamlet (2000): Dir. Michael Almereyda
Feat. Ethan Hawke, Julia Stiles, Bill Murray…; Setting Shakespeare’s play in the contemporary corporate world, the dir. of NADJA brings a fresh slant to the classic despite low–budget…
Hamlet (2000): Dir. Campbell Scott
Feat. Campbell Scott, Blair Brown, Jamey Sheridan…; Solid television version of Shakespeare's great tragedy, transposed to late–19th century America by dir. and star Campbell Scott, in a bold but…
Harlan County War (2000): Dir. Tony Bill
Feat. Holly Hunter, Stellan Skarsgard, Ted Levine…; Based on the famous (and deadly) Union–vs–Company showdown in a Kentucky coalmine in 1976, this TV docudrama is an Emmy–nominated…
Harrison's Flowers (2000): Dir. Elie Chouraqui
Feat. Andie MacDowell, David Strathairn, Adrien Brody…; Andie MacDowell searches for her photojournalist husband (David Strathairn), presumed dead in the 1991 Serbian siege of Vukovar, with the aid of…
He 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…
Hendrix (2000): Dir. Leon Ichaso
Feat. Wood Harris, Billy Zane; TV–Movie biopic of the rock guitarist and 60s icon Jimi Hendrix (Wood Harris) that pushes all the predictable buttons: psychedelic drug…
Himalaya (2000): Dir. Eric Valli
Feat. Thilen Lhondup, Gurgon Kyap, Lhakpa Tsamchoe…; A journey into the life of a remote Nepalese village which relies on an annual pilgrimage to collect salt from the Tibetan side of the Himalayas,…
Human Remains (TV Series) (2000): 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.…
If These Walls Could Talk 2 (2000): Dir. Martha Coolidge, Jane Anderson, Anne Heche
Feat. Ellen DeGeneres, Vanessa Redgrave, Chloe Sevigny…; Critically well–received compendium of three tales charting the lesbian experience in 20th century America. Among the prestigious cast, Vanessa…
In the Mood for Love (2000): Dir. Wong Kar-Wai
Feat. Tony Leung (Chiu-wai), Maggie Cheung; As in DAYS OF BEING WILD, dir. Wong Kar–Wai portrays the languor of a 1960s Hong Kong in which two neighbours discover their respective spouses…
Innocence (2000): Dir. Paul Cox
Feat. Julia Blake, Charles Tingwell; Touching and acclaimed tale of renewed love between two old–flames Julia Blake and Charles Tingwell. Rare in its wise, un–judgemental…
Intimacy (2000): Dir. Patrice Chereau
Feat. Mark Rylance, Kerry Fox, Timothy Spall…; Mark Rylance and Kerry Fox bare their flesh as well as their souls as a separated father–of–two and a married mother who meet weekly for…
Ivans xtc (2000): Dir. Bernard Rose
Feat. Danny Huston, Peter Weller; Not just another Hollywood–insider morality tale, this micro–budget wonder about the last days of hot–shot talent agent emerges as…
Last 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…
Last Resort (2000): Dir. Pawel Pawlikowski
Feat. Paddy Considine, Dina Korzun, Artiom Strelnikov; A Russian woman and her 12–year–old son arrive in London where her English ‘fiancé’ has failed to show and she finds herself…
Legend of Bagger Vance, The (2000): Dir. Robert Redford
Feat. Matt Damon, Will Smith, Charlize Theron; Matt Damon is dir. Robert Redford's alter–ego in this old–fashioned folk tale that uses golf as the basis for this spiritual tale of…
Les Destinees Sentimentales (2000): Dir. Olivier Assayas
Feat. Emmanuelle Beart, Charles Berling, Isabelle Huppert; Genteel family saga from the trilogy of novels by Jacques Chardonne that follows the destiny of pastor Charles Berling through the first decades of…
Les Miserables (TV Mini-series) (2000): Dir. Josee Dayan
Feat. Gerard Depardieu, Christian Clavier, John Malkovich…; Well mounted and faithful adaptation of Victor Hugo's tale of persecution and revenge set in early 19th century France, with Gerard Depardieu playing…
Liam (2000): Dir. Stephen Frears
Feat. Anthony Borrows, Ian Hart, Claire Hackett; Exploring an Irish childhood made grim by Roman Catholicism, this is like a more intimate ANGELA’S ASHES, governed as it is by the point of view of…
Liberty Heights (2000): Dir. Barry Levinson
Feat. Adrien Brody, Joe Mantegna, Bebe Neuwirth; Drawing once again on memories of his Baltimore childhood, dir. Levinson (DINER) examines life for a Jewish family on the eve of the rock'n'roll era…
Love and Basketball (2000): Dir. Gina Prince-Bythewood
Feat. Sanaa Lathan, Omar Epps, Debbi Morgan…; Engaging romantic drama about two next–door neighbours in Los Angeles who each pursue their basketball careers before eventually falling for…
Lumumba (2000): Dir. Raoul Peck
Feat. Eric Ebouaney; A strident and fittingly uncompromising biopic about an African political icon, Patrice Lumumba, who liberated the Congo from Belgium in the late…
Luzhin Defence, The (2000): Dir. Marleen Gorris
Feat. John Turturro, Emily Watson; Combining the intricacies of the chessboard with manoeuvres of the heart, this Nabakov adaptation opens its game at a chess tournament in 1920s…
Mad 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…
Madame Bovary (2000): Dir. Tim Fywell
Feat. Eileen Atkins, Hugh Bonneville, Frances O’Connor; Typically lavish BBC costumer, here tackling Gustave Flaubert's classic French tragi–romance with gusto and explicit sex. Frances O'Connor…
Magnolia (2000): Dir. Paul Thomas Anderson
Feat. Tom Cruise, Jason Robards Jr., William H. Macy…; A sprawling, stylistically–impressive but moribund domestic melodrama about Californian amorality and redemption (of sorts), with interleaved…
Malena (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.…
Me You Them (Eu Tu Eles) (2000): Dir. Andrucha Waddington
Feat. Regina Case, Lima Duarte, Stenio Garcia; Set in the arid hinterlands of Brazil, this serio–comic study of rural polyandry has Regina Case (Brazil’s Oprah Winfrey) hitch up three…
Men of Honour (2000): Dir. George Tillman Jr.
Feat. Cuba Jr. Gooding, Robert De Niro, Charlize Theron; As a US Navy serviceman in WW2, Cuba Gooding Jnr. overcomes institutionalised racism, then prejudice in another form later in life when he suffers a…
Merchant of Venice, The (2000): Dir. Trevor Nunn
Feat. Henry Goodman; A wonderful TV version (taken from an acclaimed production) of Shakespeare's 'problem play', recreating the classic tale of debt, honour and love in…
Monarch of the Glen (TV Series) (2000): Dir. Edward Bennett, A.J. Quinn
Feat. Richard Briers, Susan Hampshire, Alastair Mackenzie; A whimsical drama set on the Scottish Highland estate of Glenbogle, with Richard Briers and Susan Hampshire.
Monsignor Renard (TV Mini-series) (2000): Dir. Malcolm Mowbray
Feat. John Thaw, Cheryl Campbell, Dominic Monaghan; ITV drama starring John Thaw as a humble parish priest who returns home to his French village to join the resistance during WWII after a twenty year…
Mr. Rice's Secret (2000): Dir. Nicholas Kendall
Feat. David Bowie; David Bowie is the 400–yr old ‘friend’ of a terminally ill boy who is directed into a magical adventure in this British–Canadian…
Mrs Bradley Mysteries, The (TV Series) (2000): Feat. Diana Rigg; Short–lived but rewarding variation on the mystery serial turns the clock back to the 1920s, where upper class socialite Adela Bradley dabbles…
Mrs. Caldicot's Cabbage War (2000): 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…
Murder Rooms: The Dark Beginnings of Sherlock Holmes (TV Series) (2000): Dir. Paul Seed
Feat. Ian Richardson, Robin Laing, Charles Dance; A rather fascinating speculation which dramatises the real–life relationship between "Sherlock Homes"–author Arthur Conan Doyle (Laing)…
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 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…
Nicholas Nickleby (TV Series) (2000): Dir. Stephen Whittaker
Feat. James D'Arcy, Charles Dance; An ITV version of Charles Dickens’ saga of family misfortune. Young Nicholas (James D’Arcy) must fight his malevolent uncle (Charles Dance) to…
Nuremberg (2000): Feat. Alec Baldwin, Jill Hennessy, Brian Cox…; This two part miniseries follows the Chief Prosecutor through the Nuremberg Trials of 1945–46.
O (Othello) (2000): Dir. Tim Blake Nelson
Feat. Josh Hartnett, Mekhi Phifer, Julia Stiles; Continuing recent trends, this ‘updating’ of Shakespeare’s ”Othello” transfers the dialogue and setting into the US schoolyard, where Josh…
One Hundred Steps, The (I Cento Passi) (2000): Dir. Marco Tullio Giordana; Expansive, fact–based drama set around a young man's fight against local mafiosos in the small Sicilian village of Cinisi in the…
Phantom (Fantasma, O) (2000): Dir. João Pedro Rodrigues
Feat. Ricardo Meneses; This plunge into Portugal’s gay underground concerns an alienated garbage collector who seeks out anonymous sexual encounters in Lisbon’s…
Platform (Zhantai) (2000): Dir. Jia Zhang-ke
Feat. Zhao Tao; Taking its title from a Chinese hit rock song of the 80s, this fetchingly spare epic meditates on the changes of that turbulent decade and the…
Pledge, The (2000): Dir. Sean Penn
Feat. Jack Nicholson, Robin Wright, Helen Mirren…; Sean Penn as director's pledge to the stuff of raw drama pays off with a thriller/parable centred round a powerhouse turn from Jack Nicholson. As…
Pollock (2000): Dir. Ed Harris
Feat. Ed Harris, Marcia Gay Harden, Amy Madigan…; The life of ‘Abstract Expressionist’ painter Jackson Pollock, is rendered with bold, heartfelt strokes by dir. Harris in his debut effort (also…
Possible Worlds (2000): Dir. Robert Lepage
Feat. Tilda Swinton, Tom McCamus, Sean McCann; A bittersweet sci–fi reflection on the possibility of a love when an individual exists in simultaneous parallel worlds. Constructed around…
Presque Rien (Almost Nothing) (2000): Dir. Sebastien Lifshitz
Feat. Jérémie Elkaïm, Stephane Rideau; French drama of melancholic first love that, despite the common themes, sets itself apart with sensitive acting and a deeply felt approach to the…
Queer As Folk (TV Series) (2000-2005): Feat. Hal Sparks, Gale Harold, Peter Paige…; An American variation on the groundbreaking British series (currently unavailable due to censorship restrictions) which is likewise completely set…
Quills (2000): Dir. Philip Kaufman
Feat. Geoffrey Rush, Kate Winslet, Joaquin Phoenix…; A sophisticated ‘bodice–ripper’ that details the twilight years of the Marquis De Sade in suitably heightened style, with Geoffrey…
Rated X (2000): Dir. Emilio Estevez
Feat. Charlie Sheen, Emilio Estevez; Tracing the career of 60s porn–merchants the Mitchell Brothers, with Charlie Sheen and Emilio Estevez doing the honours, this un–covers…
Rebus (TV Series) (2000-2007): Feat. John Hannah; John Hannah takes on the now familiar role of a Scottish Detective Inspector in the first few episodes of this whodunit crime series set on the…
Remember the Titans (2000): Dir. Boaz Yakin
Feat. Denzel Washington, Will Patton; Racial integration law forces an all–white American football team to accept black players and a black coach in 1970s Virginia. Denzel…
Requiem for a Dream (2000): Dir. Darren Aronofsky
Feat. Ellen Burstyn, Jared Leto, Marlon Wayans…; The indignities of drug addiction are given the full–blown treatment by the director of PI, who deploys a catalogue of cutting–edge…
Road Home, The (2000): Dir. Zhang Yimou
Feat. Zhang Ziyi, Honglei Sun, Hao Zhang; Tackling the period of the Chinese Cultural Revolution, period dir. Zhang Yimou (RAISE THE RED LANTERN) gives the story of a young man's return home…
Sally Hemings - An American Scandal (Mini Series) (2000): Dir. Charles Haid
Feat. Sam Neill, Carmen Ejogo; Provocative mini–series telling the allegedly true story of U.S. President Thomas Jefferson's thirty–eight year affair with…
Save the Last Dance (2000): Dir. Thomas Carter
Feat. Julia Stiles, Sean Patrick Thomas; Unhappy with her move from mid–west to a black area of Chicago, Julia Stiles seeks dance–stage salvation. Her saviour arrives in the form…
Series 7: The Contenders (2000): Dir. Daniel Minahan
Feat. Brooke Smith, Marylouise Burke; The scourge of ‘reality–TV’ gets its comeuppance (or homage?) in this ultraviolent satire. We’re in the near–future,…
Shadow Magic (2000): Dir. Ann Hu
Feat. Jared Harris; The 'shadow magic' in question is the early cinema, which is brought to Beijing in 1902 by a travelling promoter (Harris), who, along with a local…
Shadow of the Vampire (2000): Dir. E. Elias Merhige
Feat. John Malkovich, Willem Dafoe, Catherine McCormack…; A fanciful yet elegant take on what might have transpired during the making of silent horror classic, NOSFERATU, centred around a battle of wills…
Shifter (2000): Dir. Colin Hodson
Feat. Colin Hodson, Samara McDowell, Diane McAllen…; A study of loose–ended flatting relations and social paranoia directed by Aro Valley local Colin Hodson. Improvisational in its treatment…
Shirt, The (2000): Dir. John Laing
Feat. Brian Sargent, Kirsty King-Turner, Jeff Szusterman…; Chiefly the creation of Wellingtonian writer/producer Ross Bevan, this hits hard as a raw study of three career–junkies ‘led’ by a…
Shot at Glory, A (The Cup) (2000): Dir. Michael Corrente
Feat. Robert Duvall, Michael Keaton, Brian Cox…; Robert Duvall is successfully cast as the manager of a minor Scottish soccor team, which has been bought and remodeled by an American…
Shower (Xizhao) (2000): 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…
Sins, The (TV Mini-series) (2000): Feat. Pete Postlethwaite, Geraldine James, Frank Finlay…; BBC miniseries with Pete Postlethwaite playing an aging getaway driver who decides to go straight – after one last robbery. A light hearted…
Sky Is Falling, The (Cielo cade, Il) (2000): Dir. Andrea Frazzi, Antonio Frazzi
Feat. Isabella Rossellini, Jeroen Krabbe; Two young orphan girls are sent to live with relatives in Tuscany, Italy during WW2 and discover intriguing new perspectives through their Jewish…
Songcatcher (2000): Dir. Maggie Greenwald
Feat. Janet McTeer, Aidan Quinn, Taj Mahal; In the dappled, secluded backwoods of 1900s Appalachia, music scholar Janet McTeer makes the exciting discovery of a set of unknown Scots–Irish…
Sopranos, The (TV Series) - Season 2 (2000): Continuing episodes of the groundbreaking TV–series that ironically portrays the life of a New Jersey Mafia clan. 13 Episodes over 4…
Space Cowboys (2000): 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…
Straight Story, The (2000): Dir. David Lynch
Feat. Sissy Spacek, Richard Farnsworth; Far from wild at heart, this soft–peddle road movie from the infamous David Lynch is a serene, supremely dignified fable (though based on a…
Subway Stories (2000): Dir. Various
Feat. Denis Leary, Lili Taylor, Christine Lahti…; Renewing the London TUBE TALES concept on the NYC subways, this tele–movie saw 10 true–life experiences (submitted by HBO viewers)…
Sunshine (2000): Dir. Istvan Szabo
Feat. Ralph Fiennes, Rachel Weisz, Deborah Kara Unger; Expansive and immaculately crafted epic of the last 100 years of Hungarian history, with Ralph Fiennes playing three roles – Grandfather,…
Takedown (2000): Dir. Joe Chappelle
Feat. Skeet Ulrich, Tom Berenger; This telemovie depiction of infamous computer hacker Kevin Mitnick, who went on the run in the 1990s, is less flashy than expected, with some…
There's Only One Jimmy Grimble (2000): Dir. John Hay
Feat. Lewis McKenzie, Robert Carlyle, Gina McKee…; Feelgood hit about one boy's quest for football fame in the estates of Manchester, where he emerges from the school–of–hard–knocks…
Timecode (2000): Dir. Mike Figgis
Feat. Saffron Burrows, Salma Hayek, Holly Hunter…; Dividing the screen into four quadrants, each carrying an unbroken 90 min shot, the dir. of LEAVING LAS VEGAS juxtaposes four stories set in the…
Together (2000): 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…
Town is Quiet, The (La Ville est Tranquille) (2000): Dir. Robert Guediguian
Feat. Ariane Ascaride, Jean-Pierre Darroussin; A characteristically gritty yet humanist urban drama that expands out in scope from the directors’ previous snapshots of life in his home town…
Traffic (2000): Dir. Steven Soderbergh
Feat. Michael Douglas, Benicio Del Toro, Catherine Zeta-Jones…; A masterful, suitably complex address of the ‘drug problem’ and how it enslaves consumers, dealers, policy–makers and law–enforcers…
Two of Us (2000): Dir. Michael Lindsay-Hogg
Feat. Aidan Quinn, Jared Harris; TV–movie centred around the intriguing prospect of a mid–70s meeting in New York between John Lennon (Quinn) and Paul McCartney (Harris).…
Urbania (2000): Dir. Jon Shear
Feat. Dan Futterman, Alan Cumming, Matt Keesler; Edgy indie hit following the insomniac wanderings of a dashing yuppie who is coping with the death of his partner. A hit at the 2000 Sundance Film…
Virgin Suicides, The (2000): Dir. Sofia Coppola
Feat. Kirsten Dunst, Josh Hartnett, James Woods…; An aptly seductive adaptation of Jeffrey Eugenides’ acclaimed romantic tragedy set in a sleepy Michigan community in the mid–70s. Kirsten…
Waiting Place, The (2000): Dir. Cristobal Araus Lobos; A carefully made 'DV–feature' about two unstable prison–escapers who traverse an overgrown rural landscape towards a rendezvous at an…
Werckmeister Harmonies (2000): Dir. Bela Tarr
Feat. Lars Rudolph, Peter Fitz, Hanna Schygulla; A visionary film to herald in the 21st century, Bela Tarr’s apocalyptic masterpiece begins with the arrival of a bizarre circus attraction to a…
West Wing, The - Season 2 (TV Series) (2000): More episodes from one of the most popular US TV–series of recent years, set in a White House presided over by Martin Sheen and his staff.…
What's Cooking? (2000): Dir. Gurinder Chadha
Feat. Joan Chen, Mercedes Ruehl, Julianne Margulies…; Four Thanksgiving dinners boil over in this goulash of comical family disagreements, with Joan Chen, Mercedes Ruehl, Julianna Margulies and Kyra…
When The Sky Falls (2000): Dir. John Mackenzie
Feat. Joan Allen, Pete Postlethwaite, Patrick Bergin; A gritty suspense with Joan Allen portraying Irish journalist Vernoica Guerin who risked her life to take down Dublin's criminal underworld and bring…
Where the Money Is (2000): Dir. Marek Kanievska
Feat. Paul Newman, Linda Fiorentino, Dermot Mulroney; A still–charismatic Paul Newman is an aged bank–robber esconsed in a nursing home after suffering a stroke, though his nurse Linda…
Wives and Daughters (2000): Dir. Nicholas Renton
Feat. Francesca Annis, Ian Carmichael, Michael Gambon…; A BBC adaptation of the 19th century writer Elizabeth Gaskell's neglected masterpiece, in which the daughter of a widower is thwarted by her new…
Wonder 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…
Wonderland (2000): Dir. Michael Winterbottom
Feat. Shirley Henderson, Ian Hart, Gina McKee…; A sobering view of contemporary London life as three sisters, friends and relatives struggle to connect in a stressful urban world. Plot mechanics…
Wyvern Mystery, The (TV Mini-Series) (2000): Dir. Alex Pillai
Feat. Naomi Watts, Derek Jacobi; Naomi Watts plays the adopted daughter of a prickly Squire (Derek Jacobi) with more than just fatherhood on his mind. Pseudo–haunted house…
Yolngu Boy (2000): Dir. Stephen Johnson
Feat. Jack Thompson; Three contrasting aboriginal boys from Arnhem Land, North Australia undertake a harsh journey out of loyalty when the petrol–sniffing habits of…
You Can Count On Me (2000): Dir. Kenneth Lonergan
Feat. Laura Linney, Mark Ruffalo, Kieran Culkin…; Winner of Best Picture at Sundance 2000, this bittersweet comedy, woven around the smalltown reunion of long–separated siblings Laura Linney…
28 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.…
8 1/2 Women (1999): Dir. Peter Greenaway
Feat. John Standing, Matthew Delamare, Vivian Wu…; The indefatiguable provocateur of English cinema makes a perverse 'tribute' to Federico Fellini's 1963 masterpiece 8 1/2, with this tale of a rich…
A Christmas Carol (1999): Dir. David Hugh Jones
Feat. Patrick Stewart, Richard E. Grant, Joel Grey…; Fine adaptation of the Dickens classic this time with Patrick Stewart as the miserly Scrooge.
A Map of the World (1999): Dir. Scott Elliot
Feat. Sigourney Weaver, Julianne Moore, David Strathairn…; A somewhat overlooked drama with Weaver giving a tour–de–force performance as a slightly prickly woman, uncomfortable with her life, who…
Adventures of Sebastian Cole, The (1999): Dir. Tod Williams
Feat. Adrian Genier; A Sundance nominee of 1999, this small, unusual drama turns back the clock to the early 1980s as a family fragments when Dad announces he's having a…
Afterlife (1999): Dir. Kore-eda Hirokazu
Feat. Arata Erika Oda, Susumu Terajima; Original, intriguing conception of what happens after life – a panel of students challenge a succession of deceased persons to choose one…
Agnes Browne (1999): Dir. Anjelica Huston
Feat. Anjelica Huston, Ray Winstone; Anjelica Huston adapts Brendan O'Carroll best–selling novel through an American romantic prism of working class Irish culture. The director…
All About My Mother (1999): Dir. Pedro Almodovar
Feat. Cecilia Roth; Almodovar's "celebration of mother and womanhood" has been hailed as something of a departure for the director, though in fact all of his (beloved)…
All the King's Men (1999): Dir. Julian Jarrold
Feat. David Jason, Maggie Smith; BBC dramatisation of one of WWI's most enduring enigmas, in which the Sandringham Company, made up from King George's private staff, disappeared into…
American Beauty (1999): Dir. Sam Mendes
Feat. Kevin Spacey, Annette Bening, Thora Birch…; Signifying a coming–of–age of the 'indie' movie and mainstream acceptance of a darker sensibility, this most quirky of all Academy Award…
Angel (TV Series) - Season 1 (1999): Dir. Various
Feat. David Boreanaz; Considerably darker spin–off of BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER TV–series, with the angelic vampire David Boreanaz battling demons,…
Angela's Ashes (1999): Dir. Alan Parker
Feat. Emily Watson, Joe Breen, Ciaran Owens…; Lovingly–detailed adaptation of Frank McCourt's best–selling memoir of the worst kind of childhood – the deprived Irish Catholic…
Anna and the King (1999): Dir. Andy Tennant
Feat. Jodie Foster, Chow Yun-Fat; English governess Jodie Foster governs the King of Siam's (Chow–Yun Fat) children in another version of the true–story that formed the…
Anywhere But Here (1999): Dir. Wayne Wang
Feat. Susan Sarandon, Natalie Portman; Creating a credible array of intelligent female characters, the dir. of THE JOY–LUCK CLUB deals honestly with the plight of flaky Mum Susan…
Aristocrats (TV Mini-series) (1999): Dir. David Caffrey
Feat. Sian Phillips, Alun Armstrong, Ben Daniels…; BBC costumer set in 18th–century England and Ireland tells the story of four beautiful, privileged sisters who are the…
At First Sight (1999): Dir. Irwin Winkler
Feat. Val Kilmer, Mira Sorvino; Blind massage–therapist Val Kilmer regains his sight and discovers himself paired with Mira Sorvino, in this above–average yarn that…
Audrey Hepburn Story, The (1999): Dir. Steven Robman
Feat. Jennifer Love Hewitt, Frances Fisher, Keir Dullea; Gallant, but workmanlike TV biopic about timeless Hollywood star Audrey Hepburn, whose sparkle and perkish good looks carried her from a childhood in…
Bad Girls (TV Series) (1999): Feat. Simone Lahbib, Mark Pegy, Jack Ellis; Top rating and dramatically juicy ITV series set in a British women’s prison, which directly confronts bisexuality, female violence, drugs and the…
Barber of Siberia, The (1999): Dir. Nikita Mikhalkov
Feat. Julia Ormond, Richard Harris, Oleg Menshikov; Oddly toned blend of historical epic and comedy set in late 19th century Russian, where an American inventor seeks to sell his timber harvesting…
Beach, The (1999): Dir. Danny Boyle
Feat. Leonardo DiCaprio, Tilda Swinton; Tapping the moods of young travellers of today and their restless wanderlust, this adaptation of Alex Garland's Gen–X novel is both…
Beautiful People (1999): 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…
Big Brass Ring, The (1999): Dir. George Hickenlooper
Feat. William Hurt, Nigel Hawthorne, Irene Jacob…; Curiosity–piece that updates a dusty Orson Welles script from 1980. William Hurt plays a US presidential candidate, whose murky past is being…
Big Kahuna, The (1999): Dir. John Swanbeck
Feat. Kevin Spacey, Danny De Vito, Peter Facinelli; Straight stageplay adaptation about three salesmen who plot to sell 'industrial lubricant' to a fat cat client while holed up in a hotel suite.…
Black and White (1999): Dir. James Toback
Feat. Robert Downey Jnr., Brooke Shields, Wu Tang Clan…; Risk–taking ensemble drama from the maverick dir. of TWO GUYS AND A GIRL and FINGERS, set in a Manhattan where rich white kids clash with the…
Bleeder (1999): Dir. Nicolas Winding Refn
Feat. Kim Bodnia; Hard–nosed drama about a brooding man who turns destructive when he learns of his girlfriend’s pregnancy in…
Blue Valley Songbird (1999): Dir. Richard A. Colla
Feat. Dolly Parton, John Terry, Beth Grant; Agreeable musical drama starring Ms. Dolly Parton as an aspirant Nashville saloon singer trying to find her way into the big time while dealing with…
Body Shots (1999): Dir. Michael Cristofer
Feat. Sean Patrick Flannery, Amanda Peet, Tara Reid…; Flashy tale of eight twentysomethings shares its style, setting and cultural niche with GO, dividing neatly into four typically smug boys and four…
Boys Don't Cry (1999): Dir. Kimberly Peirce
Feat. Hilary Swank, Chloe Sevigny, Brendon Sexton III; Widely touted dramatisation of the true–life 'Brandon Teena' tragedy set in the grim badlands of America's Midwest, where a teenage girl…
Bringing Out the Dead (1999): Dir. Martin Scorsese
Feat. Nicolas Cage, Patricia Arquette, Ving Rhames…; Drawn from the hell–bent memoirs of a New York ambulance driver, this sees dir. Scorcese returning to home–turf, a script by Paul…
Brokedown Palace (1999): Dir. Jonathan Kaplan
Feat. Claire Danes, Kate Beckinsale, Bill Pullman; OE–gone–awry flick has an impetuous Claire Danes and demure Kate Beckinsale land in major difficulties during their Thai holiday after…
Bumblebee Flies Anyway, The (1999): Dir. Martin Duffy
Feat. Elijah Wood, Janeane Garofalo, Rachael Leigh Cook; Romantic coming–of–age drama of a teen suffering from amnesia attempting to piece his life back together with the help of his fellow…
Butterfly's Tongue (La lengua de las mariposas) (1999): Dir. Jose Luis Cuerda
Feat. Fernando Fernan Gomez, Manuel Lozano; Heartwarming Spanish coming–of–age drama set in Galicia in 1936. Against the backdrop of the encroaching Spanish Civil War, a shy…
Cabaret Balkan (The Powder Keg) (1999): Dir. Goran Paskaljevic
Feat. Nikola Ristanovski; Troubling split–portrait of the Serbian psyche, depicting a series of often violent incidents over the course of a single night in Belgrade,…
Celebration, The (Festen) (1999): Dir. Thomas Vinterberg
Feat. Ulrich Thomsen, Henning Moritzen, Thomas Bo Larsen; Conceived and executed under the "Dogma 95" manifesto, this corrosive black comedy sees the birthday celebrations of a wealthy family implode after…
Channeling Baby (1999): Dir. Christine Parker
Feat. Danielle Cormack, Kevin Smith; 'First sight' romance between a blind pacifist and a shell–shocked soldier in the 70s ended in heartbreak after the tragic 'disappearance' of…
Charles Dickens Collection, The (The Pickwick Papers, Oliver Twist, A Christmas Carol, Martin Chuzzlewit, David Copperfield, A Tale of Two Cities, Great Expectations, Our Mutual Friend) (1999-2005): Feat. Timothy West, Prunella Scales, Daniel Radcliffe…; The BBC's twelve–DVD set offers eight acclaimed mini–series adaptations featuring the creme of Bitish stage and screen performers
Cherry Orchard, The (1999): Dir. Michael Cacoyannis
Feat. Charlotte Rampling, Alan Bates, Michael Gough…; Anton Chekhov's final drama is adapted concisely and with emotional weight; Charlotte Rampling plays the matriarch of a deteriorating estate, at odds…
Children of the Marshlands (Les Enfants du Marais) (1999): Dir. Jean Becker
Feat. Jacques Villeret, Michel Serrault, Eric Cantona; Old–fashioned French drama, whose 1930s Loire Valley setting is refreshingly free of the usual cliches, while remaining utterly charming and…
Chronicles of Rock n' Roll: The Alan Freed Story, The (Mr Rock 'n' Roll) (1999): Dir. Andy Wolk
Feat. Judd Nelson, Madchen Amick; Above–average telemovie charts the career of the radio DJ in Cleveland, Ohio who discovered the joys of 'Rhythm and Blues' music in the…
Cider House Rules, The (1999): Dir. Lasse Hallstrom
Feat. Tobey Maguire, Michael Caine, Charlize Theron; Hard–to–fault adaptation of John Irving's novel set in middle America during WW2 is an old–fashioned rural melodrama bathed in…
Civil Action, A (1999): Dir. Steven Zaillian
Feat. John Travolta, Robert Duvall, William H. Macy…; Fact–based account of a protracted courtroom duel between two corporations and small–town folk, whose children have been affected by…
Colour of Paradise, The (1999): Dir. Majid Majidi
Feat. Mohsen Ramezani; A gripping, compassionate study of a blind Iranian boy’s attempts to connect with his egotistical father and a carpentry tutor when he is taken to…
Cool Dry Place, A (1999): Dir. John N. Smith
Feat. Vince Vaughn, Monica Potter, Joey Lauren Adams; Hot–shot lawyer Vince Vaughn is dumped by wife Monica Potter, and moves with his young son to a small town to restart his life. So begins a…
Cooler Climate, A (1999): Dir. Susan Seidelman
Feat. Sally Field, Judy Davis; Exploring the emotional climate between newly–separated Sally Field and her new boss, rich–bitch Judy Davis, this small–scale drama…
Cotton Mary (1999): Dir. Ismail Merchant
Feat. Madhur Jaffrey, Greta Scacchi; Set in post–Independence India, Merchant–Ivory spin one of their more disturbing tales around Indian nurse Madhur Jaffrey, who insinuates…
Cradle Will Rock (1999): Dir. Tim Robbins
Feat. Hank Azaria, Ruben Blades, John Cusack…; Caught between government paranoia and unionist principles in depression–era New York, a theatre troupe voice their dissent by attempting to…
Crazy in Alabama (1999): Dir. Antonio Banderas
Feat. Antonio Banderas, Melanie Griffiths, Rod Steiger; Antonio Banderas' directorial debut is an amiable film of two halves, split between a dramatic re–telling of the civil rights struggle in 1960s…
Crossing, The (1999): Dir. Robert Harmon
Feat. Jeff Daniels, Roger Rees, Sebastian Roche; Acclaimed telemovie recreation of George Washington's crossing of the Delaware during the American War of Independence. Jeff Daniels lives up to the…
Cruel Intentions (1999): Dir. Roger Kumble
Feat. Sarah Michelle Geller, Ryan Phillippe, Reese Witherspoon; Spoiled and randy step–siblings Sarah Michelle Geller and Ryan Phillipe raise the amorality stakes by betting that he can deflower the prim…
Cup, The (1999): 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 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…
Deep End of the Ocean, The (1999): Dir. Ulu Grosbard
Feat. Michelle Pfeiffer, Treat Williams, Whoopi Goldberg; Playing on the fears of parents everywhere, this sober drama presents a nightmare scenario of child–kidnapping in suburban America, with…
Deep In My Heart (1999): Dir. Anita W. Addison
Feat. Anne Bancroft, Gloria Reuben, Lynn Whitfield…; Made for television true story about a young woman raised in a foster home, who decides to find her birth mother, unaware that she was the result of…
Devil's Arithmetic (1999): Dir. Donna Deitch
Feat. Kirsten Dunst, Brittany Murphy, Paul Freeman…; Dunst stars this affecting drama about a Jewish teenager who is disinterested in her family's religious heritage, until she's transported back in…
Don's Plum (1999): Dir. RD Robb
Feat. Tobey Maguire, Leonardo DiCaprio, Marissa Ribisis…; A B&W nocturnal drama that gathers around 4 young couples who mingle in a night–club over cocktails to banter, discuss their sex–lives…
Earthly Possessions (1999): Dir. James Lapine
Feat. Susan Sarandon, Stephen Dorff; Bored housewife Susan Sarandon, who is planning to leave her husband, gets mixed up in a bank robbery instigated by Stephen Dorff and becomes his…
Elephant 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…
End of the Affair, The (1999): Dir. Neil Jordan
Feat. Ralph Fiennes, Julianne Moore, Stephen Rea; Graham Greene's most personal novel is a supremely cynical, thorny affirmation of religious faith, a quality that Ralph Fiennes embodies in a…
Entropy (1999): Dir. Phil Joanou
Feat. Stephen Dorff; A rock–video director for U2, Stephen Dorff talks/confesses to his own camcorder about how he came to New York, hung out and fell in love with…
Erskineville Kings (1999): Dir. Alan White
Feat. Marty Denniss, Andrew Wholley; Probing the scarred psyches of two Australian brothers at odds over their father's death, this slowly unfolds its back–story in the…
Escort, The (Mauvaise Passe) (1999): Dir. Michel Blanc
Feat. Daniel Auteuil, Stuart Townsend, Noah Taylor…; A ruffled Frenchman (Auteuil) – family man and professor – in the throes of a mid–life crisis travels to London, where he enjoys…
Eyes Wide Shut (1999): Dir. Stanley Kubrick
Feat. Tom Cruise, Nicole Kidman; A fascinating and convoluted Freudian thriller, Stanley Kubrick's swansong has elicited praise, condemnation and baffled dumb–looks, though its…
Feeling Sexy (1999): Dir. Davida Allen
Feat. Susie Porter, Tamblyn Lord; Short and sweet indie deals with young suburban housewife's desires for sexual and creative fulfilment in the face of claustrophobic domesticity.…
Finding Graceland (1999): Dir. David Winkler
Feat. Johnathon Schaech, Harvey Keitel, Bridget Fonda; Heartbroke Johnathon Schaech is speeding away from his ex–wife when he picks up Harvey Keitel, an Elvis impersonator who takes his…
Five Senses, The (1999): Dir. Jeremy Podeswa
Feat. Mary-Louise Parker, Pascale Bussieres, Daniel MacIvor…; Austere relationship drama in which five loosely–connected characters serve as metaphors for the five senses, including a bisexual housecleaner…
Girl on the Bridge, The (1999): Dir. Patrice Leconte
Feat. Daniel Auteuil, Vanessa Paradis; This glossy slice of modern 'poetic realism' has an attractive visual component but its arch–Romanticism won't be everyone's glass of Chablis.…
Girl, Interrupted (1999): Dir. James Mangold
Feat. Winona Ryder, Angelina Jolie; Winona Ryder flies over the cuckoo's nest as the confused middle–class waif of Susanna Kaysen's 60s counterculture memoir, who's persuaded by…
Gloomy Sunday (Ein Lied Von Liebe Und Tod) (1999): Dir. Rolf Schubel
Feat. Joachim Krol, Erika Marozsan, Ben Becker…; Captivating drama which pivots around the apocryphal origins of the classic melancholy song 'Gloomy Sunday' in pre–WW2 Budapest. An amiably…
Gloria (1999): Dir. Sidney Lumet
Feat. Sharon Stone; Stepping into the moll stilettos worn by Gena Rowlands in the 1980 original, Sharon Stone plays a hard–boiled dame who is landed with a mouthy…
Go (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…
Gohatto (Taboo) (1999): Dir. Nagisa Oshima
Feat. Takeshi Kitano; Visually stunning evocation of the tensions in a samurai–training school in 1860s Japan, with Kitano playing a captain who agonises over his…
Great Expectations (Mini-series) (1999): Dir. Julian Jarrold
Feat. Charlotte Rampling, Ioan Gruffudd, Justine Waddell…; The Charles Dickens novel, about a young lad's progress into society with the aid of a mysterious benefactor, has already been twice–filmed,…
Great Gatsby, The (1999): Dir. Robert Markowitz
Feat. Mira Sorvino, Paul Rudd, Toby Stephens…; Competent adaptation that stays close to Fitzgerald's "Great American Novel" about a mysterious millionaire who determines to win back his flighty…
Green Mile, The (1999): Dir. Frank Darabont
Feat. Michael Clarke Duncan, Tom Hanks, David Morse…; Following THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION, the director adapts another Stephen King prison–set story as a melancholic epic of injustice and…
Grey Owl (1999): Dir. Richard Attenborough
Feat. Pierce Brosnan, Annie Galipeau; True–story of Englishman Archie Belany, whose obsession with all things Native American led to his emigration to the North American wilderness,…
Harmonium in my Memory, The (1999): Dir. Young-jae Lee
Feat. Do-yeon Chun, Min-hie Kim, Byung-hun Lee; Sweet, soft–spoken melodrama of jittery first love, recalling the innocent love triangle that forms between a handsome, fresh–faced…
Hideous Kinky (1999): Dir. Gillies MacKinnon
Feat. Kate Winslet; A post–TITANIC Kate Winslet keeps her art–house credentials dry in a more challenging role as a flakey yet driven hippie who decamps to…
Holy Smoke (1999): Dir. Jane Campion
Feat. Kate Winslet, Harvey Keitel; An adventurous attempt to fuse psychological thriller, broad caricature and Eastern spirituality has guru–besotted Kate Winslet being lured…
Human 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…
Hurricane, The (1999): Dir. Norman Jewison
Feat. Denzel Washington, Liev Schreiber, Deborah Kara Unger…; Denzel Washington blows up a storm as Rubin 'Hurricane' Carter, a championship boxer unjustly imprisoned in the 1970s for a murder he did not commit.…
I Want You (1999): Dir. Michael Winterbottom
Feat. Rachel Weisz, Alessandro Nivola; Determinedly stylish mystery set in a British seaside town explores various permutations of unrequited love and sexual frustration in drawing up to…
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…
Insider, The (1999): Dir. Michael Mann
Feat. Russell Crowe, Al Pacino, Christopher Plummer…; A brooding masterpiece from dir. Mann (HEAT), who finally wrestles down a topic of sufficient weight to justify the peerless brilliance of his…
Instinct (1999): Dir. Jon Turtletaub
Feat. Anthony Hopkins, Cuba Jr. Gooding; In another mad shrink role, Anthony Hopkins loses it while studying mountain gorillas in Africa and is brought back to the US for assessment by Cuba…
It All Starts Today… (1999): Dir. Bertrand Tavernier
Feat. Philippe Torreton, Maria Pitarresi, Nadia Kaci; Determinedly humanist account of the difficulties facing a kindergarten teacher in impoverished northern France, based on the experiences of the…
Jack Frost (1999): Dir. Troy Miller
Feat. Michael Keaton, Kelly Preston, Mark Addy; After a fatal car accident, Michael Keaton returns to life as… a snowman in this rather slushy Christmas movie. Seeking to fulfil his neglected…
Jakob 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…
Jesus (Mary, Mother of Jesus) (1999): Dir. Kevin Connor
Feat. Christian Bale, Geraldine Chaplin, Hywel Bennett; Telemovie depiction of the Christ story through the eyes of Mary, that features sincere performances all round, especially from Bale. Despite being…
Jesus' Son (1999): Dir. Alison Maclean
Feat. Billy Crudup, Samantha Morton, Jack Black…; Flashback to the scungy perimeter of 70s America in the company of various rootless druggies, mainly on–again–off–again couple…
Joan of Arc (1999): Dir. Christian Duguay
Feat. Jacqueline Bisset, Powers Boothe, Maximilian Schell…; The French heroine, brought to the small–screen with a big name cast.
Judgement Day: The Ellie Nesler Story (1999): Dir. Stephen Tolkin
Feat. Christine Lahti, Mary Kay Place, Aidan Devine…; Made for television movie that recounts the real–life trial of a Bible–quoting mother who murdered the repeat sex offender that had…
Judging Amy (TV Series) (1999-2005): Feat. Amy Brenneman, Richard T. Jones, Tyne Daly…; Wholesome drama with Amy Brenneman as a family court judge, focuses on the trials and tribulations of three generations of women living together.…
L.A. Clubland (1999): Dir. Mary Lambert
Feat. Alexis Arquette, Lori Petty; The extravagance and exploitation of the L.A. music industry, according to insider Glen Ballard (producer of Alanis Morrisette and Aerosmith) and…
L.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…
La Veuve de Saint-Pierre (Widow Of Saint-Pierre) (1999): Dir. Patrice Leconte
Feat. Emir Kusturica, Juliette Binoche, Daniel Auteuil; In 1850, on a tiny island near Canada, an oafish Emir Kusturica is sentenced to die by guillotine. While waiting for an executioner to arrive from…
Lies (Gojitmal) (1999): Dir. Jang Sun-Woo
Feat. Kim Tae Yeon, Lee Sang Hyun; Highly controversial in its native Korea (the source novel was banned) this tale of S&M sex–addiction between a schoolgirl and an older…
Life Before This, The (1999): Dir. Jerry Ciccoritti
Feat. Sarah Polley, Stephen Rea, Joe Pantoliano…; Based loosely on a real–life shootout in Toronto, this ambitious drama postulates life as a mosaic of interconnected actions, where often…
Limbo (1999): Dir. John Sayles
Feat. David Strathairn, Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio; John Sayles, the doyen of American independents, succeeds all Johnny–Come–Lately's with an arresting, multi–layered fable that…
Longitude (1999): Dir. Charles Sturridge
Feat. Jeremy Irons, Michael Gambon, Stephen Fry…; Adapted from the book by Dava Sobel, this tells the intriguing story surrounding the 18th century search for an accurate way to calculate longitude,…
Loss of Sexual Innocence, The (1999): Dir. Mike Figgis
Feat. Julian Sands, Saffron Burrows; Intriguing, largely slated work from Dir. Mike Figgis (LEAVING LAS VEGAS) takes poetic licence to extremes with a series of interwoven, symbolic…
Lost 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) (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.…
Lunatics Ball, The (1999): Dir. Michael Thorp
Feat. Michael Daly, Jane Irwin, Sarah Ashworth…; Idiosyncratic indie set around a doctor’s efforts to apply his unorthodox ideas in a psych–ward which is slowly coming unstuck. More…
Man On the Moon (1999): 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…
Mansfield Park (1999): Dir. Patricia Rozema
Feat. Frances O’Connor, Embeth Davidtz, Alessandro Nivola…; Refashions one of Jane Austen's quirkier novels by drawing on the 19th century writer's own journals and letters, with the dir. of WHEN NIGHT IS…
Message in a Bottle (1999): Dir. Luis Mandoki
Feat. Robin Wright, Kevin Costner; Troubled divorcee Robin Wright Penn discovers a bottled letter from a bereaved widower (Kevin Costner) to his late wife, and is moved enough to seek…
Mifune (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…
Million Dollar Hotel, The (1999): Dir. Wim Wenders
Feat. Mel Gibson, Jeremy Davies, Milla Jovovich…; Dir. Wim Wenders (WINGS OF DESIRE) works–up his latest narrative of modern alienation in the scuzzy, titular hotel (which actually exists in…
Miss Julie (1999): Dir. Mike Figgis
Feat. Saffron Burrows, Peter Mullan, Mary Doyle Kennedy; The puritan 19th century Swedish setting of August Strindberg's one–act play yields dramatic dividends in its fraught affair between flighty…
Moloch (1999): Dir. Alexandr Sokurov
Feat. Yelena Rufanova, Leonid Mozgovoy; Typically Sokurov, the dir. of RUSSIAN ARK turns his filtered lens on a day in the life of Adolf Hitler and Eva Braun, concerned more with the…
Molokai - The Story of Father Damien (1999): Dir. Paul Cox
Feat. David Wenham, Sam Neill, Peter O'Toole…; An earnest account of a Belgian priest’s heroic efforts in the Hawaiian leper colony of Molokai in the 1870s, distinguished by its intriguing tale…
Music of the Heart (1999): Dir. Wes Craven
Feat. Meryl Streep; Meryl Streep crafts potentially saccharine material into a credible drama, playing an real–life violin teacher who founded a series of…
Nora (1999): Dir. Pat Murphy
Feat. Ewan McGregor, Susan Lynch; Cliche–avoiding though at times awkward biopic of Nora Barnacle's marriage to writer James Joyce in the early 20th century. Based on the book…
Not One Less (1999): Dir. Zhang Yimou
Feat. Wei Minzhi; 13–year old peasant–girl Wei Minzhi is handed the responsibility of substitute–teaching a class of children in a rural China…
October Sky (1999): Dir. Joe Johnston
Feat. Homer H Hickam Jnr, Chris Cooper, Laura Dern…; Based on the memoirs of former NASA rocket–scientist Homer H. Hickam Jnr, who had the ambition to flourish beyond his roots in West Virginia…
Oliver Twist (TV Series) (1999): Dir. Renny Rye
Feat. Alan Bleasdale, Julie Walters, Robert Lindsay…; Charles Dickens' enduring classic of orphan Oliver's hardships in Victorian London. Here the timeless story gets the lavish six hour treatment at…
Onegin (1999): Dir. Martha Fiennes
Feat. Ralph Fiennes, Liv Tyler; The classic, passionate Russian poem by Pushkin is lavished with whole–hearted sympathy in this adaptation, the dir.'s brother Ralph Fiennes…
Passion (1999): Dir. Peter Duncan
Feat. Richard Roxburgh, Barbara Hershey, Claudia Karvan; Inspired by the early life of eccentric Australian pianist/composer Percy Grainger, and while well–shot and thoughtful, is firmly located at…
Pirates of Silicon Valley (1999): Dir. Martyn Burke
Feat. Anthony Michael Hall, Noah Wyle; History of the PC–computer revolution gets the telemovie treatment, with Bill Gates (Anthony Michael Hall) and Apple founder Steve Jobs (Noah…
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…
Pornographer, The (1999): Dir. Doug Aitchison
Feat. Craig Wasson; A despairing young loner finds self–esteem and success as a pornographer, but quickly finds himself on the receiving end of exploitation. Rises…
Pornographic Affair, A (An Affair Of Love) (1999): Dir. Frederic Fonteyne
Feat. Nathalie Baye, Sergi Lopez; A decidedly unpornographic meditation upon the mutability of human desires and emotions, with Nathalie Baye and Sergi Lopez as a nameless couple who…
Postmen in the Mountains (Nashan naren nagou) (1999): Dir. Jianqi Huo; A simply conveyed fable of 'youth' coming to an understanding of 'age', with a young man accompanying his father on a long–held postal delivery…
Praise (1999): Dir. John Curran
Feat. Sacha Horler; Sex, beer and co–dependency dominate this brazen, bleakly comic study of a doomed relationship between two afflicted souls (he with asthma, she…
Queer as Folk (TV Series) (1999): 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…
Random Hearts (1999): Dir. Sydney Pollack
Feat. Kristin Scott Thomas, Harrison Ford; Both widowed by the same plane–crash, Kristen Scott Thomas and Harrison Ford put the pieces together and discover their respective spouses were…
Ratcatcher (1999): Dir. Lynne Ramsay
Feat. William Eadie; Set during the 1970s garbage strike in Glasgow, this intensely stylish though sombre Scottish childhood tragedy features an unusual mix of the…
RKO 281 (1999): Dir. Benjamin Ross
Feat. Liev Schreiber, James Cromwell, John Malkovich; Tells the story of The Battle Of CITIZEN KANE, Orson Welles' brilliant debut film which was blocked by media–baron Randolph Hearst who felt the…
Romance (1999): Dir. Catherine Breillat
Feat. Caroline Ducey, Sagamore Stevenin; A schoolteacher's boyfriend loses sexual interest in her, so she embarks on a series of unlikely sexual encounters in search of intimacy and…
Room for Romeo Brass, A (1999): Dir. Shane Meadows
Feat. Paddy Considine; This extraordinary coming–of–age story places two twelve–year–old boys in the company of a well–meaning but…
Rosetta (1999): Dir. Luc and Jean-Pierre Dardenne
Feat. Emilie Dequenne; Drawing creative parallels with the Danish 'Dogma' movement, this is a rigidly intense study in survivalism that forsakes any plot contrivance to…
Scarlet Pimpernel, The (Mini Series) (1999): Dir. Simon Langton
Feat. Richard E. Grant, Elizabeth McGovern; A lively television adaptation of the Baroness Orczy's famous novel set around the bloody chaos of post–revolutionary France and one English…
Secret Men's Business (1999): Dir. Ken Cameron
Feat. Ben Mendelsohn; Solid and unflashy Australian drama in which a group of friends reunite – BIG CHILL–style – for beachside reminiscences after the…
Shopgirls (TV Series) (Commesse) (1999): A haute couture boutique in Rome is the playground for six headstrong, fiercely independent women in this colorful, empowering Italian soap opera…
Siam 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…
Simon Magus (1999): Dir. Ben Hopkins
Feat. Noah Taylor, Stuart Townsend, Embeth Davidtz…; A subtly woven tale of communal fears and religious differences set in a small town in 1900s Poland, based around a young man who alienates his…
Simple Life Of Noah Dearborn, The (1999): Dir. Gregg Champion
Feat. Sidney Poitier, Dianne Wiest, Mary-Louise Parker…; Poitier excels in this moving story of an enigmatic, elderly carpenter whose peaceful existance is disrupted when he discovers his 35 acres of land…
Soft 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…
Sopranos, The (TV Series) - Season 1 (1999): Dir. Nick Gomez, John Patterson, David Chase
Feat. James Gandolfini, Edie Falco, Lorraine Bracco…; Groundbreaking TV–series that ironically portrays the life of a New Jersey Mafia clan as a parade of suburban neurosis, pop–culture…
Sopranos, The - Complete Collector's Boxset (TV Series) (1999-2007): The landmark HBO mafia series is at last given the boxset treatment with this 28–disc collector's edition.
Story of a Bad Boy, The (1999): Dir. Tom Donaghy
Feat. Jeremy Hollingworth, Christian Camargo; Taken from the dir.’s stageplay, this not–so–bad gay teen drama sets itelf in early 80s New Jersey with student Jeremy Hollingworth…
Story of Us, The (1999): Dir. Rob Reiner
Feat. Bruce Willis, Michelle Pfeiffer; Married couple Bruce Willis and Michele Pfeiffer enter a trial separation, and reflect on their fifteen year relationship by confiding in their…
Strange Fits of Passion (1999): Dir. Elise McCredie
Feat. Michela Noonan; On a quest to lose her virginity, break out of the rut and gain some life–experience, Michela Noonan goes after a reclusive…
Summer of Sam (1999): Dir. Spike Lee
Feat. John Leguizamo, Adrien Brody, Mira Sorvino…; Getting some distance from his usual street–scene, Spike Lee lets off a real firecracker of a film, set during the heatwave summer of 1977,…
Sunburn (1999): Dir. Nelson Hume
Feat. Paloma Baeza, Cillian Murphy, Barry Ward…; Minor–key indie with Paloma Baeza as an Irish drifter who takes the easy path of a summer’s slacking in Long Island, USA. Music by The High…
Sunset Strip (1999): Dir. Adam Collis
Feat. Jared Leto, Tommy Flanagan, Adam Goldberg…; Not the BOOGIE–NIGHTS–retread it appears, this intimate, reflective tribute to Los Angeles' hedonistic club…
Talk of Angels (1999): Dir. Nick Hamm
Feat. Polly Walker, Vincent Perez, Frances McDormand; Undeniably polished costume epic, sees Irish governess Polly Walker transplanted to the aristocratic Spanish household of Franco Nero during the…
Tea with Mussolini (1999): Dir. Franco Zeffirelli
Feat. Judi Dench, Joan Plowright, Maggie Smith…; Dir. Franco Zeffirelli's childhood memoirs form the basis of this well–mannered period fancy that draws weight from the grand Dames of British…
Things You Can Tell Just by Looking at Her (1999): Dir. Rodrigo Garcia
Feat. Glenn Close, Cameron Diaz, Holly Hunter…; A quietly impressive portmanteau film, portraying the interior lives of five Los Angeles women in crisis, this was unfairly shelved after its…
Third Miracle, The (1999): Dir. Agnieszka Holland
Feat. Ed Harris, Anne Heche, Armin Mueller-Stahl…; It's religious scepticism that's tested in this thoughtful drama, whereby a grizzled Ed Harris must judge the apparent healing touch of a dying…
Third Watch (TV Series) (1999-2005): Feat. Michael Beach, Bobby Cannavale, Kim Raver…; Three–pronged drama series charting the intersecting lives of New York City firefighters, paramedics and police officers in the (fictional)…
This 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…
Three Seasons (1999): Dir. Tony Bui
Feat. Harvey Keitel; The first US film to be shot in post–war Vietnam, this intertwined series of four tales set in contemporary Saigon, rapturously conveys a…
Time Regained (Le Temps Retrouve) (1999): Dir. Raul Ruiz
Feat. Catherine Deneuve, Emmanuelle Beart, John Malkovich…; Legendary surrealist Chilean director Ruiz takes a break from his schedule or runaway obscurities (most sadly unavailable in NZ) for this legit…
Titus (1999): Dir. Julie Taymor
Feat. Anthony Hopkins, Jessica Lange, Alan Cumming…; A ferocious, no–holds–barred reading by Anthony Hopkins, Jessica Lange and Alan Cumming of Shakespeare's early play, the baroque, and…
Topsy-Turvy (1999): Dir. Mike Leigh
Feat. Jim Broadbent, Timothy Spall, Allan Corduner…; Rewarding biopic of Gilbert & Sullivan's ('HMS Pinafore', 'Pirates of Penzance') creative partnership that yields not so much drama as fascinating,…
Tube Tales (1999): Dir. Various
Feat. Ray Winstone, Jason Flemyng, Rachel Weisz; Nine true–life tales of the London Underground, with an allcomers British cast (Ray Winstone, Jason Flemyng, Rachel Weisz and more) and a load…
Tumbleweeds (1999): Dir. Gavin O'Connor
Feat. Janet McTeer, Gavin O'Connor, Kimberly J Brown; Exceptional mother–daughter drama that won British actress Janet McTeer an Oscar nomination for her dedicated portrait of a sassy, impetuous…
Turn Of The Screw, The (Henry James' The Turn Of The Screw) (1999): Dir. Ben Bolt
Feat. Jodhi May, Colin Firth, Caroline Pegg; TV movie adaptation of the classic Henry James horror novella about a governess who is haunted by the ghost of her predecessor.
Twin Falls Idaho (1999): Dir. Michael Polish
Feat. Michael Polish, Mark Polish; Unique film on the subject of Siamese twins has an extra spin – the identical twin writer–director team also play the lead roles.…
Up at the Villa (1999): Dir. Philip Haas
Feat. Sean Penn, Kristin Scott Thomas, Anne Bancroft; Adrift in pre–fascist 1930s Italy, widowed Englishwoman Kirsten Scott Thomas lives on the generosity of her well–heeled peers before…
Varsity 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 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…
Walk On the Moon, A (1999): Dir. Tony Goldwyn
Feat. Diane Lane, Anna Paquin, Viggo Mortensen; Taking a fairly cynical view of the moral grunginess of the hippie 1960s, actor Tony Goldwyn's directorial debut is blessed with a nuanced script and…
West Wing, The - Complete Collector's Boxset (TV Series) (1999-2005): Presidential–sized boxset of the complete seven season White House term. 42 discs.
West Wing, The - Season 1 (TV Series) (1999): Dir. Various, Michael Lehmann, Thomas Schlamme
Feat. Martin Sheen, Rob Lowe, Moira Kelly…; One of the most popular (and lauded) US TV–series of recent years, set in a White House presided over by Martin Sheen and his staff. With…
What Becomes of the Broken Hearted? (1999): Dir. Ian Mune
Feat. Temuera Morrison, Nancy Brunning; Alan Duff–scripted sequel to his novel ONCE WERE WARRIORS is as good a sequel as one could reasonably expect. Story continues some years on…
When Love Comes (1999): Dir. Garth Maxwell
Feat. Rena Owen, Simon Prast, Nancy Brunning…; Earnest tableaux of straight, gay, lesbian and platonic relationships underscored by a music motif and sombre themes of compromise and loss.…
Wild Blue (1999): Dir. Dale G. Bradley
Feat. Nicola Murphy, Judge Reinhold; The wilds of Otago serve as a backdrop for this modern drama, with young Nicola Murphy (MAGIK AND ROSE) returning to NZ to assume a postponed role of…
Winslow Boy, The (1999): Dir. David Mamet
Feat. Nigel Hawthorne, Rebecca Pidgeon, Jeremy Northam; Writer–Director extraordinaire David Mamet changes pace, eschewing fiery dialogue for a subtly–modulated evocation of the Edwardian…
Yi Yi (A One and a Two) (1999): Dir. Edward Yang
Feat. Nien-Jen Wu, Elaine Jin, Issey Ogata; Masterful cinema – a drama that loosely surveys a middle–class family in contemporary Taipei, encompassing a wealth of human observation…
15 Amore (1998): Dir. Maurice Murphy
Feat. Steve Bastoni, Lisa Hensley; Set in the Australian hinterland during the closing months of WWII, this outlines a domestic drama of forbidden attractions with a gratifyingly light…
2 Seconds (1998): Dir. Manon Briand
Feat. Charlotte Laurier, Dino Tavarone; A frothily enjoyable drama set around a mountain–bike rider (Laurier), who despite an addiction to the thrills of high speed cycling, is forced…
54 (1998): Dir. Mark Christopher
Feat. Mike Myers, Ryan Phillippe, Salma Hayek…; Glittering, puffed–up retro–piece centres around the quintessential New York disco spot, Studio 54, and appropriately cruises on an empty…
A Soldier's Daughter Never Cries (1998): Dir. James Ivory
Feat. Kris Kristofferson, Leelee Sobieski, Barbara Hershey…; Merchant/Ivory make one of their rare ventures into recent history, with a surprisingly eloquent depiction of an expatriate American family stoically…
Acid House, The (1998): Dir. Paul McGuigan
Feat. Stephen McCole, Maurice Roeves, Garry Sweeney; Those with a taste for undiluted Irvine Welsh (author of TRAINSPOTTING) will find warts–and–all satisfaction in this portmanteau of three…
Afterglow (1998): Dir. Alan Rudolph
Feat. Nick Nolte, Julie Christie, Lara Flynn Boyle…; At times precious but ultimately wise drama of multiple adulteries sees disjointed couple Nick Nolte (plumber) and Julie Christie (ex–horror…
Alice Et Martin (1998): Dir. Andre Techine
Feat. Juliette Binoche, Carmen Maura, Mathieu Amalric; A maladjusted young drifter (Alexis Loret) has success as a Paris fashion model and a torrid love affair with his half–brother's…
Ambassador, The (1998-1999): Feat. Pauline Collins, Tom Connolly, Denis Lawson; An intriguing series examines the pitfalls of the diplomatic life with Pauline Collins as England's Ambassador to Ireland. Continually under fire the…
American History X (1998): Dir. Tony Kaye
Feat. Edward Norton, Edward Furlong, Stacy Keach…; Potent dissertation on generational anger among the skinhead community of Los Angeles' Venice Beach, that though flawed by brushes with cliche, is a…
Amistad (1998): Dir. Steven Spielberg
Feat. Anthony Hopkins, Morgan Freeman, Matthew McConaughey; Laying bare his socio–historical conscience (a much better prospect post–SCHINDLER'S LIST), Steven Speilberg sets sail with an epic of…
Among Giants (1998): Dir. Sam Miller
Feat. Pete Postlethwaite, Rachel Griffiths; Quirky, lowkey romance from the writer of FULL MONTY, follows the travails of a group of daredevil labourers who paint high–voltage…
An Autumn Tale (1998): 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…
Another Day in Paradise (1998): Dir. Larry Clark
Feat. Melanie Griffiths, Vincent Kartheiser, Natasha Gregson Wagner…; The director of KIDS injects his trademark 'heroin chic' into the lowlife crime genre, though the effect by now seems passe and unshocking.…
Basil (1998): Dir. Radha Bharadwaj
Feat. Jared Leto, Christian Slater, Derek Jacobi…; Novel–based Victorian–era romance starring a veritable feast of eye candy in the form of Leto, Slater and Forlani as the beautiful young…
Beau Travail (1998): Dir. Claire Denis
Feat. Denis Lavant, Michel Subor, Gregoire Colin; Best Film of 2000 for many highbrow critics, this oblique study of jealousy and power in the ranks of the French Foreign Legion is pure…
Beloved (1998): Dir. Jonathan Demme
Feat. Oprah Winfrey, Thandiwe Newton, Danny Glover; Risk–taking adaptation of Toni Morrison's novel of rural Southern Gothic, former–slave Ophrey Winfrey (her first role since THE COLOUR…
Berkeley Square (TV Mini-series) (1998): Feat. Victoria Smurfit, Tabitha Wady, Clare Wilkie; Mini–series following three woman from very different backgrounds who all gain positions as nannies for wealthy families living on Berkeley…
Besieged (1998): Dir. Bernardo Bertolucci
Feat. Thandiwe Newton, David Thewlis; Returning to a 'chamber–piece' setting reminiscent of LAST TANGO IN PARIS, dir. Bertolucci unfolds an enigmatic relationship in a Rome…
Bird People In China, The (Chûgoku no chôjin) (1998): Dir. Takashi Miike
Feat. Masahiro Motoki, Renji Ishibashi; Visually rich and accomplished drama set around a parallel journey by a businessman and a yakuza gangster to a remote Chinese highland in search of a…
Book of Life (1998): Dir. Hal Hartley
Feat. Martin Donovan, Polly Jean Harvey, Thomas Jay Ryan; The return of Jesus Christ in the hours prior to Armageddon, December 31, 1999, is told in a series of wry, amusing and thoughtful scenes by indie…
Boxer, The (1998): Dir. Jim Sheridan
Feat. Daniel Day-Lewis, Emily Watson; Former IRA man Daniel Day–Lewis is released from 14 years behind bars to set up a non–sectarian community boxing club while private wars…
Boys, The (1998): Dir. Rowan Woods
Feat. David Wenham, Toni Collette; Released from prison, prodigal brother David Wenham casually worms his way back into the fold – a cramped family 'castle' in the depths of some…
Brave, The (1998): Dir. Johnny Depp
Feat. Johnny Depp, Marlon Brando; Johnny Depp's much–derided directorial debut is an over–ambitious epic look at a desperate character who sells himself into snuff movies.…
Buffalo 66 (1998): Dir. Vincent Gallo
Feat. Vincent Gallo, Christina Ricci, Ben Gazzara…; Released from prison after doing someone else's time, an embittered yet benign loner sets about evening the score, but not before kidnapping a sweet…
Butcher Boy, The (1998): 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…
Central Station (1998): Dir. Walter Salles
Feat. Fernanda Montenegro; A cantankerous woman who writes letters for the illiterate at Rio De Janeiro's train station obliges to help a 9–year–old boy locate his…
Chance or Coincidence (1998): Dir. Claude Lelouch
Feat. Alessandra Martines, Pierre Arditi, Marc Hollogne; Bereaved wife Alessandra Martine speeds like a comet through this intriguing comedy from dir. Lelouch equal parts melodrama, musical and…
Charmed (TV Series) (1998-2005): Feat. Shannen Doherty, Alyssa Milano, Holly Marie Combs; A career–reviving hit for Doherty and Milano, as two of a trio of sisters who discover they have the supernatural powers of witches. This…
Children of Heaven (1998): Dir. Majid Majidi
Feat. Mohammad Amir Naji, Amir Farrokh Hashemian, Bahare Seddiqi; More simplicity from Iran in this child's tale of small disasters and small triumphs, as a lost pair of shoes provides a catalyst for change for a…
Chinese Box (1998): Dir. Wayne Wang
Feat. Jeremy Irons, Gong Li, Maggie Cheung; Set in Hong Kong just prior to the British handover to China, this follows the last dissatisfied days of dying journalist Jeremy Irons as he pads the…
City of Angels (1998): Dir. Brad Silberling
Feat. Meg Ryan, Nicolas Cage; Hollywood resurrects Wim Wenders' classic WINGS OF DESIRE as a syrupy romantic vehicle for eligible everywoman Meg Ryan. A leaden, fatally miscast…
Coming Home (TV mini-series) (1998): Dir. Giles Foster
Feat. Joanna Lumley, Peter O'Toole, Emily Mortimer…; Star–studded adaptation of Rosamunde Pilcher's best–selling novel of love, friendship and the discovery of womanhood set on the Cornish…
Cookie's Fortune (1998): 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…
Così ridevano (The Way We Laughed) (1998): Dir. Gianni Amelio
Feat. Enrico Lo Verso, Francesco Giuffrida; A superbly novelistic epic set amid the rigours of post–WW2 Italy where two poor Sicilian brothers settle in northern Turin in search of future…
Dance Me to My Song (1998): Dir. Rolf De Heer
Feat. Heather Rose; Like the thriller PROOF, this Australian drama grapples with the subtle psychology of disability, here involving lead actress (and co–creator)…
Dancing at Lughnasa (1998): Dir. Pat O'Connor
Feat. Meryl Streep, Michael Gambon, Catherine McCormack; The acclaimed stageplay by Brian Friel is given a top notch cast to embody the passionate Irish dilemmas of its characters. Family and National…
Dawson's Creek (TV Series) (1998-2002): Dir. Rodman Flender, Arvin Brown
Feat. Katie Holmes, James Van Der Beek, Michelle Williams…; The popular post–modern teen melodrama created by the writer of SCREAM, Kevin Williamson. On tape – two favourite episodes: ‘The…
Dead Letter Office (1998): Dir. John Ruane
Feat. Miranda Otto; Miranda Otto impresses as a perky lonely–heart who's lifelong search for her missing father resumes when she gets a job at the postal Dead…
Deep Impact (1998): Dir. Mimi Leder
Feat. Robert Duvall, Tea Leoni, Morgan Freeman…; Contrasting the gung–ho cartoonery of the other meteor–disaster–pic, ARMAGEDDON, this chooses to show the 'human side' of an…
Destiny of Her Own, A (Dangerous Beauty) (1998): Dir. Marshall Herskovitz
Feat. Catherine McCormack, Rufus Sewell; Historical romance that profits from a sensuous 16th century Venetian setting, as the low–prospect Catherine McCormack opts for the tradeoffs…
Don King: Only in America (1998): Dir. John Herzfeld
Feat. Ving Rhames, Vondie Curtis Hall; Ving Rhames combs up as the notorious boxing impressario in this admirable, Emmy–award winning bio. Avoids all reductions of a rather…
Dreaming of Joseph Lees (1998): Dir. Eric Styles
Feat. Samantha Morton, Rupert Graves, Lee Ross; Moderately adventurous psycho–drama set in late 1950s Somerset has the young Samantha Morton (UNDER THE SKIN) leading a vivid fantasy life with…
Dreamlife of Angels, The (1998): Dir. Erick Zonca
Feat. Elodie Bouchez, Natacha Regnier; Displaying the laconic influence of Eric Rohmer, the French critical triumph of 1998 explores with a contemporary honesty the friendship between two…
Drifting Clouds (1998): Dir. Aki Kaurismaki
Feat. Kati Outinen, Kari Vaananen, Elina Salo…; Day–glo colours collide with glum silences in Aki Kaurismaki's unemployment comedy, effortlessly combining the previously unreconcilable genres…
Earth (1998): Dir. Deepa Mehta
Feat. Maia Sethna, Nandita Das, Kitu Gidwani; The director of FIRE takes on another controversial element of modern India with the second in her (proposed) trilogy – a humanistic view of…
Elizabeth (1998): Dir. Shekhar Kapur
Feat. Cate Blanchett, Geoffrey Rush, Joseph Fiennes…; Attended by much ballyhoo, Australian actress Cate Blanchett fruitfully represents England's famous Queen as a key player in the sex…
Endurance (1998): Dir. Leslie Woodhead; Quietly profound docu–drama on the life of the 1996 Olympic 10,000 metre champion, Haile Gebrselassie, gives unique insight into the man behind…
Eternity and a Day (1998): Dir. Theo Angelopoulos
Feat. Bruno Ganz; A slow, austere cinematic journey in which memories and present–day events mesh in the thought–processes of a dying Greek writer (Bruno…
Far from the Madding Crowd (1998): Dir. Nicholas Renton
Feat. Paloma Baeza, Nigel Terry, Nathaniel Parker; Handsome production of Thomas Hardy's moody classic, which follows the life an impulsive, independent woman who ensnares – and almost destroys…
Felicity (TV Series) (1998): Dir. Matt Reeves
Feat. Keri Russell; Mousy high–school graduate Russell follows her heart (i.e. the boy she has a crush on) to college in New York City, in this sweetly engaging…
Fishing Trip, The (1998): Dir. Amnon Buchbinder
Feat. Jhene Erwin, Melissa Hood, Anna Henry; Independent drama made when director Amnon Buchbinder was a student at the Candian Film Centre, telling a story of two sisters who confront their…
Frenchman's Creek (1998): Dir. Ferninand Fairfax
Feat. Tara Fitzgerald, Anthony Delon, Tim Dutton; Rollicking, handsome adaptation that deviates somewhat from Daphne Du Maurier's classic tale of the love affair between an impulsive English lady and…
From the Earth to the Moon (TV Series) (1998): Feat. Dylan Baker, Adam Baldwin, Gary Cole…; Truly epic dramatisation of the Apollo space programme – produced by Tom Hanks after the success of APOLLO 13 – which looks at the entire…
General, The (1998): Dir. John Boorman
Feat. Brendan Gleeson, Jon Voight; Top–rate return to form for dir. Boorman, styling the career of true–life Dublin gangster Martin Cahill as an epic comedy of criminal…
Get Real (1998): Dir. Simon Shore
Feat. Ben Silverstone; This British tale of a teen schoolboy's frustratingly closeted affair with the athletic head boy of his high school makes the grade to appeal to…
Gia (1998): Dir. Michael Christofer
Feat. Angelina Jolie, Faye Dunaway, Mercedes Ruehl; Creditable TV biopic of 70s/80s supermodel Gia Marie Curangi notable for the uninhibited performance of a young Angelina Jolie. Entering the…
Girls' Night (1998): 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…
Gods and Monsters (1998): Dir. Bill Condon
Feat. Ian McKellen, Brendan Fraser, Lynn Redgrave; In one of the more quietly celebrated dramas of the year, Sir Ian McKellen creates a finely shaded, Oscar–nominated role as real–life gay…
Goodnight Mister Tom (Goodnight Mr. Tom) (1998): Dir. Jack Gold
Feat. John Thaw; Touching tele–adaptation of the beloved wartime novel about a young boy relocated during London’s air raids to live with an old hermit in the…
Governess, The (1998): Dir. Sandra Goldbacher
Feat. Minnie Driver, Tom Wilkinson, Jonathan Rhys Meyers; In possibly her most challenging role to date, Minnie Driver dons Victorian costume as a subversively intelligent Jewess who goes into service for a…
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…
Great Expectations (1998): Dir. Alfonso Cuaron
Feat. Ethan Hawke, Gwyneth Paltrow, Anne Bancroft…; Bold revamp of the Charles Dickens classic traces the inter–twining fortunes of Ethan Hawke and Gwyneth Paltrow, orphans linked via a murky…
Happiness (1998): Dir. Todd Solondz
Feat. Lara Flynn Boyle, Dylan Baker, Philip Seymour Hoffman…; Controversial is the byword for this disturbing trawl through the sad–case lives of various American suburbanites and their families (Lara…
He Got Game (1998): Dir. Spike Lee
Feat. Denzel Washington; Those persistent bugbears about race and personal responsibility hold centre–court again for writer–director Spike Lee in this…
Head On (1998): Dir. Ana Kokkinos
Feat. Alex Demitriades; Touted as a 'rebel without a cause'–pinup for the 90s, former soap–star Alex Dimitriades grapples with homosexuality and…
Henry Fool (1998): Dir. Hal Hartley
Feat. Thomas Jay Ryan, Parker Posey, James Urbaniak…; Hal Hartley gathers several unlikely narrative threads concerning a bottled–up trashman composing an epic poem while under the spell of…
Hi-Lo Country, The (1998): Dir. Stephen Frears
Feat. Billy Crudup, Woody Harrelson, Patricia Arquette; Long left out to pasture, the male–bonding cowboy genre is saddled–up and mounted by dir. Stephen Frears (THE GRIFTERS), who honours the…
High Art (1998): Dir. Lisa Cholodenko
Feat. Radha Mitchell, Ally Sheedy; Accepted into the fold of her washed–up, drug–addled neighbours, a curious young photojournalist (Rahda Mitchell) finds professional and…
Higher 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.…
Hilary and Jackie (1998): Dir. Anand Tucker
Feat. Emily Watson, Rachel Griffiths; Musical biopic buoyed by a quite fascinating subject – prodigious English Cellist Jacqueline Du Pre – adapted from the controversial…
Hope Floats (1998): Dir. Forest Whittaker
Feat. Sandra Bullock, Harry Connick Jnr., Gena Rowlands; It's back to the hometown for former prom–queen Sandra Bullock, jilted by her husband and best friend on a live TV talkshow. Here she heals the…
Hornblower (TV Series) (1998-2003): Feat. Ioan Gruffudd; Lavish, high–end production of C. S. Forester's legendary Horatio Hornblower, with Ioan Gruffudd staunchly portraying the British Naval…
Horse Whisperer, The (1998): Dir. Robert Redford
Feat. Robert Redford, Kristin Scott Thomas, Scarlett Johansson…; A modern–day 'horse opera' saddles up with Robert Redford both directing and starring in the title role of an appropriately handsome version of…
Houdini (1998): Dir. Pen Densham
Feat. Paul Sorvino, George Segal, Rhea Perlman; Well–equipped with a bevy of character actors, this biopic of the famous escape–artist goes on to detail Harry's seance–debunking…
Hurlyburly (1998): Dir. Anthony Drazan
Feat. Sean Penn, Kevin Spacey, Chazz Palminteri…; Demoralising 'character study' of four middle–aged film industry parasites who hang out and pontificate the meaning of their pathetic lives…
Idiots, The (1998): Dir. Lars Von Trier
Feat. Bodil Jorgensen, Jens Albinus, Anne Louise Hassing…; One of the fruits of Dogma 95, this sensationally conceived outing from von Trier will satisfy those with a penchant for the experimental, and…
Illuminata (1998): Dir. John Turturro
Feat. Beverly D'Angelo, Susan Sarandon, Rufus Sewell…; A backstage drama set in New York in the early 1900s, with Turturro as a playwright struggling to get his latest effort on stage. With a dozen…
Inheritors, The (Die Siebtelbauern) (1998): Dir. Stefan Ruzowitzky; An earthily subversive drama set among a rural community of peasants and masters in an idyllic Austrian valley in the early 20th century. When the…
Interview, The (1998): Dir. Craig Monahan
Feat. Hugo Weaving; Sleek, edgy Aussie drama works a detailed script and a sharp cast to pile layers of ambiguity and guilt into a standard interrogation premise. Winner…
Kings in Grass Castles (TV Mini-series) (1998): Dir. John Woods
Feat. Max Cullen, Fionnula Flanagan, Essie Davis…; Chronicles the hard life of an Irish peasant family who flee the potato famine and emigrate to Australia in the second half of the 19th century.…
Kundun (1998): Dir. Martin Scorsese
Feat. Tenzin Thuthob Tsarong, Gyurme Tethong, Tencho Gyalpo; Not to be accused this time of repeating himself, the venerable Martin Scorsese clambers the Tibetan plateau for this unique biopic of the Dalai…
L'Ennui (1998): Dir. Cedric Kahn
Feat. Charles Berling, Arielle Dombasle, Sophie Guillermin; The tale of the restless and infuriating sexual obsession that a philosophy professor develops for an uncomplicated young woman. Observing their…
Land Girls, The (1998): Dir. David Leland
Feat. Catherine McCormack, Rachel Weisz, Anna Friel; Gently romantic look at the lives of three young women serving old Blighty during World War II as members of the nearly forgotten Women's Land Army.…
Last Bus Home, The (1998): Dir. Johnny Gogan
Feat. Annie Ryan, Brian F. O'Byrne, Anthony Brophy…; Opening to the angry punk–rock culture of late '70s Dublin and a 'COMMITMENTS'–style band–struggle, this changes its tune midway…
Last 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…
Last Night (1998): Dir. Don McKellar
Feat. Don McKellar, Callum Keith Rennie, Sandra Oh…; Ingeniously crafted drama from actor Don McKellar, who stars here too, as one of six people spending the last six hours before the end of the world…
Late 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…
Left Luggage (1998): Dir. Jeroen Krabbe
Feat. Isabella Rossellini, Marianne Sagebrecht, Laura Fraser; Concerning a free–spirited young woman working as a nanny in a Jewish household in Antwerp, this resolutely serious drama struggles with…
Legend of 1900, The (1998): Dir. Giuseppe Tornatore
Feat. Tim Roth, Pruitt Taylor Vince, Bill Nunn…; A beautiful and completely impossible tale about a musician (Tim Roth) whose life is defined by the luxury ocean liner on which he has grown up –…
Les Miserables (1998): Dir. Bille August
Feat. Liam Neeson, Geoffrey Rush, Uma Thurman…; Victor Hugo's epic tale of France circa 1820 is dusted off once more, Liam Neeson here being forever dogged by Inspector Javert (Geoffrey Rush…
Life 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…
Like It Is (1998): Dir. Paul Oremland
Feat. Steve Bell, Roger Daltrey; Amateur boxing champ Steve Bell does well in his acting debut as a naïve prizefighter who abandons violent life in Blackpool's underworld to find…
Little Voice (1998): Dir. Mark Herman
Feat. Jane Horrocks, Brenda Blethyn, Michael Caine…; The creator of BRASSED OFF trumps up another salty, crowd–pleasing musical of aspirations, survival and opportunism in the English…
Living Out Loud (1998): 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…
Love And Rage (1998): Dir. Cathal Black
Feat. Greta Scacchi, Daniel Craig, Stephen Dillane; Tantalising Irish melodrama starring Greta Scacchi as an English aristocrat who hires Daniel Craig as manager for her sumptuous estate and ends up…
Love Etc. (1998): Dir. Marion Vernoux
Feat. Charlotte Gainsbourg, Charles Berling, Yvan Attal; Depicts an infernal love–triangle between three friends – taken from the novel ‘Talking It Over’ by Julian Barnes. Charming comedy…
Love is the Devil (1998): Dir. John Maybury
Feat. Derek Jacobi, Daniel Craig, Tilda Swinton; Audacious biopic of great British painter Francis Bacon (he of the 'screaming pope' paintings), travels the raw–nerve edge of artistic…
Lovers of the Arctic Circle (1998): Dir. Julio Medem
Feat. Najwa Nimri, Fele Martinez, Nancho Novo; Artful but humourless slice of 'magic realism' that follows the near–metaphysical long–term relationship between two childhood…
Lulu On the Bridge (1998): Dir. Paul Auster
Feat. Harvey Keitel, Mira Sorvino, Willem Dafoe; A baffling series of events beset jazz–saxophonist Harvey Keitel after a near–death experience in this hard–to–summarise,…
Mad City (1998): Dir. Costa-Gavras
Feat. Dustin Hoffman, John Travolta, Alan Alda…; Straight–faced media satire involving ambitious reporter Dustin Hoffman, sidelined on smalltown assignment. However he soon whips up a news…
Magnificent Seven, The (TV Series) (1998-2000): Dir. Christopher Cain
Feat. Michael Biehn, Ron Perlman, Dale Midkiff…; Detailed spin–off series from the 1960 movie THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN, continuing with the premise of seven cowboys each with a unique set of…
Marquise (1998): Dir. Vera Belmont
Feat. Sophie Marceau; Bawdy, naturalistically–styled period romp about the artistic clashes between playwrights Moliere and Racine at the court of Louis XIV. Sophie…
Meet Joe Black (1998): Dir. Martin Brest
Feat. Brad Pitt, Anthony Hopkins; Oddly original premise (actually, updated from 1934's Death Takes A Holiday), drawn out as a loopy ponder on matters of life and death. Rests on a…
Memory and Desire (1998): Dir. Niki Caro
Feat. Brenda Kendall, Yuri Kinugawa, Norman Forsey; Director Niki Caro pulls out the art–house stops for her feature debut: a love–story about a mismatched Japanese couple whose honeymoon…
Men with Guns (1998): Dir. John Sayles
Feat. Frederico Luppi; Criminally denied a theatrical release, this masterful study of Third World realities is arguably prolific indie dir. John Sayles most accomplished…
Midnight (O Primeiro Dia) (1998): Dir. Walter Salles
Feat. Fernanda Torres, Luiz Carlos Vasconcelos; Drama from director Walter Salles (ON THE ROAD) commissioned as part of the "2000, Seen By..." project in which directors from all over the world…
Miss Monday (1998): Dir. Benson Lee
Feat. James Hicks, Andrea Hart; An improving indie thriller sets its improbable but well–realised story around a struggling screenwriter, who sneaks into a woman's apartment…
Mosley (TV Mini-series) (1998): Dir. Robert Knights
Feat. Jonathon Cake, Jemma Redgrave, Eric Allan…; A four–part TV biopic of the famous English fascist Oswald Mosley, who attempted to unite Britain with the Nazis in the 1930s. As 'radical' in…
Mother and Son (1998): Dir. Alexandr Sokurov
Feat. Aleksei Ananishnov, Gudrun Geyer; Little–seen outside Europe, dir. Sokurov's dream–like films have been championed by critics (incl. Susan Sontag), and find their best…
Music from Another Room (1998): Dir. Charlie Peters
Feat. Jude Law, Jennifer Tilly, Martha Plimpton…; Rising British star Jude Law (GATTACA) tries it down–home Yankee style in this off–beat drama, varnished with folksy charm and crammed…
My Life So Far (1998): Dir. Hugh Hudson
Feat. Colin Firth, Irene Jacob, Malcolm McDowell; Set on a Scottish estate in the 1920s, this slice of nostalgia is based on the childhood memoirs of Denis Forman, a director of the Royal Opera…
My Name Is Joe (1998): Dir. Ken Loach
Feat. Peter Mullan, Louise Goodall; Dir. Ken Loach revisits his mainstay – the not–working–class of urban Britain, this time extending further north to the slums of…
Never Ever (Circle of Passion) (1998): Dir. Charles Finch
Feat. Sandrine Bonnaire, Jane March, Charles Finch…; Mediocre, if elegantly framed, this drama has an American couple (Finch and March) move to Paris and diverging into romance (with Sandrine Bonnaire)…
Nil by Mouth (1998): Dir. Gary Oldman
Feat. Ray Winstone, Kathy Burke, Charlie Creed-Miles; Brutality, poverty and drug abuse inhabit the daily reality of a South London family in actor Gary Oldman's writer/directing debut – a fierce,…
No Looking Back (1998): Dir. Edward Burns
Feat. Lauren Holly, Jon Bon Jovi, Edward Burns; Dir. Ed Burns (BROTHERS MCMULLEN) again provides a mellow, if lukewarm comedy of romance and muted expectations set among a group of…
One True Thing (1998): Dir. Carl Franklin
Feat. Renee Zellweger, Meryl Streep, William Hurt; Superlative take on the 'illness' genre, wherein Renee Zellweger returns home after sickness falls upon the family, rediscovering bonds with Mum and…
Only Thrill, The (1998): Dir. Peter Masterson
Feat. Diane Keaton, Sam Shepard, Diane Lane…; Smalltown folk Diane Keaton and Sam Shepard's unrequited love mellows into a thirty year friendship, which their children then risk repeating.…
Oscar and Lucinda (1998): Dir. Gillian Armstrong
Feat. Ralph Fiennes, Cate Blanchett, Ciaran Hinds…; The Booker Prize–winning novel, by Australian literary wunderkind Peter Carey, is spun out into a sunlit daydream of unlikely personages and…
Our Mutual Friend (Mini-series) (1998): Dir. Julian Farino
Feat. Paul McGann, Keeley Hawes; Adapted by the BBC, Charles Dickens' last novel opens on a forlorn family who earn a crust fishing corpses out of the Thames, before sifting upwards…
Permanent Midnight (1998): Dir. David Veloz
Feat. Ben Stiller, Elizabeth Hurley, Owen Wilson…; Based on the therapeutic memoirs of television writer Jerry Stahl (namely of the hit series 'Alf'), infamous for snorting and injecting his sizeable…
Players Club, The (1998): Dir. Ice Cube
Feat. Monica Calhoun, Lisa Raye, Jamie Foxx…; Proving a talent on his first directorial outing, actor–rapper Ice Cube enlists a no–name cast in this seriocomic glimpse into a tawdry…
Polish 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…
Price Above Rubies, A (1998): Dir. Boaz Yakin
Feat. Renee Zellweger, Christopher Eccleston, Julianne Margulies…; Sincere though meddlesome attempt to depict life in the closed society of Hasidic Judaism, finds it hard to measure up to dir. Boaz Yakin's…
Primary Colors (1998): Dir. Mike Nichols
Feat. John Travolta, Emma Thompson, Billy Bob Thornton…; In charting the rise of a controversial Southern Governor through the US Democratic primary campaign, John Travolta rises admirably to his most…
Rat Pack, The (1998): Dir. Rob Cohen
Feat. Ray Liotta, Joe Mategna, Don Cheadle…; While mostly avoiding the sordid details of the 1950s American libertines, this look into the social lives of Frank Sinatra (Ray Liotta), Dean Martin…
Red Violin, The (1998): Dir. Francois Girard
Feat. Samuel L. Jackson, Jason Flemyng, Greta Scacchi; The contemporary auction of a prized antique violin becomes another suspenseful, passionate chapter in its lifespan as we learn of its 300 year…
Relax...It's Just Sex (1998): 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…
Rogue Trader (1998): Dir. James Dearden
Feat. Ewan McGregor; A lasting symbol of stock–market excess, British broker Nick Leeson (Ewan McGregor), he who brought down Baring's Bank after losing…
Seachange (TV Series) (1998-2001): Feat. Sigrid Thornton, David Wenham; Sigrid Thornton plays a high–flying, disenchanted city girl offered a change of pace in idyllic Pearl Bay, in this much–loved Australian…
Serious Shorts (Five NZ Short Films) (1998): Dir. Charlie de Salis, Neil Pardington, Stuart McKenzie; A collection of 5 short films from New Zealand. Specially compiled for educational purposes, this tape includes film analysis material between each…
Sex and the City - The Ultimate Collection (1998-2004): 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…
Shadrach (1998): Dir. Susanna Styron
Feat. Harvey Keitel; A languid drift back into Depression–era Virginia sees Harvey Keitel and clan coping with poverty and the return of an elderly…
Shakespeare in Love (1998): 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…
Show Me Love (Fucking Amal) (1998): Dir. Lukas Moodysson
Feat. Rebecka Liljeberg, Alexandra Dahlstrom; Vivid depiction of teenage angst and restlessness that became a cause celebre (and box–office hit) in its native Sweden for frank, passionate…
Sicilia! (1998): Dir. Jean-Marie Straub, Daniele Huillet; An unnamed man engages in a series of idle discussions with family members and strangers upon his return to Sicily from America in this aesthetically…
Slam (1998): Dir. Marc Levin; Tight, impassioned street–drama that won the Grand Jury prize at Sundance in 1998, following the travails of a petty drug–dealer whose…
Smoke Signals (1998): Dir. Chris Eyre
Feat. Adam Beach, Evan Adams, Irene Bedard; Entirely made and funded by Native American Indians, this is both a fresh, palpably authentic portrait of a minority culture and an engrossing…
Snow Falling On Cedars (1998): Dir. Scott Hicks
Feat. Ethan Hawke, Sam Shepard, Max von Sydow; The seemingly perfect conjunction of David Guterson's best–selling novel and dir. Hicks (SHINE), results in a technically magnificent, but…
So Close To Paradise (Biandan, guniang) (1998): Dir. Wang Xiaoshuai
Feat. Wang Tong, Shi Yu, Guo Tao; Chinese film set in the city of Wuhan before it was a household name, where two young migrant workers become embroiled in the city's criminal…
Stella Does Tricks (1998): Dir. Coky Giedroyc
Feat. Kelly MacDonald; Worldly teenage prostitute Stella escapes the paternal clutches of her pimp to reclaim herself and find companionship in a sympathetic young junkie.…
Stepmom (1998): Dir. Chris Columbus
Feat. Julia Roberts, Ed Harris, Susan Sarandon; Career–distracted fashion photographer Julia Roberts grapples with husband Ed Harris and his family 'baggage': kids and severely judgemental…
Such a Long Journey (1998): Dir. Sturla Gunnarsson
Feat. Om Puri, Roshan Seth, Naseeruddin Shah; Set in the turbulent India of 1971, just prior to the war with Pakistan, this artfully fashioned drama centres on the political and personal crises…
Telling Lies in America (1998): Dir. Guy Ferland
Feat. Brad Renfro, Kevin Bacon; Set in the shady radio days of 1961, star–struck youth Brad Renfro's American dream becomes tarnished by the corrupt exploits of DJ idol Kevin…
Temptations, The (TV Mini-Series) (1998): Dir. Allan Arkush
Feat. Charles Malik Whitfield, D.B. Woodside, Terron Brooks…; Stirring biography of the singers who formed the hit Motown musical act, The Temptations.
Terrorist, The (1998): Dir. Santosh Sivan
Feat. Ayesha Dharkar; Discovered and championed by the actor John Malkovich, this intensely concentrated thriller depicts the hardening and training of 19–yr old…
Tess of the D'Urbervilles (1998): Dir. Ian Sharp
Feat. Justine Waddell, Jason Flemyng, Oliver Milburn…; British TV version of Thomas Hardy's famous novel concerning a young woman's tragic struggle in 19th century England.
Theory of Flight, The (1998): Dir. Paul Greengrass
Feat. Helena Bonham Carter, Kenneth Branagh; Helena Bonham–Carter plays a misery–guts in a wheelchair, crippled by motor–neuron disorder, who gets a companion in the form of an…
Thief, The (1998): Dir. Pavel Chukhrai
Feat. Vladimir Mashkov, Yekaterina Rednikova, Misha Philipchuk; Serious–minded trek across the landscapes and mindsets of post–WWII Russia that's been compared to BURNT BY THE SUN for dramatic impact.…
This Is My Father (1998): Dir. Paul Quinn
Feat. James Caan, Aidan Quinn, Stephen Rea…; The discovery of an old family photo triggers a trip to Ireland and into the past for Irish–American James Caan and his nephew. Inevitably…
Those Who Love Me Can Take the Train (1998): Dir. Patrice Chereau
Feat. Pascal Greggory, Valeria Bruni Tedeschi, Charles Berling…; Friends and associates of a deceased painter make a procession, via train, to the artist’s burial in this superb French drama. A highly nuanced…
Truman Show, The (1998): 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…
Velocity of Gary, The (1998): Dir. Dan Ireland
Feat. Vincent D'Onofrio, Salma Hayek, Thomas Jane; Urban soap–opera set in a Manhattan fringe world of hustlers, trannies and coke–heads, with Vincent D'Onofrio as a bisexual…
Velvet Goldmine (1998): Dir. Todd Haynes
Feat. Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Ewan McGregor, Toni Collette…; An intriguing, visually sensational 'faction' history of 70s British 'glam' music, centring itself on the rise and nosedive of Ziggy–type…
Waking the Dead (1998): Dir. Keith Gordon
Feat. Billy Crudup, Jennifer Connelly; A curious, intriguing drama in which congressional candidate Billy Crudup is haunted by a woman (Jennifer Connelly) from his past, who he thought had…
War Zone, The (1998): Dir. Tim Roth
Feat. Ray Winstone, Tilda Swinton, Lara Belmont…; An uncompromising directorial debut for actor Tim Roth, exploring the type of fractured family made familiar by mentors Alan Clarke and Ken Loach,…
Welcome to Sarajevo (1998): Dir. Michael Winterbottom
Feat. Stephen Dillane, Woody Harrelson, Marisa Tomei…; A moving, disturbing depiction of modern–day conflict, shot on location in Bosnia amid real–life shelling and loss of life. Based on a…
What Dreams May Come (1998): Dir. Vincent Ward
Feat. Robin Williams, Annabella Sciorra, Cuba Jr. Gooding; Visually extravagant dive into the afterlife, courtesy of New Zealander Vincent Ward, applying his classically–educated eye to a…
Whatever (1998): Dir. Susan Skoog
Feat. Lisa Weil; Beset by apathy, uncertainty and her indulgent best friend, a teenage girl falls victim to her own adolescence while trying to complete her final…
Wilde (1998): Dir. Brian Gilbert
Feat. Stephen Fry, Jude Law, Jennifer Ehle; It seems this belated dramatisation of the life of Oscar Wilde was simply waiting for the right man for the job and they found him in Stephen Fry,…
Windhorse (1998): Dir. Paul Wagner
Feat. Dadon, Jampa Kelsang, Richard Chang; Shot on digital video under the noses of Chinese authorities in Tibet, this fiercely moral drama follows the fortunes of a family in contemporary…
Without Limits (1998): Dir. Robert Towne
Feat. Billy Crudup, Donald Sutherland; The life of fabled long–distance runner Steve Prefontaine, who died in 1975 at the age of 24 is given a heartfelt glow by Billy Crudup and the…
Woundings (1998): Dir. Roberta Hanley
Feat. Guy Pearce, Ray Winstone, Emily Lloyd…; In a near–future world, after a debilitating military campaign for Great Britain (reminiscent of the Falkland Islands conflict), a unit of…
Wuthering Heights (1998): Dir. David Skynner
Feat. Robert Cavanah, Orla Brady, Peter Davison; Faithful adaptation of Emily Bronte's classic Gothic romance of the Yorkshire moors, flavoured by the Irish casting of Robert Cavanah and Orla Brady.
Xiu Xiu: The Sent Down Girl (Tian yu) (1998): Dir. Joan Chen
Feat. Li Xiaolu; Coming–of–age story set in the 70's about a teenage girl who is sent to the countryside during the "Down to the Countryside" Movement in…
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…
Your Friends and Neighbours (1998): Dir. Neil LaBute
Feat. Jason Patric, Amy Brenneman, Nastassja Kinski…; Both elegant and caustic, this dark, dark comedy from Neil LaBute mingles with a pack of handsome, sexually carnivorous and frustrated urbanites…
187 (1997): Dir. Kevin Reynolds
Feat. Samuel L. Jackson; The school–as–hellhole drama gets taught tough new lessons from Samuel L. Jackson, a teacher whose idealism is bitterly exhausted in the…
A Dance to the Music of Time (1997): Dir. Alvin Rakoff
Feat. John Gielgud, Miranda Richardson, Alan Bennett…; Adapted from Anthony Powell's 12 volume sequence of novels which begins among the aspiring classes of Edwardian Britain and continues across the…
A Thousand Acres (1997): Dir. Jocelyn Moorhouse
Feat. Jessica Lange, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Michelle Pfeiffer…; Daughters of rancher Jason Robards are an embattled trio, in this adaption of Jane Smiley's Pulitzer Prize–winning novel. Story attempts to…
Affliction (1997): Dir. Paul Schrader
Feat. Nick Nolte, James Coburn, Sissy Spacek…; A murder–mystery obscured in a snowbound landscape of wrecked relationships and alcoholic longings, this gets right under the skin of its…
Alive and Kicking (Indian Summer) (1997): Dir. Nancy Meckler
Feat. Jason Flemyng; Solid British drama takes the post–AIDS–revelation scenario and couples it with an interesting setting – a crisis in a…
All Over Me (1997): Dir. Alex Sichel
Feat. Alison Folland, Tara Subkoff, Cole Hauser…; A lesbian festival hit that has 'crossover' hit written all over it, as it persuasively pinpoints some of the universal, intense emotions of…
Apostle, The (1997): Dir. Robert Duvall
Feat. Robert Duvall, Miranda Richardson, Billy Bob Thornton; Labour of love – in the best possible sense – for Robert Duvall (as Actor/Writer/Director), raising hellfire as a repentant…
Apparition (Photographing Fairies) (1997): Dir. Nick Willing
Feat. Toby Stephens, Ben Kingsley, Emily Woof; A sceptical, widowed portrait photographer investigates reports of everglade fairies and becomes transformed by otherworldly encounters. Inspired by…
Apple, The (1997): Dir. Samira Makhmalbaf
Feat. Massoumeh Naderi, Zahra Naderi, Ghorban Ali Naderi; More than the curiosity piece you'd expect from its 17 year old director, this is a strange, small film that uniquely blends documentary footage with…
Artemisia (1997): Dir. Agnes Merlet
Feat. Valentina Cervi, Miki Manojlovic, Michel Serrault; Study of the first significant female painter, Artemisia Gentileschi, the daughter of Caravaggio's one–time assistant in 17th Century…
Au Petit Marguery (1997): Dir. Laurent Benegui
Feat. Stephane Audran, Michel Aumont; You are cordially invited to attend the farewell dinner of a long–loved Parisian restaurant whose Chef is losing his sense of smell. Memories…
Bastard Out of Carolina (1997): Dir. Anjelica Huston
Feat. Anjelica Huston, Jena Malone, Jennifer Jason Leigh…; In her directing debut, Anjelica Huston boldly renders the indelicacies of a grim coming–of–age story, but its success is thanks largely…
Bent (1997): Dir. Sean Mathias
Feat. Clive Owen, Lothaire Bluteau, Ian McKellen…; Martin Sherman adapts his award–winning and extensively performed play about Nazi persecution of homosexuals, and the agonizing love story of…
Blackout, The (1997): Dir. Abel Ferrara
Feat. Matthew Modine, Claudia Schiffer; Dir. Abel Ferrara spills more lurid behaviour all over the screen just like he did in BAD LIEUTENANT. Matthew Modine does the honours for this spin…
Blackrock (1997): Dir. Steve Vidler
Feat. Nichole Avramidis, George Basha, Gina Bortolin; Pitching headlong into the Newcastle surfie/petrol–head scene, this forthright Aussie drama (taken from a stageplay) scrutinises the community…
Bliss (1997): Dir. Lance Young
Feat. Sheryl Lee, Craig Sheffer, Terence Stamp; Frustrated marrieds Sheryl Lee and Craig Sheffer turn to controversial sex therapist Terence Stamp, whose remedial methods include hands–on…
Blood and Wine (1997): Dir. Bob Rafelson
Feat. Jack Nicholson, Michael Caine, Jennifer Lopez…; Jack Nicholson dusts off his cynical, scowling persona of the 70s, as a desperate, philandering Florida wine merchant who enlists Michael Caine for a…
Blood Oranges, The (1997): Dir. Philip Haas
Feat. Charles Dance, Sheryl Lee, Colin Lane…; An obscure indie–psychodrama from the dir. of MUSIC OF CHANCE and ANGELS AND INSECTS, with Charles Dance and Sheryl Lee as a…
Boogie Nights (1997): Dir. Paul Thomas Anderson
Feat. Mark Wahlberg, Julianne Moore, Burt Reynolds…; LA's San Fernando Valley, the late '70s. Mark Wahlberg is Eddie Adams, an anatomically gifted innocent who finds his niche in the cradle of a…
Brassed Off (1997): Dir. Mark Herman
Feat. Tara Fitzgerald, Ewan McGregor, Pete Postlethwaite; Witty and warm–hearted comedy set in a Yorkshire mining community threatened with closure. Leading the town colliery brass band, Tara…
Brylcreem Boys, The (1997): Dir. Terence Ryan
Feat. Gabriel Byrne; The ubiquitous face of Irish cinema, Gabriel Byrne, slicks his hair back in a neutral POW camp in WWII Ireland, bunking with a variety of allied and…
Career Girls (1997): Dir. Mike Leigh
Feat. Katrin Cartlidge, Lynda Steadman; Mike Leigh sidesteps the impossibly tall order of living up to SECRETS AND LIES with a character–driven two–hander about a pair of…
Carla's Song (1997): Dir. Ken Loach
Feat. Robert Carlyle, Oyanka Cabezas, Scott Glenn; Another not–so–average tale from Dir. Ken Loach, concerning a Glaswegian bus–driver getting involved with Nicaraguan politics.…
Character (1997): Dir. Mike van Diem
Feat. Fedja Van Huet; A murderous confrontation bookends an elegantly told story of class, oppression and perseverance in 1920s Rotterdam, in which a young…
Clockwatchers (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…
Dance of the Wind (1997): Dir. Rajan Khosa
Feat. Ami Arora, Roshan Bano, Kitu Gidwani; Set in contemporary Delhi, this drama concerns the responses of classical Hindi singer Kitu Gidwani to her mother’s death. Steeped in a particular…
Donnie Brasco (1997): Dir. Mike Newell
Feat. Al Pacino, Johnny Depp, Michael Madsen…; Riveting, true–life tale of an FBI agent's perilous infiltration of the New York Mafia in the 70s. A knife–edge dramatic tension is…
Dream with the Fishes (1997): Dir. Finn Taylor
Feat. David Arquette, Brad Hunt, Cathy Moriarty; Two mismatched loners on the ultra–hip road to oblivion or redemption – whichever comes first. The excursion is more perceptive and…
Duggan (TV Series) (Death in Paradise, Sins of the Fathers) (1997-1998): Dir. Yvonne MacKay
Feat. John Bach; Detective inspector John Bach heads up these made–for–TV policiers as a recluse drawn into a murder cases near his Marlborough Sounds…
Education of Little Tree, The (1997): Dir. Richard Friedenberg
Feat. Joseph Ashton, James Cromwell, Mika Boorem…; Smoky Mountains set family drama adapted from the best–selling novel about a small Cherokee orphan sent to live with his grandparents in the…
Eel, The (1997): Dir. Shohei Imamura
Feat. Koji Yakusho, Misa Shimizu; After doing eight years for killing his wife, an inhibited man (Yakusho Koji of SHALL WE DANCE) sets himself up at a quiet riverside barbershop, the…
End of Violence, The (1997): Dir. Wim Wenders
Feat. Bill Pullman, Gabriel Byrne, Andie MacDowell; After a 5yr hiatus dir. Wim Wenders proffered this elliptical tale of alienation and desires for omniscience, this time enacted in sunswept,…
Eve's Bayou (1997): Dir. Kasi Lemmons
Feat. Samuel L. Jackson, Lynn Whitfield, Vondie Curtis Hall; A sassy, old–fashioned Southern melodrama quite unlike how we've seen it before – this is affluent African–American life in 60s…
Female Perversions (1997): Dir. Susan Streitfeld
Feat. Tilda Swinton; Based on the Freudian texts of noted psychoanalyst Louise Kaplan, this serious–minded, erotically charged and stylish film probes several…
Gadjo Dilo (1997): Dir. Tony Gatlif
Feat. Romain Duris, Rona Harther, Izidor Serban; Re–casting a spotlight onto the poor and downtrodden yet spiritually rich gypsy culture, film–maker/musician Toni Gatlif grafts a…
Going All the Way (1997): Dir. Mark Pellington
Feat. Jeremy Davies, Ben Affleck, Amy Locane…; Jeremy Davies (SPANKING THE MONKEY) again endures the pains of youth, this time growing up sexually, socially and domestically frustrated in sodapop…
Going to School with Dad on My Back (Bei qi baba shangxue) (1997): Dir. Youchou Zhou; Straightforwardly touching tale of a young boy, who with the help of his selfless family, graduates from his impoverished Malian River village to the…
Good Will Hunting (1997): Dir. Gus Van Sant
Feat. Matt Damon, Ben Affleck, Robin Williams; Toasted as the stars ascendant of New Hollywood, Matt Damon and Ben Affleck flaunt their writing/acting prowess in this affecting parable of how…
Grace of God, The (1997): Dir. Gerald L’Ecuyer; Biographical ‘essay’ that’s a genuinely moving patchwork of scenes from the director’s life, sharing stories of his loves, losses, emerging…
Grand, The (TV Series) (1997-1998): Feat. Susan Hampshire, Rebecca Callard, Paul Warriner…; Grandiose period drama set during the roaring twenties follows the Bannerman family as they re–open The Grand Hotel in Manchester. Written by…
Hamam - The Turkish Bath (1997): Dir. Ferzan Ozpetek
Feat. Alessandro Gassman, Francesca d'Aloja, Carlo Cecchi; Beautifully presented, exotic drama about a young Italian designer whose sexual and spiritual life takes a profound turn after inheriting a steam…
Hamlet (1997): Dir. Kenneth Branagh
Feat. Kenneth Branagh, Kate Winslet, Julie Christie…; A flash and vigorous reading of Shakespeare's tragedy of the melancholy Dane, hatched by Kenneth Branagh and a bevy of incongruous thesps. An…
Hanging Garden, The (1997): Dir. Thom Fitzgerald
Feat. Chris Leavins, Kerry Fox; Family secrets come to light in odd and interesting ways in this small–scale drama set on a wedding–day in sunny, seaside Canada.…
Happy Together (1997): Dir. Wong Kar-Wai
Feat. Leslie Cheung, Tony Leung (Chiu-wai), Chen Chang; Wong Kar Wai's South American gay love story features the usual dazzling Christopher Doyle camerawork, but replaces the genre thrills of FALLEN…
Harmonists (Comedian Harmonists) (1997): Dir. Joseph Vilsmaier
Feat. Ben Becker, Heino Ferch, Ulrich Noethen…; The most popular singing group of 1920s Germany, the sextet Comedian Harmonists toured widely and were world–famous by the mid–30s.…
House of Yes, The (1997): Dir. Mark Waters
Feat. Parker Posey, Josh Hamilton, Tori Spelling…; In supremely malicious mode, Parker Posey plays an obsessive, spoiled brat who threatens to topple over the brink of sanity when her beloved twin…
Hurricane Streets (1997): Dir. Morgan J. Freeman
Feat. Brendon Sexton III, Antoine McLean; The excellent Brendan Sexton III (WELCOME TO THE DOLLHOUSE) does a sympathetic about–turn for this unflashy take on teenage delinquency. It…
I Went Down (1997): Dir. Paddy Breathnach
Feat. Peter McDonald, Antoine Byrne, David Wilmot…; Irish filmmakers lift a few steps from the TRAINSPOTTING lads and the Coen Bros for this deadpan skid into misadventure, amongst a crew of criminal…
Ice Storm, The (1997): Dir. Ang Lee
Feat. Kevin Kline, Sigourney Weaver, Joan Allen…; 70's familial dysfunction observed through a 90's prism, Kevin Kline and Sigourney Weaver are among the adults having mid–life trauma in the…
Idiot Box (1997): 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 Men (1997): 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 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…
Investigator, The (1997): Dir. Chris Oxley
Feat. Helen Baxendale, Christopher Fulford, Sean Gilder…; Drama based on the true story of Caroline Meagher, a military police woman who is tasked with the rooting out of suspected lesbians from the army…
Ivanhoe (1997): Dir. Stuart Orme
Feat. Steven Waddington, Victoria Smurfit, Ciaran Hinds…; Sir Walter Scott's classic adventure of the Crusades gets a fair rollicking in this BBC adaptation. Returning from the wars in Palestine, Ivanhoe…
Jane Eyre (1997): Dir. Robert Young
Feat. Samantha Morton, Ciaran Hinds, Deborah Findlay…; Suitably gothic retelling of Charlotte Brontë's classic tale of a Yorkshire orphan who becomes a governess and falls for the brooding lord of the…
Kitchen (1997): Dir. Yim Ho
Feat. Jordan Chan, Yasuko Tomita; Treading the same grungy Hong Kong streets as the films of Wong Kar–Wai, this adaptation of a novel by Banana Yoshimoto concerns a love affair…
La Vie de Jesus (Life of Jesus) (1997): Dir. Bruno Dumont; Virtuoso bleakness from the dir. of TWENTYNINE PALMS, in his debut study of alienated existence for a group of unruly skinheads in rural Flanders who…
Lakes, The (TV Series) (1997): Feat. John Simm, Emma Cunniffe, Kaye Wragg…; Gritty British drama following a compulsive gambler from Liverpool who moves to the Lake District and encounters the secrets, lies and crimes that…
Last of the High Kings (1997): Dir. David Keating
Feat. Jared Leto, Christina Ricci, Gabriel Byrne…; An irreverent flashback to late 70s Dublin, where Jared Leto ducks the familiar teenage troubles: girls, school and eccentric relations. Strong cast,…
Last Time I Committed Suicide, The (1997): Dir. Stephen T. Kay
Feat. Thomas Jane, Keanu Reeves, Adrien Brody…; Free–spirited odyssey inspired by a letter from the pen of beatnik hedonist Neal Cassady. See Keanu Reeves smoke, drink and shoot pool in…
Law and Order (TV Series) (1997): Feat. Michael Moriaty, George Dzundza, Paul Sorvino…; The original US police and courtroom drama from which various satellite shows and TV movies have sprouted, which contrasts its polish with fairly…
Lawn Dogs (1997): Dir. John Duigan
Feat. Sam Rockwell, Mischa Barton; The Australian director of THE YEAR MY VOICE BROKE applies a lightly–stylised Antipodean touch to this American tale of a friendship between a…
Limited Edition (1997): Dir. Bernard Rapp
Feat. Terence Stamp, Maria de Medeiros; Smalltime publisher Terence Stamp delves into a literary mystery which relates to dark events in his own background. Maria de Medeiros (PULP…
Live Flesh (1997): Dir. Pedro Almodovar
Feat. Javier Bardem, Francesca Neri, Liberto Rabal; Five aggrieved characters get wrapped in a sticky web of consequence after a fateful incident leaves one paralysed and another in jail. Dir.…
Lolita (1997): Dir. Adrian Lyne
Feat. Jeremy Irons, Dominique Swain, Melanie Griffiths…; Nabakov's novel, still raising eyebrows, is here lavished with a meticulous production and all the artistry the director of 9 ½ WEEKS could rustle…
Love and Death On Long Island (1997): Dir. Richard Kwietniowski
Feat. John Hurt, Jason Priestley, Sheila Hancock…; Delightful central conceit sees John Hurt fall in love with flaky teen–movie actor Jason Priestley in this decidedly genre and…
Lucie Aubrac (1997): Dir. Claude Berri
Feat. Carole Bouquet, Klaus Barbie; French Resistance true–story from the period–eye of dir. Claude Berri (JEAN DE FLORETTE), offering a romantic sub–plot between…
Ma Vie Sexuelle (1997): Dir. Arnaud Desplechin
Feat. Mathieu Amalric, Emmanuelle Devos, Emmanuel Salinger; Ponderous study of Parisian twentysomething ennui centering around a typically amoral, self–obsessed Frenchman who has few problems bedding…
Mandela and De Klerk (1997): Dir. Joseph Sargent
Feat. Sidney Poitier, Michael Caine; The political backdrop to Nelson Madela's release in 1991 from a South African prison is solidly dramatised in this telemovie. Stars Sidney Poitier…
Marius et Jeannette (1997): Dir. Robert Guediguian
Feat. Ariane Ascaride, Gerard Meylan; A laidback yet buoyant slice–of–ordinary–life set on the low–rent side of Marseille, where two wounded fortysomethings strike…
Merry War, A (Keep the Aspidistra Flying) (1997): Dir. Robert Bierman
Feat. Richard E. Grant, Helena Bonham Carter; A literate, aware version of George Orwell's early comic novel set in a stagnating 1930s Britain. Richard E Grant plays Orwell's self–parody of…
Mill On the Floss (1997): Dir. Graham Theakston
Feat. Emily Watson, Bernard Hill; The incandescent Emily Watson justifies this Masterpiece Theatre version of George Eliot's Victorian novel (considerably simplified), bringing some…
Mother Teresa: In the Name of God's Poor (1997): Dir. Kevin Connor
Feat. Geraldine Chaplin, William Katt, Keene Curtis; Geraldine Chaplin gives a resolved performance as the modern day saint, bringing vigor to this made–for–television account that begins…
Mrs. Brown (Her Majesty Mrs. Brown) (1997): Dir. John Madden
Feat. Judi Dench, Billy Connolly; Finely accomplished drama about the passionate, if platonic, friendship between Queen Victoria and her loyal servant – a relationship that…
Mrs. Dalloway (1997): Dir. Marleen Gorris
Feat. Vanessa Redgrave, Natascha McElhone, Rupert Graves; Light adaptation of Virginia Woolf's 20s novel about a serene society lady in late–life crisis, reflecting on her choices some thirty years…
My 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…
Myth of Fingerprints, The (1997): Dir. Bart Freundlich
Feat. Roy Scheider, Julianne Moore; A bittersweet backhander across the cheek of that American family institution: Thanksgiving Dinner, in this case not the venue for amicable…
Niagara Niagara (1997): Dir. Bob Gosse
Feat. Robin Tunney, Henry Thomas, Michael Parks…; If you have the stamina to hit the road again with another pair of white–trash, gun–crazy young lovers (who meet while shoplifting), this…
Nostromo (1997): Dir. Alastair Reid
Feat. Colin Firth, Albert Finney, Brian Dennehy…; A superb cast is lavished on this BBC version of Joseph Conrad's novel. Colin Firth plays a young English mine–owner struggling against the…
On Connait la Chanson (Same Old Song) (1997): 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…
One Night Stand (1997): Dir. Mike Figgis
Feat. Wesley Snipes, Nastassja Kinski; The long–awaited 'morning after' LEAVING LAS VEGAS dawns for Brit dir. Mike Figgis, another impassioned drama mapping the ill–matched…
Orphans (1997): Dir. Peter Mullan
Feat. Douglas Henshall, Gary Lewis, Rosmarie Stevenson; The writer/directing debut of Peter Mullen, star of MY NAME IS JOE,is an expectedly raw and bleakly humorous journey through the darker side of…
Owd Bob (1997): Dir. Rodney Gibbons
Feat. Colm Meaney, James Cromwell; Set on the Isle of Man, this drama avoids the recent Irish cockle–warming for a more realistic account of rural feuding, that's…
OZ (TV Series) (1997): Feat. Ernie Hudson, Harold Perrineau, Jr., J.K. Simmons…; Groundbreaking HBO series delivers an unflinching look at life on the inside for a group of inmates serving hard time in a maximum security prison.…
Paradise Road (1997): Dir. Bruce Beresford
Feat. Glenn Close, Frances McDormand, Cate Blanchett…; A group of European woman, incl. Glenn Close and Frances McDormand, are captured in Singapore during WWII by the Japanese. They alleviate the…
Pillow Book, The (1997): Dir. Peter Greenaway
Feat. Vivian Wu, Ewan McGregor, Ken Ogata; Peter Greenaway's further explores the perimeters of cinema with this lush, seductive tale that intertwines the delights of the flesh and literature.…
Post Coitum (1997): Dir. Brigitte Rouan
Feat. Brigitte Rouan; The director herself plays a 40–year–old wife, mother and book editor who has her respectable life devastated after a whirlwind affair…
Practice, The (TV Series) (1997): Feat. Dylan McDermott, Michael Badalucco, Camryn Manheim…; Joined ostensibly at the hip with BOSTON LEGAL (James Spader and other characters would migrate in later seasons), this punchier, more serious minded…
Quiet Room, The (1997): Dir. Rolf De Heer
Feat. Celine O'Leary, Paul Blackwell; Low budget, almost experimental film from the dir. of BAD BOY BUBBY, who organically developed the script around his real–life daughters.…
Radiance (1997): Dir. Rachel Perkins
Feat. Rachel Maza, Deborah Mailman, Trisha Morton-Thomas; An Aboriginal mother's funeral brings disparities among the surviving daughters into vibrant relief. Adapted from Louis Nowra's play, this…
Rebecca (1997): Dir. Jim O'Brien
Feat. Charles Dance, Diana Rigg, Emilia Fox…; Late–90s British televisation of the classic Daphne Du Maurier gothic romance, with Charles Dance as the widowed aristocrat whose remarriage to…
Regeneration (Behind the Lines) (1997): Dir. Gillies MacKinnon
Feat. Jonathan Pryce, James Wilby, Jonny Lee Miller…; An exploration of the mental trauma of trench–warfare in WWI, adapted from the novel by Pat Barker and set in a Scottish Hospital where…
Rosewood (1997): Dir. John Singleton
Feat. Ving Rhames, Jon Voight, Don Cheadle…; A black community in 1920s Florida is plagued by mobs of local rednecks in this impassioned melodrama from Dir. John Singleton's ('Boyz in the…
Sarabande (1997): Dir. Atom Egoyan
Feat. Lori Singer, Don McKellar; The dramatic entry in the 'Inspired by Bach' series in which renowned cellist Yo Yo Ma collaborates with an artist in another medium. Finding perfect…
Saving Grace (1997): Dir. Costa Botes
Feat. Kirsty Hamilton, Jim Moriarty; A kind of Jesus of Upper Cuba Street, this adaptation of Duncan Sarkies' stageplay ambitiously hammers a drama of poverty in inner–city…
Second 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…
Secrets of the Heart (Secretos del Corazon) (1997): Dir. Montxo Armendariz
Feat. Andoni Erburu, Inigo Garces; A subdued drama that views rural Spain through the childs' eye of its protaganist, a young boy whose curiosity leads him into a haunted house…
Selena (1997): Dir. Gregory Nava
Feat. Jennifer Lopez, Edward James Olmos; Worthy biopic of the Latin–American pop star who on the verge of crossing over into the American market was tragically murdered.
Serpent's Kiss, The (1997): Dir. Phillip Rousseklot
Feat. Ewan McGregor, Greta Scacchi, Richard E. Grant…; Ambitious period drama follows a renowned Dutch landscape gardener (McGregor) to England where he finds himself coiled in the intrigues of various…
She's So Lovely (1997): Dir. Nick Cassavetes
Feat. Robin Wright, Sean Penn, John Travolta; As a low–life couple whose romantic intensity borders on madness, married double–act Robin Wright and Sean Penn off–handedly…
Slab Boys, The (1997): Dir. John Byrne
Feat. Russell Barr, Bill Gardiner, Robin Laing…; A quiff–headed rites–of–passage in dead–end 1950s Scotland, follows three apprentice dripheads at a carpet factory and their…
Sling Blade (1997): Dir. Billy Bob Thornton
Feat. Billy Bob Thornton, John Ritter, Dwight Yoakam; Billy Bob Thornton performs a truly impressive writer–director–actor hat–trick for his remarkable tale about an asylum inmate…
Someone 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…
Sound of One Hand Clapping, The (1997): Dir. Richard Flanagan
Feat. Kerry Fox, Kristof Kaczmarek; Sombre and intense story unfolds in the chilly, dank beauty of the 1950s Tasmania, where a Yugoslavian immigrant couple and their daughter find a…
Star Maps (1997): Dir. Miguel Arteta
Feat. Douglas Spain, Efrain Figueroa; With dreams of Hollywood stardom, a Mexican teen migrates to California, settles for work in his father's prostitution ring, and makes 'progress' as…
Substance of Fire, The (1997): Dir. Mark Herman
Feat. Ron Rifkin, Tony Goldwyn, Sarah Jessica Parker; Well–crafted essay of domestic unrest in a Jewish–owned NY publishing house, where Holocaust–survivor Ron Rifkin's obsession with…
Suburbia (1997): Dir. Richard Linklater
Feat. Giovanni Ribisi, Parker Posey, Steve Zahn…; Dir. Linklater returns to his favourite milieu – the teen angst movie – only this time working from someone else's material, a play by…
Sugar Factory, The (1997): Dir. Robert Carter
Feat. Matt Day; The director adapts his novel about a disturbed Aussie teenager (Matt Day) searching for love and meaning in his life after a string of traumatic…
Surviving Picasso (1997): Dir. James Ivory
Feat. Anthony Hopkins, Natascha McElhone, Julianne Moore…; Anthony Hopkins acts his beret off in this portrait of the insatiable, cantankerous Spanish genius and the trail of emotional devastation he left…
Sweeney Todd (1997): Dir. John Schlesinger
Feat. Ben Kingsley, Joanna Lumley; Based on the true story of the demon barbers of Fleet Street, Ben Kingsley and Joanna Lumley attend this gruesome tale of the esteemed barbershop in…
Sweet Hereafter, The (1997): Dir. Atom Egoyan
Feat. Ian Holm, Tom McCamus, Sarah Polley; A piercingly intelligent adaptation of Russell Banks' novel about a lawyer's earnest meddling in the aftermath of a school bus tragedy in…
Swept from the Sea (Amy Foster) (1997): Dir. Beeban Kidron
Feat. Vincent Perez, Rachel Weisz, Ian McKellen…; Shipwrecked Ukrainian emigree Vincent Perez washes ashore in rugged Cornwall, to the bafflement of the folk, especially after he receives scandalous…
Tango Lesson, The (1997): Dir. Sally Potter
Feat. Sally Potter, Pablo Veron; Uninspired by her latest script, film–maker Sally Potter becomes obsessed with the tango, and soon strikes a deal with an Argentine dancer she…
Taste of Cherry, A (1997): Dir. Abbas Kiarostami
Feat. Homayon Ershadi, Abdolrahman Bagheri, Afshin Khorshid Bakhtiari; Kiarostami's Palme D'Or winner follows the 'last rites' of an affluent, suicidal middle–aged man who scours the streets of Teheran for an…
Tichborne Claimant, The (1997): Dir. David Yates
Feat. Stephen Fry; Based on a real–life 19th century mystery concerning the fabulously wealthy Sir Roger Tichborne, who disappeared in the South Pacific in 1866.…
Titanic (1997): Dir. James Cameron
Feat. Leonardo DiCaprio, Kate Winslet, Billy Zane; Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet cross class lines to consummate their passion just before the iceberg severs the stern from the bow in…
Tom Jones (Mini-series) (The History of Tom Jones - A Foundling) (1997): Dir. Metin Hüseyin
Feat. Max Beesley, Brian Blessed, Kathy Burke…; Full–scale adaption of Henry Fielding's comic masterpiece, charting the amorous misadventures of the orphan Tom through the rollicking morals…
Topless Women Talk About Their Lives (1997): 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…
Traveller (1997): Dir. Jack N. Green
Feat. Bill Paxton, Mark Wahlberg, Julianne Margulies…; 'One–last–score' movie in which a young man, desperate to be accepted by a clan of Irish grifters teams up with a veteran con who wants…
Truce, The (1997): Dir. Francesco Rosi
Feat. John Turturro, Rade Serbedzija; The aftermath of WWII locates Auschwitz survivor John Turturro on a difficult, redemptive journey back to his home town. Based on Primo Levi's…
True Love and Chaos (1997): Dir. Stavros Andonis Efthymiou
Feat. Ben Mendelsohn, Noah Taylor, Miranda Otto; A half–baked script straight out of the same Melbourne film school that produced LOVE & OTHER CATASTROPHES leaves an Aussie brat–pack…
True Women (1997): Dir. Karen Arthur
Feat. Dana Delaney, Annabeth Gish, Angelina Jolie…; A female–driven historical saga spanning five decades from the Texas Revolution through to the American Civil War. A Hallmark production based…
Twelve Angry Men (1997): Dir. William Friedkin
Feat. Courtney B. Vance, George C. Scott, William Peterson…; An emmy award–winning television version of the classic jury–room drama. Re–written by the scriptwriter of the original film…
Twentyfour Seven (1997): Dir. Shane Meadows
Feat. Bob Hoskins; The cockney director of low–budget miracle SMALL TIME, enters the ring with a few more bob and a larger cast, delivering a warm, yet…
Twilight (1997): Dir. Robert Benton
Feat. Paul Newman, Susan Sarandon, Gene Hackman…; Star wattage brightens this old–fashioned, autumnal mystery–drama, reuniting NOBODY'S FOOL director Benton with Paul Newman as a…
Twin 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…
Ulee's Gold (1997): Dir. Victor Nunez
Feat. Peter Fonda, Patricia Richardson, Jessica Biel; Peter Fonda gives good grace as an ageing, emotionally reticent beekeeper who is much less at ease with what's going on in his family's hive, a unit…
Under the Skin (1997): Dir. Carine Adler
Feat. Samantha Morton, Claire Rushbrook, Rita Tushingham; After her mother's untimely death, a young woman bereaves through a series of casual sexual, and increasingly masochistic, encounters. Samantha…
Unknown Pleasures / Xiao Wu (1997-2002): Dir. Jia Zhang-ke
Feat. Zhao Tao; Two astonishing features from gifted 'sixth generation' Chinese filmmaker Jia Zhang–ke (PLATFORM, THE WORLD); his terrain the onset of popular…
Washington Square (1997): Dir. Agnieszka Holland
Feat. Jennifer Jason Leigh, Ben Chaplin, Maggie Smith…; Portrait of a lady adapted from the pen of Henry James profits from an exemplary Jennifer Jason Leigh performance – as an eccentric, plain…
Weapons 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…
Well, The (1997): Dir. Samantha Lang
Feat. Miranda Otto, Pamela Rabe; Evocative Gothic psychodrama, firmly in the Jane Campion mould, effectively explores the dark side of female relationships in ominous blue–grey…
Whole of the Moon, The (1997): Dir. Ian Mune
Feat. Toby Fisher, Nikki Si'Ulepa, Pascale Bussieres…; Heartfelt yet uplifting story of two disparate teenage cancer patients who find strength in their misfortune. Dir. Ian Mune's talent for coaxing…
William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet (Romeo + Juliet) (1997): Dir. Baz Luhrmann
Feat. Leonardo DiCaprio, Claire Danes, Pete Postlethwaite…; Visionary director Baz Luhrmann takes his STRICTLY BALLROOM crew to the Americas and conjures a cinematic universe of striking originality and…
Wings of the Dove, The (1997): Dir. Iain Softley
Feat. Helena Bonham Carter, Linus Roache, Charlotte Rampling…; Helena Bonham–Carter, back in costume, shines in this adaptation of the Henry James novel, playing a 19th century gentlewoman on the…
Winter Guest, The (1997): Dir. Alan Rickman
Feat. Emma Thompson, Phyllida Law, Gary Hollywood; Emma Thompson ventures to farther–flung fields in a contemporary family melodrama played out within the bleak confines of a wintery British…
Woman In White, The (1997): Dir. Tim Fywell
Feat. Tara Fitzgerald, Justine Waddell, Ian Richardson…; Suitably creepy, if not entirely faithful, BBC adaptation of Wilkie Collins' gothic tale of murder, love and greed, in which a pair of half sisters…
Woodlanders, The (1997): Dir. Phil Agland
Feat. Rufus Sewell, Polly Walker; Involving tangle of love and deceit, set in a close–knit English village, where woodsman Rufus Sewell and sweetheart Polly Walker's love is…
Yo-Yo Ma - Inspired by Bach Vol. 2 (Falling Down Stairs / Sarabande) (1997): Dir. Barbara Willis Sweete, Atom Egoyan
Feat. Arsinee Khanjian, Don McKellar; Cellist Yo–Yo Ma’s celebrated musical exploration of Bach’s enigmatic solo cello suites, prompted six films, attempting to complement the…
7th Heaven (TV Series) (1996-2006): Feat. Stephen Collins, Catherine Hicks, Jessica Biel…; Wholesome TV drama about a Christian minister (Collins), his wife (Hicks) and their five affable kids, living the straight life in suburban…
A Summer's Tale (1996): Dir. Eric Rohmer
Feat. Melvil Poupaud, Amanda Langlet; Once more exploring the fickleness of love, dir. Rohmer involves holidaying student Melvil Poupard in a love–quadrangle of romantic options. In…
American Buffalo (1996): Dir. Michael Corrente
Feat. Dustin Hoffman, Dennis Franz, Sean Nelson; Based on the David Mamet play, this electrifying drama of scam–artistry among the street–trash of Chicago is astutely crafted and packed…
Andersonville (TV Mini-series) (1996): Dir. John Frankenheimer
Feat. Frederic Forrest, Ted Marcoux, Jarrod Emick; TV western set during the American Civil War, about a group of Union soldiers who are sent to a Confederate prison camp near Andersonville, Georgia…
Anna Karenina (1996): Dir. Bernard Rose
Feat. Sophie Marceau, James Fox, Sean Bean…; Glitzy version of Tolstoy's novel has a great cast mingling and canoodling in the corridors of the 19th century Russian aristocracy. Lavish period…
Antonia's Line (1996): Dir. Marleen Gorris
Feat. Willeke van Ammelrooy, Els Dottermans, Jan Decleir; The deserving winner of the '96 Best Foreign Film Oscar recalls the 50 year history of matriarch Antonia and her defiantly unconventional brood in…
Autumn 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…
Bag of Rice (1996): Dir. Mohammad-Ali Talebi
Feat. Jairan Abadzade, Shirin Bina, Masume Eskandari; A child and her elderly neighbour have small adventures on the streets of Tehran while trying to buy a sack of rice. Those seeking a rare alternative…
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…
Basquiat (1996): Dir. Julian Schnabel
Feat. Jeffrey Wright, David Bowie, Gary Oldman…; The director sends a post–mortem loveletter to his friend and contemporary, Jean–Michel Basquiat, a celebrated but fragile New York black…
Beautiful 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…
Beautiful Thing (1996): Dir. Hettie MacDonald
Feat. Linda Henry, Meera Syal, Glen Berry; An effervescent take on first love between two teenage boys living in the un–secluded environ of a London council tenement block. Their…
Before and After (1996): Dir. Barbet Schroeder
Feat. Liam Neeson, Meryl Streep; Moral dilemmas loom large for Liam Neeson and Meryl Streep as the distressed parents of a teenager suspected of murdering his girlfriend. Thrills…
Big Night (1996): 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…
Boys (1996): Dir. Stacy Cochran
Feat. Lukas Haas, Winona Ryder; Downbeat, murky tale of adolescent intrigues has high scholar Lukas Haas becoming entangled in the mysterious past of accident victim Winona Ryder.
Boys Life (1996): Dir. Raoul O'Connell, Robert Lee King, Brian Sloan
Feat. Josh Phillip Weinstein, Raoul O'Connell, Russell Scott Lewis…; Three half–hour short films that examine the gay perspective in America through three adolescent characters. 'Pool Days' – For…
Breaking the Waves (1996): Dir. Lars Von Trier
Feat. Emily Watson, Stellan Skarsgard, Katrin Cartlidge…; Significant art–house hit about obsessive faith and self–sacrifice, set in a puritanical village on the Scottish coast. A naive young…
Brilliant Lies (1996): Dir. Richard Franklin
Feat. Anthony LaPaglia, Gia Carides; Real–life couple Gia Carides and Anthony LaPaglia get to pull out each other's hair in this adaptation of David Williamson's meaty stageplay…
Broken English (1996): Dir. Gregor Nicholas
Feat. Rade Serbedzija, Aleksandra Vujcic, Julian Arahanga; Racial angst and insecurities afflict an immigrant Serbian family living in the Auckland suburbs. Impassioned drama stars Slavic superstar Rade…
Children 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 Ruth (1996): 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 Farm (1996): 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) (1996): 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…
Courage Under Fire (1996): Dir. Edward Zwick
Feat. Denzel Washington, Meg Ryan; Conscience–troubled colonel Denzel Washington investigates the death of a fellow officer (Meg Ryan) during 'Desert Storm', but differing…
Crash (1996): Dir. David Cronenberg
Feat. James Spader, Holly Hunter, Deborah Kara Unger…; Auteur David Cronenberg's latest vision is an anti–fable about accident victims James Spader and Holly Hunter, who become sexually obsessed…
Crime of the Century (1996): Dir. Mark Rydell
Feat. Stephen Rea, Isabella Rossellini, J.T. Walsh…; Astute re–enactment of the controversial Lindbergh trial that resulted in a supposed wrongful execution for the kidnap and murder of a baby in…
Crucible, The (1996): Dir. Nicholas Hytner
Feat. Daniel Day-Lewis, Winona Ryder, Paul Scofield; A theatrical yet wrenchingly emotional treatment of Arthur Miller's classic play about the horrific witch–hunt hysteria that swept through…
Dalziel and Pascoe (TV Series) (1996): Feat. Warren Clarke, Colin Buchanan; Adapted from a series of novels by Reginald Hill, Clarke and Buchanan play a pair of mismatched Yorkshire detectives whose clash in personal and…
Dead Heart (1996): Dir. Nick Parsons
Feat. Bryan Brown, Ernie Dingo, Angie Milliken…; An act of inter–racial infidelity leads to murder at a remote Aboriginal village. Outback cop Bryan Brown negotiates the tricky cultural divide…
Dead Man Walking (1996): Dir. Tim Robbins
Feat. Sean Penn, Susan Sarandon; In a feat of rare ambition and integrity, actor Tim Robbins proves supremely adept behind the camera with this even–handed presentation of the…
Devil's Island (1996): Dir. Fridrik Thor Fridriksson
Feat. Baltasar Kormakur, Gisli Halldorsson; The director of COLD FEVER bites off a little more ice than he can comfortably chew, with this sprawling tale of the difficulties of life in 1950s…
Dogs (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,…
Driftwood (1996): Dir. Ronan O'Leary
Feat. James Spader; A washed–up, amnesiac James Spader is beachcombed in remote Ireland by borderline obsessive Anne Brochet, who gets rather possessive when he…
East Palace / West Palace (1996): Dir. Zhang Yuan
Feat. Vicki Zhao, Si Han, Jun Hu; This rare independent mainland Chinese film is a difficult, often devastating two–hander between a gay man and the policeman sent to arrest him…
Eclipse (1996): Dir. Jeremy Podeswa
Feat. Von Flores, John Gilbert, Pascale Montpetit; Canadian festival fave is a fluent, quirky first feature that follows a chain of disparate sexual encounters that come full circle under the…
Eden (1996): Dir. Howard Goldberg
Feat. Joanna Going, Dylan Walsh, Sean Patrick Flanery; Joanna Going positively glows as a mother–of–two whose struggle with MS and home–making is transcended through 'astral projection'.…
Eighth Day, The (1996): Dir. Jaco Van Dormael
Feat. Daniel Auteuil; The director of the much–loved TOTO THE HERO makes another film about magic at ground level, with Daniel Auteuil having his humdrum life…
Elgar's Tenth Muse (1996): Dir. Paul Yule
Feat. James Fox, Selma Alisaphic; Slight, but well–dramatised snippet from the life of composer Sir Edward Elgar (James Fox). Inspired by Hungarian violinist Jelly d’Aranyi,…
Emma (1996): 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…
Emma (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…
English Patient, The (1996): Dir. Anthony Minghella
Feat. Ralph Fiennes, Kristin Scott Thomas, Juliette Binoche; The unsurprising Oscar sweeper of '97 – a shoe–in considering they left out no ingredient – epic length, exotic locales, period…
Entertaining Angels (1996): Dir. Michael Ray Rhodes
Feat. Moira Kelly, Martin Sheen; Stirring biopic of American champion of the poor Dorothy Day (played with passion by Moira Kelly), who rose from obscurity in 1920s New York to…
Evening Star, The (1996): Dir. Robert Harling
Feat. Shirley Maclaine, Juliette Lewis, Bill Paxton…; Long touted 'sequel' to TERMS OF ENDEARMENT, continues the smalltown odyssey of feisty, eccentric Aurora Greenway (Shirley Maclaine), now bedevilled…
Evita (1996): Dir. Alan Parker
Feat. Madonna, Antonio Banderas; The Broadway Extravaganza, complete with Madonna, wall–to–wall songs and political melodrama, is bravely swallowed whole by Hollywood. …
Feeling Minnesota (1996): Dir. Steve Baigelman
Feat. Keanu Reeves, Cameron Diaz, Vincent D'Onofrio…; Another in a line of sorry tales of violence, aimlessness and broken dreams, this represents everything that was bad about independent (American)…
Fever Pitch (1996): Dir. David Evans
Feat. Colin Firth; That most evergreen of English obsessions, footy, is here given a long, loving and belated tribute from a lifetime fan, adapting Nick Hornby's…
Fiesta (1996): Dir. Pierre Boutron
Feat. Jean-Louis Trintignant, Gregoire Colin; Biting, rigorously intelligent parable of the Spanish Civil War, watches unblinking as a young soldier is intiated into the brutalities by his…
Fire (1996): Dir. Deepa Mehta
Feat. Shabana Azmi, Nandita Das; Blazing melodrama defiantly targets Indian sexual hypocrisy and tradition, not to mention trangressing 'Bollywood' taboo, in portraying two women…
Flower of My Secret, The (1996): Dir. Pedro Almodovar
Feat. Marisa Paredes; An artistic maturing for the director of kitsch sex comedies like HIGH HEELS and KIKA, this is an introspective study of a successful authoress…
Flynn (1996): Dir. Frank Howson
Feat. Guy Pearce, John Savage, Claudia Karvan; The adventures and film career of Hollywood's leading debauchee of the 1940s, Errol Flynn, are enacted with spunk by fellow–Australian Guy…
Frankie Starlight (1996): Dir. Michael Lindsay-Hogg
Feat. Gabriel Byrne, Anne Parillaud, Matt Dillon…; Extensive flashbacks illustrate the unusual memoirs of a dwarf. This not–so–tall tale has a special blend of Irish whimsy, with native…
Gabbeh (1996): Dir. Mohsen Makhmalbaf
Feat. Abbas Sayah, Shaghayeh Djodat, Hossein Moharami…; Unique combination of lyricism and social realism from one of the icons of Iranian cinema – a story of a remote struggling tribe, the…
Garden of Redemption (1996): Dir. Thomas Donnelly
Feat. Anthony LaPaglia, Embeth Davidtz; A saga of challenged faith and endurance set in Nazi–occupied Italy, where the village priest assists with the local resistance while besotted…
Get On the Bus (1996): Dir. Spike Lee
Feat. Danny Glover, Will Smith, Wesley Snipes; A highly combustible mixed–bag of black men journey by bus to the Million Man March in Washington DC, a march of affirmation for a troubled…
Ghosts of Mississippi (1996): Dir. Rob Reiner
Feat. Alec Baldwin, Whoopi Goldberg, James Woods…; Thirty years after the fact, D.A. Alec Baldwin re–investigates the murder of a Mississippi civil rights leader. Fact–based…
Girls Town (1996): Dir. Jim McKay
Feat. Lili Taylor, Idina Harris, Anna Grace; Winner of both the Filmmaker's Trophy and the Special Jury prize at Sundance, this little seen film was one of genuine highlights of the 1997 NZ Film…
Go 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…
God's Lonely Man (1996): Dir. Francis Von Zerneck
Feat. Michael Wyle, Jamie Walters; The story of St. Francis of Assisi is loosely transposed to the underbelly of modern LA – a redemption–seeking nervous loner befriends a…
Goodbye South Goodbye (1996): Dir. Hou Hsiao-Hsien
Feat. Jack Kao, Lim Giong; Another exemplary, detailed effort from dir. Hsiao–Hsien, this time following a couple of small time grafters trying to put together 'the big…
Gotti (1996): Dir. Robert Harmon
Feat. Armand Assante, William Forsythe, Anthony Quinn; Armand Assante picked up an Emmy Award for his convincing impression of the legendary mobster John Gotti, who ruled the New York Mafia during the…
Grace of My Heart (1996): Dir. Allison Anders
Feat. John Turturro, Eric Stoltz, Matt Dillon…; Inspired by the career path of Carole King, this episodic tale charts the mixed fortunes of a female singer/songwriter in the thick of the…
Grass Harp, The (1996): Dir. Charles Matthau
Feat. Walter Matthau, Sissy Spacek, Piper Laurie…; Adapted from Truman Capote's novel about a young boy raised by his three eccentric aunts in the American Deep South, and capturing the period, but…
Hard Eight (Sydney) (1996): Dir. Paul Thomas Anderson
Feat. Philip Baker Hall, John C. Reilly, Gwyneth Paltrow…; Cucumber–cool first feature set in the thick of Reno's casino culture, boasts four superb character–based performances and extended…
Hetty Wainthropp Investigates (TV Series) (1996): Feat. Patricia Routledge, Dominic Monaghan; Former suburban stickler Patricia Routledge plays a retiree who takes to some amateur sleuthing with the help of runaway teen Dominic Monaghan…
Hollow Reed (1996): Dir. Angela Pope
Feat. Sam Bould, Martin Donovan, Joely Richardson…; An exceptional and gripping British drama is made of delicate subjects –child abuse, custody rangling, homosexuality. The women…
Homicide - The Movie (1996): Dir. Jean De Segonzac
Feat. Daniel Baldwin, Ned Beatty, Richard Belzer…; A special movie–length episode of the cult TV crime series "Homicide – Life on the Streets", which was probably the grittiest and…
Horseman on the Roof (1996): Dir. Jean-Paul Rappeneau
Feat. Juliette Binoche, Olivier Martinez; Strapping melodrama in the old–fashioned Errol Flynn milieu set during the cholera epidemic of 1800s France. A tale of chivalry, loyalty and…
Hound of the Baskervilles, The / Canterville Ghost, The (1996-2000): Dir. Sydney MacCartney, Rodney Gibbons
Feat. Matt Frewer, Jason London, Neve Campbell…; Made for television productions of these two classic tales are pretty standard fare, though with some notable faces, namely MAX HEADROOM in an…
How to Make an American Quilt (1996): Dir. Jocelyn Moorhouse
Feat. Winona Ryder, Anne Bancroft, Ellen Burstyn…; Pleasurable, star–domed female–stitching movie has Winona Ryder sorting out her personal foibles with an ear for the mixed–fortuned…
I Love You I Love You Not (1996): Dir. Billy Hopkins
Feat. Claire Danes, Jeanne Moreau, Jude Law; Jewish student Claire Danes and grandmother Jeanne Moreau share romantic and tragic stories of their lives, linked by anti–Semitism. A gently…
I Shot Andy Warhol (1996): Dir. Mary Harron
Feat. Lili Taylor, Jared Harris, Martha Plimpton; Both an absorbing time capsule of Warhol's 'factory' ultra–decadence and a gutsy portrait of extremism and delusion. Lili Taylor is a dynamo of…
If These Walls Could Talk (1996): Dir. Nancy Savoca, Cher
Feat. Cher, Demi Moore, Sissy Spacek; Cher, Demi Moore and Sissy Spacek examine issues and attitudes surrounding abortion in three separate stories spread over 40 years. Strong…
In Cold Blood (1996): Dir. Jonathan Kaplan
Feat. Sam Neill, Anthony Edwards, Eric Roberts; Mini–series adaptation of Truman Capote's novel about the real–life murders of a family in a sleepy Kansas town. Solid but not a patch on…
In Love and War (1996): Dir. Richard Attenborough
Feat. Chris O'Donnell, Sandra Bullock, Margot Steinberg; Semi–biographical account of the young, manful Ernest Hemingway's WWI romance/Florence Nightingale complex, based on Agnes von Kurowsky's…
Infinity (1996): Dir. Matthew Broderick
Feat. Matthew Broderick, Patricia Arquette, Peter Riegert…; Biopic about the romantic life of Nobel Prize winning physicist Richard Feynman, directed by and starring Matthew Broderick. Set in the 20's and…
Inspector Wexford Collection, The (TV Mini-series) (1996-2000): Feat. George Baker, Sadie Frost; Collection of commended adaptations based on the Ruth Rendell novels and centred on the recurring Rendell character of Inspector Wexford – an…
Irma Vep (1996): Dir. Olivier Assayas
Feat. Maggie Cheung, Jean-Pierre Leaud, Nathalie Richard…; Ranking up there with the best movies–about–movies, this supremely stylish, sexy film showcases an unseen side of Hong Kong action diva…
It's My Party (1996): Dir. Randal Kleiser
Feat. Eric Roberts; Eric Roberts is bravely cast against as an LA professional dying of AIDS, who decides to host a farewell party before taking his own life. His…
Jaded (1996): Dir. Caryn Krooth
Feat. Carla Gugino, Rya Kihlstedt, Christopher McDonald…; Putting a hefty, controversial twist on the subject of rape, this psychodrama has smalltown loner Carla Gugino sexually abused, not by a man, but by…
Jane 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…
Jane Eyre (1996): Dir. Franco Zeffirelli
Feat. Charlotte Gainsbourg, Anna Paquin, William Hurt…; Zeffirelli's version of Charlotte Bronte's gothic romance, filmed in appropriately murky hues, preserves the sombre integrity of the novel. Charlotte…
Jason's Lyric (1996): Dir. Doug McHenry
Feat. Allen Payne, Jada Pinkett Smith, Forest Whitaker…; If you can't get enough boys in the 'hood, there's plenty of bloodshed and moral penance to be found in this tale of doomed lovers struggling to…
Jerry Maguire (1996): 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…
Jude (1996): Dir. Michael Winterbottom
Feat. Christopher Eccleston, Kate Winslet, Liam Cunningham…; Christopher Eccleston excels in the title role of a common man in relentless pursuit of a higher education and the forbidden love of his cousin (Kate…
Kama Sutra (1996): Dir. Mira Nair
Feat. Indira Varma, Sarita Choudhury, Ramon Tikaram…; The director of SALAAM BOMBAY returns to her native land for this enticing, beautifully photographed tale of love, jealousy and revenge among the…
Kansas City (1996): Dir. Robert Altman
Feat. Jennifer Jason Leigh, Miranda Richardson, Harry Belafonte; An all–star cast jam out on the multiple storylines of Robert Altman's homage to the 30s jazz–mecca of Kansas City. The old master stirs…
Keeper, The (1996): Dir. Joe Brewster
Feat. Giancarlo Esposito, Isaach de Bankole, Regina Taylor…; An idealistic black corrections officer bails out and offers shelter to a Haitian immigrant unjustly accused of rape, a gesture that will profoundly…
Kids Return (1996): Dir. Takeshi Kitano
Feat. Ando Masanobu, Kaneko Ken; Two feckless delinquents discover the local boxing–gym, which provides inspiration for one and an entry into a yakuza gang for the other.…
Killer: a Journal of Murder (1996): Dir. Tim Metcalfe
Feat. James Woods, Robert Sean Leonard, Ellen Greene; James Woods plays America's first official serial killer, Carl Panzram, but his demonic energies seem wasted on a simplistic film that offers scant…
King of Masks, The (1996): Dir. Tianming Wu
Feat. Zhu Xu; Touching paternal tale, in the Chinese mainland tradition, concerning an aging street performer determined to pass on his technique to a young…
Kissed (1996): Dir. Lynne Stopkewich
Feat. Molly Parker, Peter Outerbridge; A woman develops an unusual fascination with dead rodents that becomes a desire for embalming humans and blossoms into full–blown, ahem,…
Kolya (1996): Dir. Jan Sverak
Feat. Zdenek Sverak, Andrei Chalimon; A beautifully sentimental Oscar winner for Best Foreign film – set during the 1988 Russian occupation of Czechoslovakia, when a…
Land and Freedom (1996): Dir. Ken Loach
Feat. Ian Hart, Rosana Pastor, Iciar Bollain; British realist director Ken Loach changes tack with this period melodrama about a communist lad (Ian Hart) who joins a rebel army in the Spanish…
Lars von Trier Collection (Breaking the Waves, Tranceformer, The Idiots) (1996-1998): Dir. Lars Von Trier; Three provocative Lars von Trier films from the director's 'Dogme' phase. Includes the documentary 'Tranceformer – A Portrait of Lars von…
Last Dance (1996): Dir. Bruce Beresford
Feat. Sharon Stone, Rob Morrow, Randy Quaid…; In some kind of bid for dramatic range, Sharon Stone tackles the important issues – as a woman on death row – but no amount of Clairol…
Late 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…
Libertarias (1996): Dir. Vincente Aranda
Feat. Victoria Abril, Ana Belen, Miguel Bose…; Examining the Spanish Civil War from a left–wing point–of–view, this passionate war drama focuses on a trio of women – a…
Lilies (1996): Dir. John Greyson
Feat. Marcel Sabourin, Aubert Pallascio, Matthew Fergusson; Stylised, ripely sensual adaptation of Michel Marc's play 'Les Feluettes' set in a men's prison in 1950s Quebec, where the inmates kidnap a local…
Loaded (1996): Dir. Anna Campion
Feat. Oliver Milburn, Dearbhla Molloy, Danny Cunningham…; Fans of Trainspotting will connect with this compelling snapshot of the E–generation – an acid–inflected psychodrama that unfolds…
Lone Star (1996): Dir. John Sayles
Feat. Chris Cooper, Elizabeth Pena, Matthew McConaughey…; John Sayles' searching character study set in a dusty New Mexican town crosses multiple characters and time frames across three ethnic cultures.…
Loved (1996): Dir. Erin Dignam
Feat. Robin Wright, William Hurt; Robin Wright strongly commits to the difficult role of a woman oddly reluctant to testify against her abusive ex–husband, despite pressure from…
Lowball (1996): Dir. Demian Lichenstein
Feat. Peter Greene; Grimy, low–budget drama pursues NY cop Peter Greene through the mire of his deep cover assignment, as the various temptations of the scumbag…
Lust 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…
Marvin's Room (1996): Dir. Jerry Zaks
Feat. Meryl Streep, Leonardo DiCaprio, Robert De Niro…; The cast contribute their customary greatness to this poignant drama about family ties, responsibilities, transpiring over the slow passing of the…
Mary Reilly (1996): Dir. Stephen Frears
Feat. John Malkovich, Julia Roberts, Michael Gambon…; John Malkovich and Juila Roberts star in this alternative take on R.L. Stevenson's Jekyll and Hyde story – the toil and double trouble is seen…
Member of the Wedding (1996): Dir. Fielder Cook
Feat. Anna Paquin, Alfre Woodard; Awkward tomboy Anna Paquin further withdraws after her mother's death, but pins hopes on fleeing her small town troubles when her brother returns to…
Michael Collins (1996): Dir. Neil Jordan
Feat. Ian Hart, Julia Roberts, Liam Neeson; Persuasive biopic of the martyred hero who negotiated Ireland's break from the UK charts the impact of one charismatic individual while engaging how…
Mind Bender (1996): Dir. Ken Russell
Feat. Terence Stamp, Ishai Golan; Ken Russell recreates the exploits of controversial spoon–bender and parapsychologist Uri Geller, but seems puzzlingly reluctant to provoke.…
Minette Walters - The Collection (The Ice House, The Echo, The Dark Room, The Sculptress, The Scold's Bridle) (1996-1999): Dir. Diarmuid Lawrence, David Thacker
Feat. Daniel Craig, Corin Redgrave, Clive Owen…; A box–set of five film adaptations of murder mysteries by English crime writer Minette Walters, from the BBC. All are psychological thrillers…
Moll Flanders (1996): Dir. Pen Densham
Feat. Robin Wright, Morgan Freeman; The hardships of the 18th century England prove a lifelong test of character for the eponymous heroine, born into poverty, then graduating to both…
Month by the Lake, A (1996): Dir. John Irvin
Feat. Vanessa Redgrave, Edward Fox, Uma Thurman; The second H.E. Bates adaptation of 1996 (after FEAST OF JULY) is a lush autumnal romance set on the shores of Italy's Lake Como. Vanessa Redgrave…
More Tales of the City (TV Series) (1996): Feat. Olympia Dukakis, Laura Linney, Colin Ferguson…; The second series of the much–loved TV show set among the varied folk of San Francisco.
Mother Night (1996): Dir. Keith Gordon
Feat. Nick Nolte, Sheryl Lee, Alan Arkin…; Ambitious adaptation of Kurt Vonnegut's meaty novel recounts the memoirs of an unheralded American spy – from German 'hero' to destitute…
Mr. Holland's Opus (1996): Dir. Stephen Herek
Feat. Richard Dreyfuss, Glenne Headly; A would–be composer who settled for a career in teaching reflects on an inspirational life's work. Though steeped in nostalgic sentiment,…
Nelly and Mr. Anaud (1996): Dir. Claude Sautet
Feat. Emmanuelle Beart, Michel Serrault; Emmanuelle Beart gets caught up in a May–to–December romance with Michel Serrault in another elegant and subtle drama from the director…
Nenette & Boni (1996): Dir. Claire Denis
Feat. Gregoire Colin, Alice Houri , Jacques Nolot…; Minor, though beautifully rendered slice–of–life from Claire Denis casts an eye on two teenage siblings raised separately by divorced…
No Way Home (1996): Dir. Buddy Giovinazzo
Feat. Tim Roth, James Russo, Deborah Kara Unger; A recently paroled Tim Roth finds his hopes for a new life threatened by his brothers involvement with drugs. Though the introduction of a thriller…
O'Quatrilho (1996): Dir. Fabio Barreto
Feat. Fabio Barreto, Mariana Pellegrino Barreto; Steamy Latino variant on the patented love–triangle/adultery story, set among immigrants newly settled in turn of the century Brazil, freshly…
Oliver Twist (1996): Dir. Coky Giedroyc
Feat. Timothy Spall, William Miller, Adam Arnold; Faithful BBC adaptation of the Charles Dicken's classic, most notable for Timothy Spall's sympathetic take on Fagin.
Other Side of Sunday, The (1996): Dir. Berit Nesheim
Feat. Marie Theisen, Bjorn Sundquist, Hildegun Riise; Yearning to discover the 'other side' of life in 1950s Norway, teenager Marie Theisen evades her harshly religious father to explore the amorphous…
Our Friends in the North (TV Mini-series) (1996): Feat. Christopher Eccleston, Gina McKee, Daniel Craig…; British TV show following four friends living in the city of Newcastle upon Tyne in North East England over a period of 31 years from 1964 to 1995.…
People Vs. Larry Flynt, The (1996): Dir. Milos Forman
Feat. Woody Harrelson, Courtney Love; A weighty, colourful biopic of the notorious publisher of 'Hustler' magazine. The 'free speech' debate presides over the issue of pornography, but…
Phenomenon (1996): Dir. Jon Turteltaub
Feat. John Travolta, Kyra Sedgwick, Forest Whitaker…; John Travolta is aptly cast a genial mechanic who, after being struck by lightening, acquires super–intelligence that gradually ostracises him…
Ponette (1996): Dir. Jacques Doillon
Feat. Victoire Thivisol; Staying at her Aunt's provincial cottage after the accidental death of her mother, a four–year–old girl comes to terms with death, while…
Portrait of a Lady (1996): Dir. Jane Campion
Feat. Nicole Kidman, John Malkovich; Unfairly roasted by many critics, our Jane's adaptation of Henry James' novel dares to offer more than romance in fancy dress, but instead a complex,…
Pretty Village, Pretty Flame (1996): 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…
Prisoner of the Mountains (1996): Dir. Sergei Bodrov
Feat. Oleg Menshikov, Sergei Bodrov Jr, Susanna Mekhraliyeva…; A Tolstoy fable is here seamlessly transposed to the Chechean conflict, with two Russian soldiers apprehended by a Chechean village elder who hopes…
Promise, The (La Promesse) (1996): Dir. Luc and Jean-Pierre Dardenne
Feat. Jeremie Renier, Olivier Gourmet; A deceptively modest, altogether riveting early film from the Dardenne brothers, here test–driving the formal rigors of their unwavering…
Proprietor, The (1996): Dir. Ismail Merchant
Feat. Jeanne Moreau, Sean Young, Sam Waterston; The other half of the Merchant/Ivory partnership directs this story of a distinguished French–Jewish writer who returns to Paris to confront…
Rasputin (1996): Dir. Uli Edel
Feat. Alan Rickman, Greta Scacchi, Ian McKellen…; Richly turned–out costume saga of Rasputin: the enigmatic, unwashed peasant who rose up to become the spiritual guide of the Tsar's family in…
Reef, The (Passion's Way) (1996): Dir. Robert Allan Ackerman
Feat. Timothy Dalton, Sela Ward, Leslie Caron; Unrequited love is the theme of this adaptation from Edith Wharton, as young lovers Timothy Dalton and Sela Ward are repeatedly separated by…
Rhodes (TV Mini-series) (1996): Dir. David Drury
Feat. Martin Shaw, Frances Barber, Joe Shaw; Lengthy but worth–it biopic telling the story of Cecil Rhodes, the 19th–Century businessman who was sent to Africa to die, but came back…
Richard III (1996): Dir. Richard Loncraine
Feat. Ian McKellen, Annette Bening, Robert Downey Jnr.…; Transposed to a fascist 1930s Britain, Shakespeare's classic tale of power politics easily renews its timeless appeal. Ian McKellen commands every…
Safe (1996): Dir. Todd Haynes
Feat. Julianne Moore, Peter Friedman, Xander Berkeley…; This subtly gripping and rewarding portrait of neurosis stars Julianne Moore as a fragile '80s LA housewife who takes refuge at a health compound in…
Secrets and Lies (1996): Dir. Mike Leigh
Feat. Brenda Blethyn, Timothy Spall, Claire Rushbrook…; Winner of the Palm D'or at Cannes '96, and surprise box–office smash thanks to good old word of mouth. A dramatic tour–de–force…
Self Made Hero, A (1996): Dir. Jacques Audiard
Feat. Mathieu Kassovitz; Mattieu Kassovitz (director of LA HAINE) proves to be no slouch actor here as a WW2 idler who swats up and cheekily ascends the ranks of the…
Shine (1996): Dir. Scott Hicks
Feat. Geoffrey Rush, Noah Taylor; Geoffrey Rush's upset win of the Best Actor Oscar was the jewel in the crown of this little Oz movie's incredibly charmed life. A moving recital…
Sleepers (1996): Dir. Barry Levinson
Feat. Robert De Niro, Brad Pitt, Dustin Hoffman; Based on a purportedly fact–based novel by Lorenzo Carcaterra, a disastrous prank lands four schoolboys in a borstal where they suffer…
Small Faces (1996): Dir. Gillies MacKinnon
Feat. Iain Robertson, Joseph McFadden; An anti–nostalgic hark back to the mean streets of late '60s Glasgow into which a wee spotty lad becomes unwittingly drawn. Eschewing the…
Snow White in the Black Forest (A Tale of Terror) (1996): Dir. Michael Cohn
Feat. Sigourney Weaver, Sam Neill; A Brothers Grimm fairytale more grim than fairy–ish. Sigourney Weaver steps into the wicked–stepmother robes for a nice little bedtime…
Some Mother's Son (1996): Dir. Terry George
Feat. Helen Mirren, Fionnula Flanagan, Aidan Gillen…; The ever–topical Northern Ireland conflict provides more inspiration for the writer of IN THE NAME OF THE FATHER, here dissecting the moral…
Spitfire Grill, The (1996): Dir. Lee David Zlotoff
Feat. Alison Elliott, Ellen Burstyn, Marcia Gay Harden…; If you enjoyed the down–home cookin' of FRIED GREEN TOMATOES you might wanna sample this fare, but otherwise this is a folkie melodrama, with a…
Stonewall (1996): Dir. Nigel Finch
Feat. Guillermo Diaz, Fred Weller, Brendan Corbalis…; Mismarketed as a comedy to cash in on the post–Priscilla 'drag' craze, this has serious things to say about what it was like to be 'gay' well…
Summer 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,…
Temptress Moon (1996): Dir. Chen Kaige
Feat. Gong Li, Leslie Cheung; Chen Kaige elevates the sumptuous Chinese epoch of FAREWELL MY CONCUBINE with this visually rapturous, though far less coherent saga of epic…
Tenant of Wildfell Hall (1996): Dir. Mike Barker
Feat. Tara Fitzgerald, Cathy Murphy, Jackson Leach; Tara Fitzgerald plays the new tenant of a decaying Yorkshire manor, who ruffles the feathers of the rural community with her independent spirit and…
This Is the Sea (1996): Dir. Mary McGuckian
Feat. Richard Harris, Gabriel Byrne, Samantha Morton…; Richard Harris introduces a sheltered Protestant lass to the nighttime excitements of Belfast. However, when IRA–man Gabriel Byrne looms on the…
This Life (TV Series) (1996-1997): Feat. Jack Davenport, Ramon Tikaram; Subdued but truthful drama set around the 1990s conflicts, problems, successes and romances of a crowd of young London urbanites – mainly…
Tierra (Earth) (1996): Dir. Julio Medem
Feat. Carmelo Gómez, Emma Suarez, Karra Elejalde; Intimate portrait of Angel (Gomez), an exterminator who travels to a remote wine–making town to rid them of a plague of woodlice, and gradually…
To Have and to Hold (1996): Dir. John Hillcoat
Feat. Tcheky Karyo, Rachel Griffiths, Steve Jacobs; The director of GHOSTS OF THE CIVIL DEAD takes an unexpected turn into full blown romantic melodrama. The plot's twists and turns take place in the…
To Sir With Love 2 (1996): Dir. Peter Bogdanovich
Feat. Sidney Poitier, Lulu , Judy Geeson; Sequel to the 1967 classic, with Sidney Poitier returning as the teacher dealing with unruly and disadvantaged students, this time in a…
Too Late (Prea Târziu) (1996): Dir. Lucian Pintilie
Feat. Razvan Vasilescu; Bleak, unflinching examination of Romanian society from dir. Pintilie focuses on an inexperienced investigator who discovers a myriad of corruption…
Trees Lounge (1996): Dir. Steve Buscemi
Feat. Steve Buscemi, Chloe Sevigny, Anthony LaPaglia…; Lovelorn, unemployed mechanic Steve Buscemi drags himself downstairs each day to the local watering hole of the title for bouts of…
Under the Lighthouse Dancing (1996): Dir. Graeme Rattigan
Feat. Jack Thompson, Jacqueline McKenzie; Jack Thompson and Jaqueline McKenzie are fiances whose mystery–weekend on an idyllic Aussie island may or may not end in a surprise wedding.…
Unhook the Stars (1996): Dir. Nick Cassavetes
Feat. Gena Rowlands, Marisa Tomei, Gerard Depardieu; Ageing widow Gena Rowlands forms an unlikely bond with a seven–year old neighbour and his abrasive mother in this absorbing drama, directed…
Up Close and Personal (1996): Dir. Jon Avnet
Feat. Michelle Pfeiffer, Robert Redford; Small–town weather girl Michelle Pfeiffer ascends to ambitious journalist and finally star TV reporter under the auspice of boss and lover…
Vacant Possession (1996): Dir. Margot Nash
Feat. Pamela Rabe; Pamela Rabe grapples with some disturbing family secrets on returning to her childhood home in Botany Bay. Beautifully shot drama also confronts…
Vanity Fair (TV Mini-series) (1996): Dir. Marc Munden
Feat. Natasha Little, Nathaniel Parker, Frances Grey; BBC adaptation of William Thackery's 19th century satire of class snobberies in which social–climbing Natasha Little socially negotiates the…
Victory (1996): Dir. Mark Peploe
Feat. Willem Dafoe, Irene Jacob, Sam Neill…; Adventure film set in 1913 and based on the novel of the same name by Joseph Conrad. After attempting to rape a woman, a man living in Dutch occupied…
Watermelon Woman, The (1996): Dir. Cheryl Dunye
Feat. Cheryl Dunye, Guinevere Turner; Unusual and amusing story of a young, black lesbian would–be film–maker whose life, involving a ‘controversial’ romance with…
Welcome to the Dollhouse (1996): Dir. Todd Solondz
Feat. Heather Matarazzo, Victoria Davis; Winner of the grand prize at Sundance '96, this is a blackly comic portrait of a dreaded kind of coming–of–age. Teenage persecution and…
When Saturday Comes (1996): Dir. Maria Giese
Feat. Sean Bean, Emily Lloyd, Pete Postlethwaite; Sean Bean balances the prospect of football greatness with the consumption of much lager in a mining town of North England. It's…
When the Cat's Away (1996): Dir. Cedric Klapisch
Feat. Garance Clavel, Zinedine Soualem; A movie for cat lovers and young romantics alike, this Latino–tinged, funky, yet alluringly modest French film follows the dowdy–cute…
Whole Wide World, The (1996): Dir. Dan Ireland
Feat. Vincent D'Onofrio, Renee Zellweger; Biopic based on a romantic memoir of pulp fantasy writer Robert E. Howard, creator of CONAN THE BARBARIAN and RED SONJA. A beefed–up Vincent…
Will It Snow for Christmas? (1996): Dir. Sandrine Veysset
Feat. Dominique Reymond, Daniel Duval; Not a seasonal film 'for the whole family', rather a slow–paced evocation of hard–won, rural life for an impoverished French family of…
All Things Fair (1995): Dir. Bo Widerberg
Feat. Johan Widerberg, Marika Lagercrantz; The late Bo Widerberg's swansong records a bittersweet memoir of his love affair with a teacher 22 years his senior. The casting of his young son in…
Amateur (1995): Dir. Hal Hartley
Feat. Isabelle Huppert, Martin Donovan, Elina Lowensohn; Hal Hartley approaches the conventions of a thriller in further probing his fixation with dysfunctional romance and relationships, and thus checks in…
American Gothic (TV Series) (1995): Dir. Mike Binder
Feat. Gary Cole, Lucas Black, Jake Weber…; Mordant supernatural thriller set in the small town of 'Trinity', South Carolina, where despite outward appearances of normality, much of the town's…
Angel Baby (1995): Dir. Michael Rymer
Feat. John Lynch, Jacqueline McKenzie; Searing tragicomedy in which two schizophrenics fall in love and for better and worse navigate a path to independence and happiness. The…
Angels and Insects (1995): Dir. Philip Haas
Feat. Mark Rylance, Kristin Scott Thomas, Patsy Kensit; A splendid dissection of class mores in pre–Victorian England, thematically reminiscent of Greenaway, but minus his cold cynicism. Rich in…
Apollo 13 (1995): Dir. Ron Howard
Feat. Tom Hanks, Bill Paxton, Kevin Bacon…; An All–American true story in which Tom Hanks, Bill Paxton and Kevin Bacon are astronauts aboard the ill–fated mission to the moon, while…
August (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…
Basketball Diaries, The (1995): Dir. Scott Calvert
Feat. Leonardo DiCaprio, Mark Wahlberg, Juliette Lewis…; Leonardo DiCaprio excels as a young Jim Carroll, an infamous New York poet/musician/junkie who maintained a personal journal through a…
Before Sunrise (1995): Dir. Richard Linklater
Feat. Ethan Hawke, Julie Delpy; Young tourists American Ethan Hawke and French Julie Delpy, meet by chance on a train in Europe and spend the following twelve hours…
Before the Rain (1995): Dir. Milcho Manchevski
Feat. Rade Serbedzija, Katrin Cartlidge, Gregoire Colin; The impotence of violence is the uniting theme of this masterful triptych that traverses the ravaged terrain of both Macedonia and modern London. An…
Beyond the Clouds (Al di là delle nuvole) (1995): Dir. Michelangelo Antonioni
Feat. Fanny Ardant, Chiara Caselli, Irene Jacob…; Michelangelo Antonioni's final film weaves together four stories of discontented love in his characteristic cinematic style. Featuring a huge…
Blue 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…
Boys On the Side (1995): Dir. Herbert Ross
Feat. Whoopi Goldberg, Mary-Louise Parker, Drew Barrymore; Strangers hit the road together and share more in common than they expect. As disparate women–of–the–nineties the three stars keep…
Bramwell (TV Series) (1995-1998): Feat. Jemma Redgrave, Ruth Sheen, David Calder; TV series set in the Victorian era about a courageous young woman who defies social rules and gender roles to study medicine, and begins her own…
Bridges of Madison County (1995): Dir. Clint Eastwood
Feat. Meryl Streep, Clint Eastwood; Meryl Streep's exceptional talent finds a worthy vessel in a repressed housewife whose passions become enflamed by a nomadic photographer (Clint…
Brother of Sleep (1995): Dir. Joseph Vilsmaier
Feat. Andre Eisermann, Dana Vavrova, Ben Becker…; A bastard child born in remote 19th century Bavaria proves to have an eerie, powerful musical gift, causing consternation among the inbred, somewhat…
Brothers in Trouble (1995): Dir. Udayan Prasad
Feat. Om Puri, Angeline Ball; A Pakistani illegal–immigrant family struggle to maintain an income and dignity in a grim '60s Midland town. Bittersweet tragicomedy.
Brothers 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.…
Buccaneers, The (1995): Dir. Philip Saville
Feat. Carla Gugino, Mira Sorvino, Alison Elliott…; Four blue–blooded American girls search in England for the fortune and success denied to them back home. A BBC production, from Edith Wharton's…
Campfire (Short Films by Bavo Defurne) (1995-2000): Dir. Bavo Defurne; Four short films by the renowned gay Belgian filmmaker Bavo Defurne, whose work is distinguished by an aesthetic that combines an astute sense of…
Carried Away (1995): Dir. Bruno Barreto
Feat. Dennis Hopper, Amy Irving, Amy Locane…; Rustic, brooding melodrama in which a middle–aged school–teacher (Dennis Hopper) crosses the line with his 17–year old student, and…
Carrington (1995): Dir. Christopher Hampton
Feat. Emma Thompson, Jonathan Pryce, Steven Waddington…; Titular tomboy Emma Thompson finds inexplicable desire for fellow 'Bloomsbury groupie' and effette intellectual Lytton Strachey in this academic…
Casino (1995): Dir. Martin Scorsese
Feat. Robert De Niro, Joe Pesci, Sharon Stone; Propelled by Scorsese's cinematic bravado, Robert De Niro, Joe Pesci, and Sharon Stone, in 70s duds, carve their way through a richly textured,…
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,…
Chungking Express (1995): Dir. Wong Kar-Wai
Feat. Takeshi Kaneshiro, Brigitte Lin, Tony Leung (Chiu-wai)…; Influential urban style piece that brought its director serious attention in the West. There's no plot to speak of; Kar–Wai's style is an…
Circle of Friends (1995): Dir. Pat O'Connor
Feat. Minnie Driver, Chris O'Donnell; Catholicism and blossoming sexuality come into conflict when ugly–duckling Minnie Driver goes gooey over preppie Chris O'Donnell and chooses to…
Colonel Chabert, Le (1995): Dir. Yves Angelo
Feat. Gerard Depardieu, Fanny Ardant, Fabrice Luchini…; After being presumed dead in Napoleonic battle, Gerard Depardieu returns to his home town to find his wife, his money and his honour being betrayed…
Convent, The (1995): Dir. Manoel de Oliveira
Feat. John Malkovich, Catherine Deneuve; Academic couple John Malkovich and Catherine Deneuve survey a spooky ancient convent in a quest to prove that Shakespeare is of Spanish descent. From…
Crossing Guard, The (1995): Dir. Sean Penn
Feat. Jack Nicholson, David Morse, Anjelica Huston; As writer/director, Sean Penn admirably mines similar ambiguous terrain of his acting turn in DEAD MAN WALKING. A compassionate interrogation of…
Cry, The Beloved Country (1995): Dir. Darrell Roodt
Feat. James Earl Jones, Richard Harris, Tsholofelo Wechoemang…; Dignified modern adaptation of Alan Paton's moving novel about a black South African priest and the wealthy father of a murdered white activist.…
Cure, The (1995): Dir. Peter Horton
Feat. Joseph Mazzello, Brad Renfro, Annabella Sciorra…; A touching story about two pre–teen boys, one of whom has AIDS, who venture to New Orleans on a raft to track down a miracle cure they read…
Cyclo (1995): Dir. Tran Anh Hung
Feat. Le Van Loc, Tony Leung (Chiu-wai), Tran Nu Yen-Khe; Brooding expose of corruption, poverty and violence in contemporary Vietnam follows the ill fortunes of a young taxi–cyclist. Has potent…
Dangerfield (TV Series) (1995): Feat. Nigel Le Vaillant, Amanda Redman; Small–town BBC fare stars Nigel Le Vaillant as a successful GP whose moonlighting as a police surgeon puts pressure on his understaffed…
Dangerous Minds (1995): Dir. John N. Smith
Feat. Michelle Pfeiffer; Every generation needs a teacher–transforms–the–juvenile–delinquent chestnut, and consequently this film will appeal to those…
Dazzle (1995): Dir. Richard A. Colla
Feat. Lisa Hartman, Cliff Robertson, James Farentino…; Following her father's death, a beautiful photographer must battle evil half–sisters and evil developers to keep the family ranch intact…
Dead Man (1995): Dir. Jim Jarmusch
Feat. Johnny Depp, Iggy Pop, Lance Henriksen; A unique meditation on the mystique of the Wild West, branded with the distinctive marks of dir. Jarmusch's dilatory tempo and playful eccentricity.…
Delinquent (1995): Dir. Peter Hall
Feat. Desmond Devenish, Shawn Batten, Jeff Paul; The dysfunctional initiation into adulthood of a 15–year–old in a rural East Coast backwater. Atmospheric, with a groovy soundtrack by…
Disappearance 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…
Dolores Claiborne (1995): Dir. Taylor Hackford
Feat. Kathy Bates, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Judy Parfitt…; After MISERY, this non–supernatural Stephen King adaptation displays yet another facet of Kathy Bates multiple screen personas – here she…
Edie 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, 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…
Epsilon (1995): Dir. Rolf De Heer
Feat. Ullie Birve, Syd Brisbane; An ordinary bloke is confronted by a woman from another planet against a shifting backdrop of time and space... Filmed over a twelve month…
Fallen Angels (1995): Dir. Wong Kar-Wai
Feat. Leon Lai, Michelle Reis; Seductive stylist Wong Kar–Wai here orchestrates the stories of three disreputable urbanites across a Hong Kong nightscape of impersonal…
Feast of July (1995): Dir. Christopher Menaul
Feat. Embeth Davidtz, Tom Bell, Ben Chaplin…; This Merchant–Ivory production atypically focuses on the underclass, but still bares their predelictions – family politics and tragedy,…
Flight of the Albatross (1995): Dir. Werner Meyer
Feat. Julia Brendler, Jack Thompson; Teenager Julia Brendler migrates from Germany to New Zealand to renuite with her mother, a scientist studying the albatross colony on a remote island.
Flirt (1995): Dir. Hal Hartley
Feat. Parker Posey, Martin Donovan; Moderately successful filmic experiment from Hal Hartley, peddling his usual studied ironies in a story told three times over, in New York, Berlin…
French Woman, A (Une Femme Francaise) (1995): Dir. Regis Wargnier
Feat. Emmanuelle Beart, Daniel Auteuil; Emmanuelle Beart stars in this period tale of idyllic romance compromised by the reality of war. The director of INDOCHINE again embraces the…
Fresh (1995): Dir. Boaz Yakin
Feat. Samuel L. Jackson; The best, and dare we say it, freshest, of the Black–American street fables to emerge in recent years, a fascinating story evolves from a young…
Funny Bones (1995): Dir. Peter Chelsom
Feat. Oliver Platt, Jerry Lewis, Lee Evans…; A fascinating ode to laughter and the business of laughter. After failing on the cut–throat Las Vegas circuit, would–be comic Oliver…
Georgia (1995): Dir. Ulu Grosbard
Feat. Jennifer Jason Leigh, Mare Winningham; Sibling rivalry in the music industry contrasts the careers and temperaments of two sisters. Jennifer Jason–Leigh and Mare Winningham are in…
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…
Hanging Gale, The (TV Mini-series) (1995): Feat. Stephen McGann, Joe McGann, Mark McGann…; Bleak Irish mini–series centered around a family of four brothers who must fight to save their land and family from a cruel English Land Agent…
Heavy (1995): Dir. James Mangold
Feat. Pruitt Taylor Vince, Liv Tyler, Deborah Harry…; Pruitt Taylor Vince leads a terrific cult cast for this intimate, almost despairing, portrait of sexual longing. Imagine ERASERHEAD steeped in the…
Incredibly True Adventure of 2 Girls in Love (1995): Dir. Maria Maggenti
Feat. Laurel Holloman, Nicole Parker; A giddy celebration of first love, that just happens to be between a lesbian outcast and a affluent African–American beauty. Low–budget…
Indictment (1995): Dir. Mick Jackson
Feat. James Woods, Mercedes Ruehl; Courtroom drama of rare power locks James Woods and Mercedes Ruehl as duelling lawyers in a detailed examination of the McMartin child abuse trial…
Jake's Progress (TV Mini-series) (1995): Feat. Robert Lindsay, Julie Walters; Oddly masterful Alan Bleasdale drama stars G.B.H's Robert Lindsay as a failed musician who learns from a fortune teller that he'll die shortly after…
Jefferson in Paris (1995): Dir. James Ivory
Feat. Nick Nolte, Greta Scacchi, Thandiwe Newton; Thomas Jefferson's sabbatical in revolutionary Paris with Nick Nolte in the central role. Merchant Ivory's period detail is of course faultless, but…
Kicking 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…
Kids (1995): Dir. Larry Clark
Feat. Leo Fitzpatrick, Sarah Henderson, Justin Pierce…; Cult photographer Larry Clark's debut, 24hrs of New York streetkid life, attracted immediate controversy. The unblinking depictions of sex, drugs and…
La Haine (Hate) (1995): Dir. Mathieu Kassovitz
Feat. Vincent Cassel, Hubert Kounde, Said Taghmaoui…; A distinctive French urban crime drama in which the idle hands of male youth form fisticuffs on mean urban streets. A whole lot punchier, intelligent…
Land of Milk and Honey (1995): Dir. Joseph Destein
Feat. Lumi Cavazos, Richard Panebianco; A hired man plumbs the secrets of a Spanish–American family on a remote Californian coastal farm, in this stark, brooding melodrama. Stars…
Last Good Time, The (1995): Dir. Bob Balaban
Feat. Armin Mueller-Stahl, Olivia d'Abo, Maureen Stapleton…; Affecting tale of complementary opposites – a young woman takes refuge in the apartment of a longtime widower (Armin Mueller–Stahl),…
Late Shift, The (1995): Dir. Betty Thomas
Feat. Kathy Bates, John Michael Higgins, Bob Balaban…; Searing, insightful fact–based drama that charts the jostle for late–night supremacy between David Letterman and Jay Leno after the…
Leaving Las Vegas (1995): Dir. Mike Figgis
Feat. Nicolas Cage, Elisabeth Shue; Staggering 'downward–spiral' drama set on a Las Vegas strip of neon lights, broken dreams and drunken oblivion. Nicolas Cage drinks himself to…
Les Miserables (1995): Dir. Claude Lelouch
Feat. Jean-Paul Belmondo; Widely considered the definitive screen version of this granddaddy of French literary staples. Few concessions have been allowed in staging a…
Letters from the East (1995): Dir. Andrew Grieve
Feat. Ewa Froling, Mark Womack, Ingeborga Dapkunaite; The political turmoil of the Baltic Republics provides a backdrop for this Anglo–Estonian drama, in which a young English woman searches for…
Life (1995): Dir. Lawrence Johnston
Feat. John Brumpton, David Tredinnick; Set in the HIV–isolation unit of an Australian prison, this is reflective cinema at its most interesting, distilling down the raw terms of…
Like Grains of Sand (1995): Dir. Hashiguchi Ryosuke
Feat. Yoshinori Okada, Kouta Kusano; Remarkable, intense Japanese high school romance is centrally about a gay relationship, though it essentially captures the universal,…
Lilian's Story (1995): Dir. Jerzy Domaradzki
Feat. Toni Collette, Ruth Cracknell; Toni Collette won an AFI Best Actress award for her moving portrait of a long–committed psych–patient who is rehabilitated into the…
Losing Isaiah (1995): Dir. Stephen Gyllenhaal
Feat. Jessica Lange, Halle Berry, David Strathairn…; Jessica Lange plays an adoptive mother who gives an abandoned black child a new chance at life, but the birth mother (Halle Berry) has cleaned up her…
Low Life, The (1995): Dir. George Hickenlooper
Feat. Rory Cochrane, Sean Astin, Kyra Sedgwick; Amiable, intelligent US independent about a young writer who moves to L.A. to find a struggle in the simplest things, let alone his hopes of taking…
Maborosi (Mabaroshi) (1995): Dir. Kore-eda Hirokazu
Feat. Makikio Esumi, Tadanobu Asano; A young woman's fear that she brings death to those around her forms the basis for this contemplative, serene drama, the dir.'s debut. Suggestively…
Mad Love (1995): Dir. Antonia Bird
Feat. Chris O'Donnell, Drew Barrymore; An apple–pie American boy (Chris O'Donnell) hightails it with free–spirit wild child Drew Barrymore, an ex–hospital patient who is…
Madagascar Skin (1995): 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…
Madness of King George, The (1995): Dir. Nicholas Hytner
Feat. Nigel Hawthorne, Helen Mirren, Ian Holm…; Nigel Hawthorne reigns supremely as the 18th Century monarch threatened to be dethroned by his own 'madness' and his flaky heir. Alan Bennett's…
Margaret's Museum (1995): Dir. Mort Ransen
Feat. Helena Bonham Carter, Clive Russell, Craig Olejnik…; Crisply shot costume drama with Helena Bonham–Carter, determined to marry outside her dreary 1940s Nova Scotia coal–mining hometown. Has…
McCallum (TV Series) (1995-1998): Feat. John Hannah; Above–par crime series trails the private and professional life of the titular forensic pathologist as he becomes entangled in various murder…
Mina Tannenbaum (1995): Dir. Martine Dugowson
Feat. Romane Bohringer, Elsa Zylberstein; Two childhood girl–friends of different character and ambition endure a tempestuous friendship over three decades. A freshly drawn, stylish…
Molom (1995): Dir. Marie Jaoul De Poncheville
Feat. Molom Tseded, Yonden Yondejunai; Mystical travelogue of a spiritual nomad/shaman who comes to earth as an eagle, then traverses the breathtaking landscapes of rural Mongolia as the…
Moonlight and Valentino (1995): Dir. David Anspaugh
Feat. Whoopi Goldberg, Kathleen Turner, Gwyneth Paltrow…; Whoopi Goldberg, Kathleen Turner and Gwyneth Paltrow gather to console Elizabeth Perkins on the tragic death of her hubby. Enter house–painting…
My Brother's Keeper (1995): Dir. Glenn Jordan
Feat. John Lithgow; Courageous true story of twin–brother teachers, one of whom required a precarious bone marrow transplant from the other to keep his HIV from…
My Family (1995): Dir. Gregory Nava
Feat. Jimmy Smits, Esai Morales, Edward James Olmos; A engrossing and ambitious saga about a troubled Hispanic–American family recalled in flashback through three snapshots; the 20s, 50s and 80s.
Neon Bible, The (1995): Dir. Terence Davies
Feat. Gena Rowlands, Denis Leary; Dreamy, Big Band–infused coming–of–age, in which British lyricist Terence Davies transposes his woozy, nostalgia–lensed…
Nina Takes a Lover (1995): Dir. Alan Jacobs
Feat. Laura San Giancomo, Paul Rhys, Michael O'Keefe…; Married sales girl Laura San Giancomo makes illicit park–side rendezvous with a British photographer (Paul Rhys). Naturalistic take on the…
Nixon (1995): Dir. Oliver Stone
Feat. Anthony Hopkins, Joan Allen, Ed Harris…; With almost Shakespearian gravitas, Anthony Hopkins portrays a flawed but fully–rounded Richard Nixon. Instead of the anticipated whitewash,…
Now and Then (1995): Dir. Lesli Linka Glatter
Feat. Demi Moore, Melanie Griffith, Rosie O'Donnell…; Pleasant enough stroll down memory lane – estranged childhood chums reunite after 25 years for tears and celebration of their lives, er, now…
Old Curiosity Shop, The (1995): Dir. Kevin Connor
Feat. Tom Courtenay, Peter Ustinov, Sally Walsh…; Stead adaptation of the Dicken's serial – the Harry Potter of its day – with Ustinov as the gambling addict forced to go on the run with…
Oliver's Travels (TV Mini-series) (1995): Feat. Alan Bates, Sinead Cusack, Bill Paterson; BBC oddity centered around Oliver (Bates), an ex–university lecturer with a passion for puzzles, who goes on a search to find legendary…
Othello (1995): Dir. Oliver Parker
Feat. Kenneth Branagh, Irene Jacob, Laurence Fishburne; Shakespeare's great tragedy of love, jealousy and sheer bloody malice is spiked with a 90s erotic edge. While its stylistic choices only partly…
Perez 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…
Persuasion (1995): Dir. Roger Michell
Feat. Amanda Root, Ciaran Hinds, Susan Fleetwood…; This spirited run–through of Jane Austen's final novel boasts an impressive theatrical pedigree. Distinguished out of the recent crop with…
Politician's Wife, The (TV mini-series) (1995): Dir. Graham Theakston
Feat. Juliet Stevenson, Trevor Eve, Minnie Driver…; Hell hath no fury like Juliet Stevenson in this Bafta and Emmy award–winning drama as a woman humiliated by the public revelation that her…
Pride and Prejudice (TV Series) (1995): Dir. Simon Langton
Feat. Colin Firth, Jennifer Ehle; Jane Austen connoisseurs shan't be disappointed with this terrifically popular BBC version of her consummate novel about romantic intrigues between…
Promise, The (1995): Dir. Margarethe von Trotta
Feat. Corinna Harfouch, Meret Becker, August Zirner; Separated while trying to cross the Berlin Wall to the West in 1961, two lovers traverse thirty odd years of German history apart, yet faithful. This…
Red Firecracker, Green Firecracker (1995): Dir. He Ping
Feat. Jing Ning, Gang Wu, Xiaorui Zhao; Exotic tale of forbidden passion set among the labyrinthine traditions of Chinese society. Like the work of Zhang Yimou, the immaculate imagery does…
Red Ribbon Blues (1995): Dir. Charles Winkler
Feat. Paul Mercurio, RuPaul , Debi Mazar; Seeking to liberate an AIDS wonder–drug from commercial interests, Paul Mercurio, RuPaul and Debi Mazar, embark on a Robin Hood–style…
Restoration (1995): Dir. Michael Hoffman
Feat. Robert Downey Jnr., Sam Neill, Meg Ryan…; Golden–age English past is again revisited, to when debauched King Charles II was re–throned and decadence reigned. Robert Downey Jnr,…
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.…
Rude (1995): Dir. Clement Virgo
Feat. Maurice Dean Wint, Rachael Crawford, Clark Johnson; Three separate stories focus on personal crises in the housing projects of Toronto. A Canadian take on the ghetto drama, that is a refreshingly…
Run of the Country, The (1995): Dir. Peter Yates
Feat. Albert Finney, Matt Keeslar, Victoria Smurfit; Stirring Irish drama in the tradition of 'My Left Foot', aided by the magnetic presence of Albert Finney. Finney's son breaks out of the confines of…
S.F.W. (1995): Dir. Jefery Levy
Feat. Stephen Dorff, Reese Witherspoon; Based on a significant Gen–X novel, Stephen Dorff plays Cliff Spab, a teenage loser who garners a major cult following as a hostage in a…
Saint-Ex (1995): Dir. Anand Tucker
Feat. Bruno Ganz, Miranda Richardson; Bruno Ganz is Antoine de Saint–Exupery, a wartime aviator whose reconnaissance aircraft mysteriously vanished into thin air. Miranda Richardson…
Scarlet Letter, The (1995): Dir. Roland Joffe
Feat. Demi Moore, Gary Oldman, Robert Duvall…; In a puritanical New England community, a married Demi Moore and preacher Gary Oldman have a passionate liaison. Passable version of Nathaniel…
Sense and Sensibility (1995): Dir. Ang Lee
Feat. Emma Thompson, Kate Winslet, Alan Rickman…; It all started here – The Jane Austen Revival, in a witty and engaging take on this classic tale of two sisters, one practical (Emma Thompson),…
Shanghai Triad (1995): Dir. Zhang Yimou
Feat. Gong Li; Richly–hued encounter with the criminal high–life of 1930s Shanghai, told through the hired servant of a pampered gangster's moll, and…
Showgirls (1995): Dir. Paul Verhoeven
Feat. Elizabeth Berkley, Kyle MacLachlan, Gina Gershon; The BASIC INSTINCT team reprise with another sexploitation film that sent most critics in howls of derision. Lack of plot and oversaturation of…
Sister, My Sister (1995): Dir. Nancy Meckler
Feat. Julie Walters, Joely Richardson, Jodhi May; Two sibling maids flirt with incest, madness and a homicidal tendencies toward their employer. Bleak melodrama builts to a haunting finale, though it…
Starmaker, The (1995): Dir. Giuseppe Tornatore
Feat. Sergio Castellitto, Tiziana Lodato, Franco Scaldati; The director of CINEMA PARADISO reprises another movie–enchanted tale. An endearing con–man tours the countryside, posing as a studio…
Stars Fell On Henrietta (1995): Dir. James Keach
Feat. Robert Duvall, Aidan Quinn, Frances Fisher…; Robert Duvall is a vagrant claiming to be a former oil man who persuades a down–on–their–luck couple that their fields contain oil…
Stealing Beauty (1995): Dir. Bernardo Bertolucci
Feat. Liv Tyler, Jeremy Irons; Bertolucci is at home on the range of rural Tuscany for his most accessible and fanciful outing. Much like every character in the film, its hard…
Streetcar Named Desire, A (TV mini-series) (1995): Dir. Glenn Jordan
Feat. Alec Baldwin, Jessica Lange, John Goodman…; Telemovie version of Tennesse Williams riveting play that plays it truer to the original script than the Brando version. The cast also do a good job…
Sugartime (1995): Dir. John N. Smith
Feat. John Turturro, Mary-Louise Parker, Elias Koteas…; Charts the infamous, real–life romance between Chicago mobster Sam Giancana (John Turturro) and whitebread songstress Phyllis McGuire…
Sun Valley (1995): Dir. He Ping
Feat. Feng Gu, Xueqi Wang; A vengeful Chinese warrior drifts into a small village on the Silk Road, where he is destined for a climactic showdown with a rival suitor of a young…
Total Eclipse (1995): Dir. Agnieszka Holland
Feat. Leonardo DiCaprio, David Thewlis; Voraciously dueling bohemians of late 19th century Paris, Leonardo Di Caprio and David Thewlis impersonate Rimbaud and Verlaine – French poet…
Trick of the Light, A (Brothers Skladanowsky) (1995): Dir. Wim Wenders
Feat. Udo Kier; Quirky, pseudo–documentary in the tradition of FORGOTTEN SILVER recreates through faux interviews and found footage the exploits of the…
Truman (1995): Dir. Frank Pierson
Feat. Gary Sinise; Gary Sinise stars in this biographical tribute to the humble American president who had the misfortune of having to give the order to drop the…
Two Bits (1995): Dir. James Foley
Feat. Al Pacino, Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio; Delicate Depression–era memoir set during the hot Philadelphian summer of 1933, stars Al Pacino as a…
Two Deaths (1995): Dir. Nicolas Roeg
Feat. Michael Gambon, Sonia Braga, Patrick Malahide…; On the eve of the violent fall of Romanian dictator Nicolae Ceausescu in 1989, a wealthy doctor (Gambon) throws a dinner party for his friends, which…
Ulysses' Gaze (1995): Dir. Theo Angelopoulos
Feat. Harvey Keitel, Maia Morgenstern; Returning from exile in America, Yugoslavian filmmaker Harvey Keitel quests after rare film footage in the wartorn Balkans. Shot under conditions…
Unconditional Love (The Art of Passion) (1995): Dir. Arthur Bjorn Egeli
Feat. Pablo Bryant, Isabelle Dahlin, David Ellsworth…; Art and love conflict in this semi–autobiographical portrait of a young painter whose work and respect suffers after a whirlwind affair with a…
Underground (1995): Dir. Emir Kusturica
Feat. Miki Manojlovic, Lazar Ristovski, Mirjana Jokovic; Palme D'Or–winning epic covering fifty years of Balkan history in fantastical, magic–realist style. While the brash satire may be too…
Unstrung Heroes (1995): Dir. Diane Keaton
Feat. Andie MacDowell, John Turturro, Michael Richards…; Andie MacDowell falls victim to leukaemia while her son runs off to live with his eccentric, delusional uncles. Domestic dysfunction drama is…
Voices from a Locked Room (1995): Dir. Malcolm Clarke
Feat. Jeremy Northam; Diverting believe–it–or–not true story of Peter Warlock, a 1930s British composer who inhabited a separate personality and identity…
Waiting to Exhale (1995): Dir. Forest Whitaker
Feat. Whitney Houston, Angela Bassett; Well–trodden version of men–bemoaning female bonding flick in which Whitney Houston and Angela Bassett among others share tales of…
Walk in the Clouds, A (1995): Dir. Alfonso Arau
Feat. Keanu Reeves; Watery and sugary Hollywood bow from the director of LIKE WATER FOR CHOCOLATE stars Keanu Reeves as a jilted American G.I. who poses as the husband…
West Side Waltz (1995): Dir. Ernest Thompson
Feat. Shirley Maclaine, Liza Minnelli, Jennifer Grey…; Cold widow Shirley Maclaine lives for playing the piano and isolates all except her violin accompanist, Liza Minnelli. A prelude to change comes in…
What I Have Written (1995): Dir. John Hughes; A darkly erotic drama, with an experimental and unforgiving mix of styles, this feature debut for documentary director Hughes divided audiences when…
When Night Is Falling (1995): Dir. Patricia Rozema
Feat. Pascale Bussieres, Rachael Crawford, Henry Czerny; The director of I'VE HEARD THE MERMAIDS SINGING returns with one of the most beautiful and erotic films of recent times. Though embroided with a…
White Balloon, The (1995): Dir. Jafar Panahi
Feat. Aida Mohammadkhani, Mohsen Kalifi, Fereshteh Sadr Orfani; Sophisticated kids and adults alike should seek out this multiple prize–winner from Iran that follows a seven–year–old–girl's…
White Man's Burden (1995): Dir. Desmond Nakano
Feat. John Travolta, Harry Belafonte, Kelly Lynch; In an alternative America, blacks are members of social elite, and whites inhabit the urban ghettos. John Travolta plays a humble white factory…
Wild Reeds (Les Roseaux Sauvages) (1995): Dir. Andre Techine
Feat. Frederick Gorny, Gael Morel; Beautifully studied coming–of–age saga set in rural France at the end of the Algerian war, as four young friends on the cusp of adulthood…
Witch Hunt (1995): Dir. Paul Schrader
Feat. Dennis Hopper; Dennis Hopper plays P.I. Philip Lovecraft and becomes embroiled in the murder of a Hollywood producer with supernatural side–effects. Pleasing…
Young Poisoner's Handbook, The (1995): Dir. Benjamin Ross
Feat. Hugh O'Conor, Antony Sher, Ruth Sheen…; A disquieting black comedy about a chemistry student who proceeded to poision his parents and others in the 1960s. Typically British in its portrait…
Zero Kelvin (1995): Dir. Hans Petter Moland
Feat. Gard B. Eidsvold, Stellan Skarsgard; This tale of hardcore cabin fever in the 1930s has the Arctic wasteland as a backdrop for the face off between two romantic idealists – one a…
71 Fragments of a Chronology of Chance (1994): Dir. Michael Haneke
Feat. Anne Bennent, Lukas Miko, Gabriel Cosmin Urdes; A radical and virtuoso endpoint to Michael Haneke’s ‘Glaciation Trilogy’, this serves as a template for CODE UNKNOWN in its complex mosaic of…
Above the Rim (1994): Dir. Jeff Pollack
Feat. Duane Martin, Tupac Shakur; Cautionary basketballing drama in which an NBA–aspiring hot–shot has his dreams soured by an opportunistic dope–dealer.
An Awfully Big Adventure (1994): Dir. Mike Newell
Feat. Hugh Grant, Alan Rickman; After FOUR WEDDINGS, Hugh Grant and director Newell reteamed for this unlikely follow–up – a bleak backstage comedy charting a young…
An Unforgettable Summer (Un été inoubliable) (1994): Dir. Lucian Pintilie
Feat. Kristin Scott Thomas, Claudiu Bleont; Spare, well–realized drama taking place in 1925 on the Romanian/Bulgarian border, where Capitaine Petre Dumitriu (Bleont) and his wife…
Angie (1994): Dir. Martha Coolidge
Feat. Geena Davis, Stephen Rea; Geena Davis brings real authenticity to her role as an expectant mother who, after meeting flamboyant Irishman Stephen Rea, discovers there's is more…
Barcelona (1994): Dir. Whit Stillman
Feat. Taylor Nichols, Chris Eigeman, Mira Sorvino; The director's METROPOLITAN was an acquired taste with its esoteric subject and unusual tone, and this will just as likely delight or infuriate.…
Battlers, The (TV Mini-series) (1994): Dir. George Ogilvie
Feat. Gary Sweet, Jacqueline McKenzie; Fairly sensitive teledrama about life on the backroads in Australia at the height of the Great Depression. Centring on the developing romance between…
Being 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…
Blue Sky (1994): Dir. Tony Richardson
Feat. Jessica Lange, Tommy Lee Jones; Jessica Lange won a Best Actress Oscar for her performance as a flighty mother–of–two whose publicly turbulent marriage to army officer…
Blush (1994): Dir. Shaohong Li
Feat. Ji Wang, Zhiwen Wang, Caifei He…; A sensual historical epic that follows the fortunes of two prostitutes who escape the Chinese revolution by fleeing their brothel in 1949 Shanghai.…
Browning Version, The (1994): Dir. Mike Figgis
Feat. Albert Finney, Greta Scacchi, Matthew Modine; Elegant modern version of Terrence Rattigan's play stars Albert Finney as the retiring schoolmaster embittered with regret and marriage problems, but…
Burnt By the Sun (1994): Dir. Nikita Mikhalkov
Feat. Oleg Menshikov, Nikita Mikhalkov, Ingeborga Dapkunaite; Oscar–winning drama contrasts sunlit Chekhovian lyricism with the dark undercurrents of Stalinist Russia during the "Great Purge", when…
Cadfael (TV Series) (1994-1996): Dir. Graham Theakston
Feat. Derek Jacobi, Sean Pertwee, Peter Copley…; Derek Jacobi stars as Brother Cadfael, a former soldier, sailor and crusader turned botanist monk who often finds himself solving baffling murders…
Captives (1994): Dir. Angela Pope
Feat. Julia Ormond, Tim Roth; Working in a tough British prison, young dentist Julia Ormond becomes intimate with violent inmate Tim Roth, and too becomes a helpless captive as…
Claire of the Moon (1994): Dir. Nicole Conn
Feat. Trisha Todd, Karen Trumbo, Faith McDevitt; An awkward sexual initiation plays out between an odd couple of women at a writing retreat. Lo–fi production lends the intimate affair an…
Cobb (1994): Dir. Ron Shelton
Feat. Tommy Lee Jones; Muscular sporting biopic from the creator of BULL DURHAM and WHITE MEN CAN'T JUMP in which Tommy Lee Jones lets it rip as America's most…
Country 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…
Crooklyn (1994): Dir. Spike Lee
Feat. Alfre Woodard, Delroy Lindo; Spike Lee fondly (and not so fondly) remembers some of the sights and sounds of '70s Brooklyn that shaped his distinctive outlook. A labour of love…
Dangerous Woman, A (1994): Dir. Steven Gyllenhaal
Feat. Debra Winger, Gabriel Byrne, Barbara Hershey…; Debra Winger gives her most impressive performance yet as a simple woman whose compulsive honesty wins her few friends. Reminiscent of the plays of…
Day the Sun Turned Cold (1994): Dir. Yim Ho
Feat. Siqin Gaowa; Stark melodrama set in Northern China about a man who accuses his mother of having murdered his father some years before. Tantalising central tale,…
Death of a Cheerleader (A Friend to Die For) (1994): Dir. William A. Graham
Feat. Tori Spelling, Valerie Harper, Kellie Martin; Enjoyably trashy true story in which a mousy Catholic girl transfers to a public school and desperately attempts to befriend the most popular girl in…
Double Happiness (1994): Dir. Mina Shum
Feat. Sandra Oh, Allanah Ong, Stephen Chang…; A Chinese–Canadian woman faces a common dilemma – how far is she willing to compromise her parents expectations and values in pursuit of…
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…
E.R. (TV Series) (1994-2003): Feat. George Clooney, Noah Wyle, Sherry Stringfield…; A contender for the most successful TV series of all time, this drama is set around the Emergency Room of Cook County General Hospital, Chicago.…
Eat Drink Man Woman (1994): 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…
Ermo (1994): Dir. Zhou Xiaowen
Feat. Liya Ai, Liu Peiqi; A young woman yearns to acquire the largest colour tele in her village, largely as a bid in the popularity stakes. The Chinese flirt with materialism…
Everynight, Everynight (1994): Dir. Alkinos Tsilmidos
Feat. David Field, Bill Hunter; Gruelling chronicle of brutality at the 'Hell' Division of a Melbourne prison, during the incarceration of Australia's notorious hitman Christopher…
Exotica (1994): Dir. Atom Egoyan
Feat. Elias Koteas, Don McKellar, Mia Kirshner; Canadian dir. Atom Egoyan consummates his voyeuristic obsessions to a creative zenith with a critical masterpiece that aims straight at the most…
F.T.W. (Last Ride, The) (1994): Dir. Michael Karbelnikoff
Feat. Mickey Rourke, Lori Singer; Ex–con rodeo rider Mickey Rourke takes wounded bird Lori Singer under his wing in this brooding ballad of the mid–west. Evocative score…
Fearless (1994): Dir. Peter Weir
Feat. Jeff Bridges, Rosie Perez, Isabella Rossellini…; Jeff Bridges plays an air–crash survivor whose new–lease on life leads him to believe he is invulnerable to death. Multi–layered,…
Forrest Gump (1994): 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…
Fun (1994): Dir. Rafal Zielinski
Feat. Renee Humphrey, Alicia Witt; Two teenage girls just want to have fun, but their obsessive pursuit of it leads them to murder an old lady for no other reason. This remarkable…
Genghis Cohn (1994): Feat. Diana Rigg, Robert Lindsay, Antony Sher; A Jewish comedian and ventriloquist who dies at the hands of a Nazi officer in a concentration camp returns years later to haunt his murderer.
Getting Gotti (1994): Dir. Roger Young
Feat. Lorraine Bracco, Ellen Burstyn, Anthony John Denison; Lorraine Bracco pre–SOPRANOS stardom takes on the role of a determined U.S. Attorney Assistant tracking down a Mafia Crime Boss that grew up in…
Girls in Prison (1994): Dir. John McNaughton
Feat. Ione Skye, Anne Heche, Jon Polito…; An aspiring rock singer is framed for murder and thrown into jail with birds eager to engage in alot more than a friendly round of…
Glass Shield, The (1994): Dir. Charles Burnett
Feat. Ice-Cube, Lori Petty; A black police officer is divided by loyalties to his race and to his fellow officers when a black street punk (Ice Cube) is accused of murdering a…
Heavenly Creatures (1994): Dir. Peter Jackson
Feat. Melanie Lynskey, Kate Winslet, Sarah Peirse; Peter Jackson follows his zombie trilogy with this Oscar–nominated tour–de–force based on the Parker–Hulme murders of the…
Higher Learning (1994): Dir. John Singleton
Feat. Omar Epps, Kristy Swanson; There's never a dull moment on this college campus, in between the black militants and neo–nazis, Jew and gay bashing, date rapes,…
Hotel Sorrento (1994): Dir. Richard Franklin
Feat. Tara Morice, Joan Plowright, Ray Barrett…; Three estranged sisters reunite at their Aussie coastal home–town and rekindle both fond memories and unresolved tensions, that eventually…
Il Postino (Postman, The) (1994): Dir. Michael Radford
Feat. Massimo Troisi, Philippe Noiret; The biggest international foreign language hit since LIKE WATER FOR CHOCOLATE stars the late Massimo Troisi as a simple postie who learns the value…
Imaginary Crimes (1994): Dir. Anthony Drazan
Feat. Harvey Keitel, Kelly Lynch, Fairuza Balk…; Con–man Harvey Keitel attempts to raise two daughters after their mother dies, and struggles to reconcile the demands of parenthood with his…
Immortal Beloved (1994): Dir. Bernard Rose
Feat. Gary Oldman; Gary Oldman adds another complex role to one of the most impressive contemporary acting CVs. He brings dimension to a difficult, unlikable role as…
Jimmy 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…
Kingdom, The (Riget) (1994): Dir. Lars Von Trier
Feat. Ernst-Hugo Jaregard, Kirsten Rolffes, Ghita Norby…; A Danish medical soap opera from the director of BREAKING THE WAVES that's a bizarre yet compulsive combination of ghost story, TV drama and…
Ladybird Ladybird (1994): Dir. Ken Loach
Feat. Chrissie Rock; Ken Loach puts not a foot wrong in bringing the heart–rending true story of one mother's struggle to keep custody of her many children after a…
Like Two Crocodiles (1994): Dir. Giacomo Campiotti
Feat. Angela Baraldi, Fabrizzio Bentivoglio, Sandrine Dumas…; Various step–brothers feud like crocodiles when their bigamist father is forced by circumstances to reconcile his unknowing progeny. Attractive…
Little Odessa (1994): Dir. James Gray
Feat. Tim Roth, Edward Furlong, Vanessa Redgrave…; Fugutive assassin Tim Roth returns home to the Russian quarter of New York, where personal problems compound the stresses of the job. Portrait of a…
Little Women (1994): Dir. Gillian Armstrong
Feat. Susan Sarandon, Winona Ryder, Claire Danes…; Impeccable version of Louisa May Alcott's classic of American girlhood updates the warm–hearted saga of four sisters and their…
Love Affair (1994): Dir. Glenn Gordon Caron
Feat. Warren Beatty, Annette Bening; A remake of AN AFFAIR TO REMEMBER that retains its sense of old fashioned slush. Warren Beatty and real wife Annette Bening play the smitten…
Love and Human Remains (1994): Dir. Denys Arcand
Feat. Thomas Gibson, Ruth Marshall, Cameron Bancroft…; A fascinating hybrid of twentysomething romantic comedy, cynical social satire and mystery thriller, adapted from an accomplished stageplay by the…
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…
Lush Life (1994): Dir. Michael Elias
Feat. Forest Whitaker, Jeff Goldblum; Forest Whitaker and Jeff Goldblum bring this modest jazz film to vibrant life as top session horn players whose lives come to a cross–roads,…
Mac (1994): Dir. John Turturro
Feat. John Turturro; Actor John Turturro also wrote and directed this labour of love dedicated to and based on his father, a fiercely principled Italian immigrant…
Man of No Importance, A (1994): Dir. Suri Krishnamma
Feat. Albert Finney, Tara Fitzgerald, Michael Gambon…; An ensemble comedy set in 1963 Dublin where suppressed homosexual bus conductor Albert Finney aspires to direct a production of Oscar Wilde's Salome,…
Martin Chuzzlewit (Mini-series) (1994): Dir. Pedr James
Feat. Keith Allen, Paul Scofield, John Mills…; BAFTA–winning, Emmy–nominated BBC adaptation of the great Charles Dickens satire of American life, death and family fortunes, starring…
Metal Skin (1994): Dir. Geoffrey Wright
Feat. Aiden Young, Tara Morice, Ben Mendelsohn; A petrol–soaked, despairing love story from the director of ROMPER STOMPER, who takes another look at Australian youth counter–culture…
Middlemarch (TV Mini-series) (1994): Dir. Anthony Page
Feat. Juliet Aubrey, Douglas Hodge, Patrick Malahide…; An exemplary screen adaptation of George Eliot's literary classic about the machinations of the well–to–do in 19th century…
Miracle Alley (Midaq Alley) (1994): Dir. Jorge Fons
Feat. Salma Hayek; Miracle Alley is the setting for four pungent stories of urban lovelife among Mexico City residents. Strong pacing and local humour make this lengthy…
Mrs. Parker and the Vicious Circle (1994): Dir. Alan Rudolph
Feat. Jennifer Jason Leigh, Matthew Broderick, Campbell Scott; Jennifer Jason Leigh lends her perfectly mannered precision to Dorothy Parker, anguished writer, poet and lonely socialite who merrily drowned her…
My Crazy Life (Mi Vida Loca) (1994): Dir. Allison Anders
Feat. Angel Aviles, Seidy Lopez, Jacob Vargas; Latino, girl–centic spin on BOYZ 'N THE HOOD from the director of GAS, FOOD, LODGING derives its script from anecdotes from real gang girls and…
My So-Called Life (TV Series) (1994-1995): Dir. Scott Winant
Feat. Claire Danes, Jared Leto, Bess Armstrong…; Hard–hitting drama series starring a young Claire Danes in her breakout role as a 15 year–old dealing with angst–ridden teen…
Nell (1994): Dir. Michael Apted
Feat. Liam Neeson, Jodie Foster; Small–town doctor Liam Neeson discovers a young woman untouched by twentieth century developments who has even developed her own language.…
New Age, The (1994): Dir. Michael Tolkin
Feat. Peter Weller, Judy Davis; Peter Weller and Judy Davis are a restless, avaricious L.A. couple who seek fortune and/or meaning in their lives. Another icy, cynical hybrid of…
Next Karate Kid, The (The Karate Kid Part IV) (1994): Dir. Christopher Cain
Feat. Pat Morita, Hilary Swank; Hilary Swank steps into Ralph Macchio's shoes to receive mentorship from Pat Morita's martial artiste in this fourth installment of The Karate Kid…
No 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…
Nobody's Fool (1994): Dir. Robert Benton
Feat. Paul Newman, Bruce Willis, Jessica Tandy…; An unassuming American ballad that falls between arthouse independent and Hollywood sentiment. Paul Newman ages gracefully as a stubborn old salt…
Oleanna (1994): Dir. David Mamet
Feat. Debra Eisenstadt, William H. Macy; David Mamet brings his penetrating tete–a–tete about sexual agendas from the stage to screen in purely theatrical form. Stay with its…
Once Were Warriors (1994): Dir. Lee Tamahori
Feat. Rena Owen, Temuera Morrison, Julian Arahanga…; As sensational as it is important, Lee Tamahori's adaptation managed to transform Alan Duff's relentlessly down–beat novel about domestic…
Only the Brave (1994): Dir. Ana Kokkinos
Feat. Elena Mandalis, Dora Kaskanis, Maud Davey; Gritty portrait of a bleak rite–of–passage for two Greek girls in the wasteland of suburban Melbourne. Succinct feature possesses a…
Out of Darkness (1994): Dir. Larry Elikann
Feat. Diana Ross, Beah Richards, Carl Lumbly; Diana Ross gives an impressively committed performance as a medical student diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia, who tries to integrate back into…
Party of Five (TV Series) (1994-2000): Feat. Matthew Fox, Neve Campbell, Lacey Chabert; Accessible youth drama about a family of five orphaned siblings who, after their parents are killed in a car accident, are left to fend for…
Picture Bride (1994): Dir. Kayo Hatta
Feat. Youki Kudoh, Akira Takayama; A young Japanese woman emigrates to Hawaii as a 'picture bride', but finds it less than paradise – firstly misled by a photograph taken during…
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…
Postcards From America (1994): Dir. Steve McLean
Feat. James Lyons, Michael Tighe, Olmo Tighe; Important film of the New Queer Cinema is a fierce, impressionistic drama inspired by the writings of performance artist David Wojnarowicz, who died…
Pret-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…
Priest (1994): Dir. Antonia Bird
Feat. Linus Roache; Provocative working–class drama about a gay priest wrestling with multiple dilemmas – his sexuality, a new parish and his exclusive…
Prince of Jutland (Prince of Denmark) (1994): Dir. Gabriel Axel
Feat. Gabriel Byrne, Helen Mirren, Christian Bale…; Retelling of the historical episode on which Shakespeare's 'Hamlet' was based, where a Danish prince feigns madness to avoid being murdered by his…
Queen Margot (La Reine Margot) (1994): Dir. Patrice Chereau
Feat. Isabelle Adjani, Vincent Perez, Virna Lisi…; A bodice–ripping yarn of treachery and forbidden passions between warring Catholic and Protestant factions in late 1500s France. Isabelle…
Quiz Show (1994): Dir. Robert Redford
Feat. Ralph Fiennes, John Turturro; Robert Redford's stylish account of the 'Twenty One' game show scandal of the 1950s. Ralph Fiennes is superb as Charles Van Doren, the handsome…
Rector's Wife, The (Mini-Series) (1994): Dir. Giles Foster
Feat. Lindsay Duncan, Miles Anderson, Pam Ferris…; The wife of a kind but dull preacher is scorned by her conservative community when she takes a job at the grocery store one town over. Based on…
Roswell: The UFO Cover Up (Incident at Roswell) (1994): Dir. Jeremy Kagan
Feat. Kyle MacLachlan, Martin Sheen, Dwight Yoakam…; Credible dramatisation of events surrounding the world's most documented UFO sighting in New Mexico, 1947. Kyle MacLachlan plays the military officer…
Safe Passage (1994): Dir. Robert Allan Ackerman
Feat. Susan Sarandon, Sam Shepard; Susan Sarandon plays an over–protective mother of seven boys whose new–found freedom is short–lived when the reported death of a…
Saint of Fort Washington (1994): Dir. Tim Hunter
Feat. Matt Dillon, Danny Glover; Matt Dillon and Danny Glover are two of New York's homeless whose unlikely friendship bonds through the battle that each day brings. The finale will…
Satantango (1994): Dir. Bela Tarr
Feat. Mihály Vig; Daunting, one–of–a–kind event from Hungarian maestro Bela Tarr delves into seven formidable hours of East European malaise, where…
Scarlett (TV Mini-Series) (1994): Dir. John Erman
Feat. Timothy Dalton, Joanne Whalley, Stephen Collins…; The epic miniseries sequel to GONE WITH THE WIND has Scarlett, Rhett go from tragedy to triumph in an action packed saga of international scope…
Separation, The (1994): Dir. Christian Vincent
Feat. Isabelle Huppert, Daniel Auteuil; Isabelle Huppert and Daniel Auteuil provide a class double–act for this moving, mature portrait of a middle–class Parisian couple who put…
Serving in Silence (1994): Dir. Jeff Bleckner
Feat. Glenn Close, Judy Davis; Glenn Close and Judy Davis star in this biopic of Margarethe Cammermeyer, an exemplary colonel of the US military who was forced to fight for her…
Sex 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.
Shawshank Redemption, The (1994): Dir. Frank Darabont
Feat. Tim Robbins, Morgan Freeman, William Sadler…; Compelling yarn made of an early non–horror Stephen King short story about an innocent prison inmate who spends two decades behind…
Silences of the Palace (1994): Dir. Moufida Tlatli
Feat. Amel Hedhili, Hend Sabri, Najia Ouerghi…; The daughter of a palatial servant reflects on her upbringing and steady revolt of her birthright obligations. Impassioned look at the status of…
Silent Fall (1994): Dir. Bruce Beresford
Feat. Richard Dreyfuss; An autistic child is the only witness to a brutal murder. The job of bringing him out of his shell falls to discredited child psychologist Richard…
Sirens (1994): Dir. John Duigan
Feat. Hugh Grant, Sam Neill, Elle MacPherson…; Catholic minister Hugh Grant and wife are sent to rural Australia to dissuade renegade artist Sam Neill from painting 'pornography'. As an 'Elle…
Sleep with Me (1994): Dir. Rory Kelly
Feat. Meg Tilly, Eric Stoltz, Craig Sheffer…; Playfully intelligent 'Gen X' drama in which Meg Tilly is the object of desire of both her fiancee and his best friend. Quentin Tarantino cameos as a…
Somebody 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 Monkey (1994): 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 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.…
Story of Xinghua (1994): Dir. Yin Li
Feat. Wen Jiang, Xingli Niu, Shaojun Tian…; Set in a remote village at the ruins of the Great Wall in Northern China, this explores the conflict between moral corruption, ancient traditions and…
Strawberry and Chocolate (Fresa y Chocolate) (1994): Dir. Tomas Gutierrez Alea, Juan Carlos Tabio
Feat. Jorge Perugorria, Vladimir Cruz, Mirta Ibarra; Oscar–nominated for Best Foreign Film 1995, a red–blooded conservative is befriended by a gay communist who challenges his prejudices.…
Sum of Us, The (1994): Dir. Kevin Dowling, Geoff Burton
Feat. Jack Thompson, Russell Crowe; Jack Thompson and Russell Crowe star in this screen adaptation of David Stevens' heralded stageplay as the ultra–liberal widower and his…
That Eye, The Sky (1994): Dir. John Ruane
Feat. Lisa Harrow, Peter Coyote, Jamie Croft; A troubled family life and supernatural events in the outback, co–mingle in a young boy's mind in this low–key yet haunting drama. From a…
Three Colours: Red (1994): Dir. Krzysztof Kieslowski
Feat. Irene Jacob, Jean-Louis Trintignant, Julie Delpy; A haunting conclusion to the acclaimed trilogy and the career of its late director. Irene Jacob plays a fashion model who becomes oddly connected…
Three Colours: White (1994): Dir. Krzysztof Kieslowski
Feat. Zbigniew Zamachowski, Julie Delpy; The second in Kieslowski's trilogy is a lighter affair than BLUE but is no less exquisite or deeply philosophical. Embroided with more plot, its…
Through the Olive Trees (1994): Dir. Abbas Kiarostami
Feat. Mohamad Ali Keshavarz, Farhad Keradmand, Zerifeh Shiva; An extreme simplicity of style and storytelling disguises complex meditations on human nature and cinema in a typically distinctive film –…
To Live (1994): Dir. Zhang Yimou
Feat. Gong Li; An absorbing tale of Chinese peasantry in the dark shadow of politics over three decades. Distinguished by the star presence of Gong Li and her…
Tom and Viv (1994): Dir. Brian Gilbert
Feat. Willem Dafoe, Miranda Richardson; A moving exploration of the intense yet painful relationship between Nobel prize–winning poet T.S. Eliot (Willem Dafoe) and his lovably…
Touched by an Angel (TV Series) (1994): Feat. Della Reese, Roma Downey; Wonderfully soppy TV drama centered around a group of angels who bring messages of hope and Godliness to people on Earth who are losing their fatih.…
Utz (1994): Dir. George Sluzier
Feat. Armin Mueller-Stahl, Paul Scofield, Peter Riegert…; Stately, tragi–comic account of an elderly nobleman (Armin Mueller–Stahl) living in moth–eaten poverty in Prague with his valuable…
Vanya On 42nd Street (1994): 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…
War of the Buttons (1994): Dir. John Roberts
Feat. Greg Fitzgerald, Gerard Kearney; The feuding children of two neighbouring Irish villages learn about love, war and democracy through their mischievous games. A good–hearted and…
War, The (1994): Dir. Jon Avnet
Feat. Kevin Costner, Elijah Wood; Vietnam vet father, Kevin Costner, looks on as Elijah Wood plays elaborate war games with his buddies. Themes of war, compromise and remorse are…
When a Man Loves a Woman (1994): Dir. Luis Mandoki
Feat. Andy Garcia, Meg Ryan, Ellen Burstyn…; Idyllic couple Andy Garcia and Meg Ryan test their marriage vows to the hilt when she falls victim to alcoholism. Sincere if overlong examination of…
Wife, The (1994): Dir. Tom Noonan
Feat. Julie Hagerty, Tom Noonan, Wallace Shawn…; An adult drama to be savoured – director Tom Noonan adapts his own stageplay for the screen, matching the wit and intelligence of his text with…
Woody 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…
Wycliffe (TV Series) (1994): Dir. Jack Shepherd
Feat. Bill Nighy, Jack Shepherd; Edgy novel based detective drama following the feats of a conventional trench coat clad superintendent investigating small town crime. Effectively…
Yvonne's Perfume (1994): Dir. Patrice Leconte
Feat. Jean-Pierre Marielle, Hippolyte Girardot, Sandra Majani; A deserter from the Algerian war falls for the charms of a beautiful actress and her gay companion at a lakeside hotel for pensioners. The director…
Advocate, The (Hour Of the Pig) (1993): Dir. Leslie Megahey
Feat. Colin Firth, Donald Pleasence, Nicol Williamson…; Polished, wry and most unusual medieval fact–based tale. Colin Firth plays a lawyer summonsed to act for the defence a pig (yes, an animal) for…
Age of Innocence, The (1993): Dir. Martin Scorsese
Feat. Daniel Day-Lewis, Michelle Pfeiffer, Winona Ryder; Scorsese's adaptation of the novel by Edith Wharton is a extravagant period costumer that makes Merchant–Ivory look downright paltry. Stellar…
Amy Fisher Story, The (1993): Dir. Andy Tennant
Feat. Drew Barrymore; Telemovie depiction of the notorious Long Island high–school student whose activities as a violent criminal and teenage prostitute climaxed…
And the Band Played On (1993): Dir. Roger Spottiswoode
Feat. Richard Gere, Steve Martin, Lily Tomlin…; The story of the AIDS epidemic from a medical viewpoint and their immediate patients is satisfying once it cuts through laboratory double–talk.
Backbeat (1993): Dir. Iain Softley
Feat. Stephen Dorff, Sheryl Lee, Ian Hart; A fascinating insight into the enigma that was the 'fifth' Beatle, Stuart Sutcliffe, who threw in the musical towel to pursue art and love.…
Bad Behaviour (1993): Dir. Les Blair
Feat. Stephen Rea, Sinead Cusack, Phil Daniels…; Middle life and class are sliced from the Leigh/Loach mould, but with more improvisation and less cynicism. Stephen Rea plays a town planner at the…
Ballad of Little Jo (1993): Dir. Maggie Greenwald
Feat. Suzy Amis; Suzy Amis is terrific as a cowgirl who masquerades as a man in order to realise her fiercely independent dreams. A refreshing revision of the Wild…
Bandit Queen (1993): Dir. Shekhar Kapur
Feat. Seema Biswas; Far and away from the innocuous fluff that dominates India's film industry, comes this bold, controversial true story of Phoolan Devi, a notorious…
Barbarians at the Gate (1993): Dir. Glenn Jordan
Feat. James Garner, Jonathan Pryce, Peter Riegert…; James Garner, Jonathan Pryce and Peter Riegert engage in power–plays and an outrageous take–over bidding war for cigarette giant,…
Bhaji On the Beach (1993): Dir. Gurinder Chadha
Feat. Kim Vithana, Jimmi Harkishin, Sarita Khajuria; Warm and energetic comedy joins a mini–bus full of Indian women on a day–trip to Blackpool. The first Asian woman to helm a Brit feature…
Blood In, Blood Out (Bound by Honour) (1993): Dir. Taylor Hackford
Feat. Benjamin Bratt; Melodramatic but exciting depiction of Hispanic prison gangs at war in San Quentin, California during the 1980s. Set around two brothers and their…
Blue (1993): Dir. Derek Jarman
Feat. Derek Jarman, John Quentin, Nigel Terry…; Against a simple, unchanging blue screen, Derek Jarman weaves intricate collages of sound, music and poetry. A moving self–portrait, as the…
Blue Kite, The (1993): Dir. Tian Zhuangzhuang
Feat. Tian Yi, Wenyao Zhang, Xiaoman Chen; Emotive and honest account of the realities of daily life under chairman Mao's regime as witnessed by one Beijing family from the 1950s through…
Bodies Rest and Motion (1993): Dir. Michael Steinberg
Feat. Tim Roth, Bridget Fonda, Phoebe Cates…; Suburban aimlessness underlies this entertaining, stylish 'gen–X' romancer with an appealing twentysomething quartet.
Bopha! (1993): Dir. Morgan Freeman
Feat. Danny Glover, Malcolm McDowell, Alfre Woodard; Danny Glover plays a loyal police sergeant in 1980 South Africa who comes under fire from his militant son. Examines the less visible conflicts that…
Boy's Life, A (1993): Dir. Todd Haynes, Raoul O'Connell, Peggy Rajski; Three short – and very different – short films about growing up gay, from the little boy who likes a soap star in Todd Haynes' remarkable…
Bread and Roses (1993): Dir. Gaylene Preston
Feat. Genevieve Picot; A gracious tribute to the post–war generation of New Zealand women, Gaylene Preston does a job worthy of her forebears in charting the early…
Broken Highway (1993): Dir. Laurie McInnes
Feat. Aden Young; Seaman Aden Young delivers a mystery package for a dying friend, to a bleak coastal town of lost souls and drifters. Audacious B&W cinemascope…
Bronx Tale, A (1993): Dir. Robert De Niro
Feat. Robert De Niro, Chazz Palminteri; Robert De Niro makes an accomplished directing debut with this vivid '60s rites–of–passage tale about a boy whose loyalty is divided…
Burning Season, The (1993): Dir. John Frankenheimer
Feat. Raul Julia, Carmen Argenziano, Sonia Braga…; Raul Julia stars as Chico Mendes, the activist who lost his life protesting the destruction of the Brazilian rain forests. The continued volatile…
Business 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…
Calendar (1993): 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, 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…
Century (1993): Dir. Stephen Poliakoff
Feat. Clive Owen, Miranda Richardson, Charles Dance; Medical researchers agonize over love, ethics and the future at the turn of the twentieth century. Though a period picture, it captures an excitable…
Chain of Desire (1993): Dir. Temistocles Lopez
Feat. Linda Fiorentino, Malcolm McDowell; A 'chain' of sexual encounters between numerous partners, brought full circle before the stinging twist in its tale. Linda Fiorentino and Malcolm…
Chantilly Lace (1993): Dir. Linda Yellen
Feat. Lindsay Crouse, JoBeth Williams, Martha Plimpton; Satisfying story of friendship among seven women who trade memories at a country retreat.
Clean, Shaven (1993): Dir. Lodge Kerrigan
Feat. Peter Greene; Cult actor Peter Green followed his great work in LAWS OF GRAVITY with this difficult but startling independent feature as a violent schizophrenic…
Combination Platter (1993): Dir. Tony Chan
Feat. Jeffrey Lau, Colleen OBrien, Lester Chit-Man Chan…; A drama exploring the life of a young undocumented Chinese immigrant in Flushing, Queens, New York. Working at a Szechuan restaurant for low pay, he…
Cracker (TV Series) (1993-1994): Dir. Michael Winterbottom, Andy Wilson, Julian Jarrold
Feat. Robbie Coltrane, Christopher Eccleston, Adrian Dunbar…; Justifiably acclaimed, often grim television drama centred round the forensic exploits of troubled, gambling–addict psychologist Robbie…
Daens (1993): Dir. Stijn Coninx
Feat. Jan Decleir, Gerard Desarthe, Antje De Boeck; Earnest historical epic concerns labour relations in 19th Century Europe and follows one man's struggle to lead a revolt against the village elite.…
Dallas 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…
Dangerous Game (1993): Dir. Abel Ferrara
Feat. Harvey Keitel, Madonna, James Russo; Fascinating descent into the dark recesses of a film–directing mind (Ferrara's). It opens as a film–within–a–film about a…
Desperate Remedies (1993): 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,…
Diagnosis Murder (TV Series) (1993): Feat. Dick Van Dyke, Scott Baio, Charlie Schlatter…; Dick Van Dyke is on duty as Dr. Mark Sloan, a good–natured, unconventional and sometimes zany physician with a nose for murder. A…
Diana - Her True Story (1993): Dir. Kevin Connor
Feat. Serena Scott Thomas, David Threlfall, Jemma Redgrave; Badly acted melodrama based on Andrew Morton’s tell–all book dishes the dirt on the turbulent marriage of Prince Charles and Princess Diana.
Doctor Finlay (TV Series) (1993-1996): Feat. David Rintoul, Jason Flemyng; Set in the small and struggling Scottish town of Tannochbrae in the years after WW2, this update of the popular BBC series from the 1960s –…
Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman (TV Series) (1993-1998): Feat. Jane Seymour, Chad Allen; Appealing western series starring Jane Seymour as the wilful Dr. Quinn starting up a practice in the wilds of redneck Colorado while dealing with the…
Especially On a Sunday (1993): Dir. Giuseppe Tornatore, Giuseppe Bertolucci, Marco Tul
Feat. Jean-Hugues Anglade, Patricia Arquette, Nicoletta Braschi…; Three stories of love and loss from the pen of Tonino Guerra brought to screen life by three directing talents. Sublime fare in the finest European…
Ethan Frome (1993): Dir. John Madden
Feat. Liam Neeson, Patricia Arquette; Liam Neeson and Patricia Arquette are master and housekeeper who fall in love after he suffers years of emotional estrangement from his wife.…
Even Cowgirls Get the Blues (1993): Dir. Gus Van Sant
Feat. Uma Thurman, John Hurt, Sean Young…; A joyously ropey adaptation of Tom Robbins beloved 1970s novel in which a big–thumbed hitch–hiker (Uma Thurman) eventually hooks up at a…
Faraway, So Close (1993): Dir. Wim Wenders
Feat. Otto Sander, Bruno Ganz, Nastassja Kinski; WINGS OF DESIRE sequel is again about an angel who finds himself sucked back into humanity. This discusses politics and philosophy more directly than…
Farewell My Concubine (1993): Dir. Chen Kaige
Feat. Gong Li, Leslie Cheung; Lavish, episodic journey through 20th Century Chinese history, encompassing more revolutions than a 45. Joint winner of the Palm D'Or at Cannes is…
Flesh and Bone (1993): Dir. Steve Kloves
Feat. James Caan, Dennis Quaid, Meg Ryan; Southern gothic mood piece with James Caan and Dennis Quaid as estranged father and son that share a sinister secret involving Meg Ryan. This won't…
For a Lost Soldier (1993): Dir. Roeland Kerbosch
Feat. Maarten Smit, Jeroen Krabbe, Andrew Kelley; A dance teacher recalls his childhood love affair with a Canadian soldier at the end of WW2. Taboo subject is subtly drawn and fulfils the director's…
Forever Young (1993): Dir. Steve Miner
Feat. Mel Gibson, Jamie Lee Curtis; 1930s test pilot Mel Gibson loses his great love and volunteers for a cryogenics experiment. Fast forward fifty years, enter Jamie Lee Curtis and son…
From the Island (As an Eilean) (1993): Dir. Mike Alexander
Feat. Ken Hutchison, Iain MacLeod; A teenager comes to terms with the parochial and insular way of life in his village on a remote Scottish island. A vivid sense of landscape and local…
Germinal (1993): Dir. Claude Berri
Feat. Renaud , Gerard Depardieu, Miou-Miou…; The director of the JEAN DE FLORETTE films reunites with Gerard Depardieu for this epic recreation of the French coal–miners strike during the…
Go Fish (1993): Dir. Rose Troche
Feat. Guinevere Turner, V.S Brodie; A free–wheeling and revealing study of things lesbian with all its inherent prejudices and dilemmas. Not a 'coming–out' movie, but rather…
Gypsy (1993): Dir. Emile Ardolino
Feat. Bette Midler, Peter Riegert, Cynthia Gibb; Fresh screen version of the Broadway perennial set during the dying days of Vaudeville. Bette Midler was born for the part of obsessive…
Heaven and Earth (1993): Dir. Oliver Stone
Feat. Tommy Lee Jones; Oliver Stone completes his Vietnam trilogy by shifting the focus from the US military to a story based on the autobiographies of a Vietnamese woman.…
Homicide (TV Series) (Life On The Street) (1993-1999): Dir. Barry Levinson
Feat. Richard Belzer, Ned Beatty, Yaphet Kotto…; Award–winning cop drama, from the creator of THE WIRE, centred on a group of homicide detectives investigating grisly crimes on the tough…
House of Eliott, The (TV Series) (1993): Dir. Rodney Bennet et al
Feat. Stella Gonet, Louise Lombard, Aden Gillett…; By starting their own clothing 'house', Bea and Evie Eliott stitch and sew their way out of debt and into high society. Set in 1920's England, this…
House of the Spirits (1993): Dir. Bille August
Feat. Meryl Streep, Jeremy Irons, Glenn Close…; Alternately ponderous and fascinating screen version of Isabel Allende's acclaimed saga charting the turbulent history of a South American family…
Household Saints (1993): Dir. Nancy Savoca
Feat. Julian C. Blaustein, Vincent D'Onofrio, Lili Taylor; An immaculately conceived tragi–comic tale of Catholic guilt, redemption and sacrifice in Italian New York told through several decades. With…
I Don't Kiss (J'embrasse Pas) (1993): Dir. Andre Techine
Feat. Emmanuelle Beart, Philippe Noiret; A 19–year old breaks away from his sheltered rural life and drifts into the seedy world of Parisian streetlife where he falls in love with…
I Don't Want to Talk About It (1993): Dir. Maria Luisa Bemberg
Feat. Marcello Mastroianni, Luisina Brando, Alejandra Podesta; The mother of a dwarf sets about removing all references in her town to dwarfism in order to protect her daughter from prejudice. Things complicate…
Immaculate Conception (1993): Dir. Jamil Dehlavi
Feat. James Wilby, Melissa Leo; Well–bred Anglo–Indian drama with James Wilby and Melissa Leo as a childless couple in India who choose the wrong time and place to…
In the Name of the Father (1993): Dir. Jim Sheridan
Feat. Daniel Day-Lewis, Pete Postlethwaite, Emma Thompson; Daniel Day–Lewis gives a devastating performance in this powerhouse re–creation of the tragedy that beset Jerry Conlon, his family and…
Indecent Proposal (1993): Dir. Adrian Lyne
Feat. Demi Moore, Robert Redford, Woody Harrelson; Unintentional chuckler posits the question 'Would you surrender your bod for a night with a stranger for a million bucks?' Demi Moore, Robert Redford…
Intersection (1993): Dir. Mark Rydell
Feat. Richard Gere, Sharon Stone, Lolita Davidovich; Compelling shaggy–dog tale of an architect caught between his stale marriage and fiery mistress. Richard Gere and Sharon Stone star but its…
JFK: Reckless Youth (1993): Dir. Harry Winer
Feat. Patrick Dempsey, Claire Forlani, Loren Dean…; Credible bio–pic dramatising the first 30 years of JFK's life by concentrating on the childhood and teenage events that eventually shaped John…
Joh's Jury (1993): Dir. Ken Cameron
Feat. Simon Bossell, Noah Taylor, Gerry Connolly; Intensively researched teledrama about the sensational trial of Queensland state premier Joh Bjelke–Petersen (Connolly) for perjury in…
Joy Luck Club, The (1993): Dir. Wayne Wang
Feat. Kieu Chinh, Tsai Chin; From Amy Tan's novel, this story of four Chinese–American women and their daughters will touch a chord with mums and daughters of all races,…
Just Another Girl on the I.R.T. (1993): Dir. Leslie Harris
Feat. Ariyan Johnson; This cautionary tale from the Brooklyn streets lacks technical polish, but its heart–felt enthusiasm paints a geniune picture of what it is to…
King of the Hill (1993): Dir. Steven Soderbergh
Feat. Jesse Bradford, Jeroen Krabbe, Lisa Eichhorn…; A bleak yet exquisitely crafted tale of a Jewish boy living in depression–era St. Louis, left to fend for himself in a run–down hotel. It…
Lady Chatterley (1993): Dir. Ken Russell
Feat. Joely Richardson, Sean Bean, James Wilby; Following THE RAINBOW, dir. Russell plunders D.H. Lawrence again with an encore of tongue–in–cheek dialogue, stilted acting, hokey sex…
Like Water for Chocolate (1993): Dir. Alfonso Arau
Feat. Marco Leonardi, Lumi Cavazos, Regina Torne; Certifiable foreign–language block–buster blends the irresisistible ingrediants of primal female desire with old–fashioned…
Lipstick On Your Collar (1993): Dir. Renny Rye
Feat. Giles Thomas, Louise Germaine, Ewan McGregor; Dennis Potter's musical comedy combines the elements that made his 'Singing Detective' and 'Pennies from Heaven' so memorable and distinctive. This…
Little Buddha (1993): Dir. Bernardo Bertolucci
Feat. Keanu Reeves, Chris Isaak, Bridget Fonda; In truest Bertolucci fashion, this is a spiritual chronicle by way of history and spectacle. Time–frame is split between modern LA and 600 B.C.…
Lost in Yonkers (1993): Dir. Martha Coolidge
Feat. Mercedes Ruehl, Richard Dreyfuss; Neil Simon's laugh–and–cry theatre piece about two boys carted off to live with their eccentric rellies in '40s New York. Mercedes Reuhl…
M Butterfly (1993): Dir. David Cronenberg
Feat. Jeremy Irons, John Lone; Bizarre true–story of a French diplomat's long–term sexual relationship with a Chinese opera singer who managed to conceal the fact that…
Maadadayo (Madadayo) (1993): Dir. Akira Kurosawa
Feat. Tatsuo Matsumura, Kyoko Kagawa; A masterful, understated last word from Japanese sensei Kurosawa, here paying tribute to an inspiration from his own life with the story of a retired…
Malcolm X (1993): Dir. Spike Lee
Feat. Denzel Washington; Epic bio of the black–American minister and human rights activist from his beginnings as a Harlem crook to his 1965 assassination. Breezes…
Man Without a Face, The (1993): Dir. Mel Gibson
Feat. Mel Gibson; Mel Gibson directs his first film, playing a guy with only half a pretty face. The other half is deformed, but inside lies an astute academic, a…
Married People, Single Sex (1993): Dir. Mike Sedan
Feat. Chase Masterson, Shelley Michelle, Samuel Mongiello…; Cheaply shot triptych peeps into marital dysfunction and the implications of infidelity on three sets of married couples. Flirts unapologetically…
Mr. Jones (1993): Dir. Mike Figgis
Feat. Richard Gere, Lena Olin; Richard Gere earnestly acts the method as an impulsive–depressive who gets keen on spunky therapist Lena Olin. Its whimsical flourishes work…
Much Ado About Nothing (1993): 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…
Music of Chance, The (1993): Dir. Philip Haas
Feat. James Spader, Mandy Patinkin, Charles Durning…; Impressively cast against type, James Spader's slimy card shark entices broken family man Mandy Patinkin to accept a poker challenge by two eccentric…
My Favourite Season (Ma Saison Préférée) (1993): Dir. Andre Techine
Feat. Catherine Deneuve, Daniel Auteuil, Marthe Villalonga; Involving French character drama, which observes the cracks in a woman's family dynamic when her elderly mother must move in with her due to poor…
My Life (1993): Dir. Bruce Joel Rubin
Feat. Michael Keaton, Nicole Kidman; Quality weepie is the writer of GHOST and JACOB'S LADDER's directing debut. Themes of death, guilt and redemption are pointedly replayed as a…
Naked (1993): Dir. Mike Leigh
Feat. David Thewlis, Katrin Cartlidge, Lesley Sharp…; David Thewlis gives a bravura performance in a difficult role, somehow bringing humility to a complex yet unpleasant character – misogynist,…
Nun and the Bandit (1993): Dir. Paul Cox
Feat. Chris Haywood, Gosia Dobrowolska; Cox returns with regulars Chris Haywood and Gosia Dobrowolska for a tale of industrial disputes, revenge and kidnapping in the Australian bush.
NYPD Blue (TV Series) (1993): Feat. David Caruso, Dennis Franz, Amy Brenneman…; "Groundbreaking" TV cop show that wasn't so much groundbreaking as a slick 90s rehash of the likes of 'Hill Street Blues'. But despite all the fast…
Ocean Waves (1993): Dir. Tomomi Mochizuki; A sweet, sentimental tale of unrequited teen romance as seen in flashback through the eyes of a man attending his high school reunion forms the basis…
Oh, Woe is Me (Helas Pour Moi) (1993): Dir. Jean-Luc Godard
Feat. Gerard Depardieu; Gerard Depardieu is the most accessible thing on offer in Godard's latest enigma, a film that's controlling idea is perhaps 'the desire of a God to…
Paper, The (1993): Dir. Ron Howard
Feat. Michael Keaton, Glenn Close, Robert Duvall…; Michael Keaton and Glenn Close clash ethics in the cut–throat world of the New York tabloids. A hectic morality play with pace, humour and…
Paris, France (1993): Dir. Georgio Ciccoretti
Feat. Leslie Hope, Peter Outerbridge; While her husband descends into madness, a novelist attempts to cure her writer's block by engaging in kinky sex with a drifter. Preposterous 'art'…
Peak Practice (TV Series) (1993): Feat. Kevin Whately, Amanda Burton, Simon Shepherd; Popular, long–running British daytime staple about a new country GP adjusting to life and work in rural Derbyshire. Series One: eight…
Perfect World, A (1993): Dir. Clint Eastwood
Feat. Clint Eastwood, Laura Dern, Kevin Costner; Sheriff Clint Eastwood and criminologist Laura Dern clash egos in pursuit of Kevin Costner, who's imperfectly cast as an escaped convict with an…
Philadelphia (1993): Dir. Jonathan Demme
Feat. Tom Hanks, Denzel Washington; First major Hollywood AIDS movie is more concerned with prejudice than the disease itself, and is effective in its aim to educate as much as…
Piano, The (1993): Dir. Jane Campion
Feat. Holly Hunter, Harvey Keitel, Anna Paquin…; A romantic masterpiece set in pioneering New Zealand worthy of its reputation and phenomenal success. Worth a second glance for the cast's impeccable…
Poetic Justice (1993): Dir. John Singleton
Feat. Janet Jackson; Janet Jackson plays Justice, a girl who writes poetry and stuff about the problems of the 'hood. She's the best thing on offer in this tepid follow…
Pornographer, The (1993): Dir. Patrick S. Duncan
Feat. Nicholas Cascone, Melora Hardin; An ambitious attempt to draw a co–relate the legitimate art world and the pornographic one – both, it asserts, as being founded on…
Punk, The (1993): Dir. Mike Sarne
Feat. Charlie Creed-Miles; Based on the cult writings of the late Gideon Sams, this modern London take on Romeo and Juliet is technically flakey, but naively charming. Charlie…
Puppetmaster, The (1993): Dir. Hou Hsiao-Hsien
Feat. Li Tianlu; The turbulent pre–WWII history of Taiwan is woven into this epic yet simple docu–drama of the early years of famous puppeteer Li Tianlu,…
Raining Stones (1993): Dir. Ken Loach
Feat. Bruce Jones, Julie Brown, Gemma Phoenix; Bittersweet portrait of a debt–ridden labourer's quest to outfit his daughter in extravagant regalia for her first communion. Cruel, real yet…
Remains of the Day (1993): Dir. James Ivory
Feat. Anthony Hopkins, Emma Thompson, Christopher Reeve…; Note–perfect adaptation of the Booker–winning novel plays out its key themes of duty and betrayal, love and loss with effortless class,…
Rich in Love (1993): Dir. Bruce Beresford
Feat. Albert Finney, Jill Clayburgh, Kyle MacLachlan…; A knock–out cast bring to life the comic and tragic of a splintered yet tightly knit South Carolinan family.
Rudy (1993): Dir. David Anspaugh
Feat. Sean Astin, Jon Favreau, Ned Beatty…; Unheralded sports movie is one of the genre’s best: it dramatizes the true story of an athletically–challenged young man determined to play…
Salt On Our Skin (1993): Dir. Andrew Birkin
Feat. Greta Scacchi, Vincent D'Onofrio; Greta Scacchi and Vincent D'Onofrio duet in this lush, erotically charged (Eu)romance as lovers who are wrong for each other, but happen to sizzle in…
Sarafina! (1993): Dir. Darrell James Roodt
Feat. Whoopi Goldberg; Screen version of the anti–apartheid stage musical posits Whoopi Goldberg as a Soweto school–teacher who liberates an impressionable…
Scent of a Woman (1993): Dir. Martin Brest
Feat. Al Pacino, Chris O'Donnell, Gabrielle Anwar…; Al Pacino finally method–acts his way to Oscar glory as a blind war veteran who, with the reluctant young chaperone, ventures to New York to…
Scent of Green Papaya, The (1993): Dir. Tran Anh Hung
Feat. Tran Nu Yen-Khe, Man San Lu, Thi Loc Truong…; Drama as crisp and luxuriant as its title observes a wealthy Saigon family over two turbulent decades through the eyes of a peasant servant girl. Its…
Schindler's List (1993): Dir. Steven Spielberg
Feat. Liam Neeson, Ben Kingsley, Ralph Fiennes; Spielberg deservedly swept the '94 Oscars with this compassionate, consummately–crafted tale of a prominent Nazi's precarious mission to save…
Searching for Bobby Fischer (Innocent Moves) (1993): Dir. Steven Zaillian
Feat. Joe Mantegna, Ben Kingsley; Sensitive film about a nine–year–old boy with a special gift for chess. Some poignant moments about parental expectations and the price…
Second Best (1993): Dir. Chris Menges
Feat. William Hurt; An earnest Irish drama in which William Hurt sports a curly red wig for the role of an ordered and reclusive bachelor whose world is thrown into…
Secret Garden, The (1993): Dir. Agnieszka Holland
Feat. Maggie Smith, Kate Maberly, Heydon Prowse…; A splendid, lavish update of Francis Hodgson Burnett's beloved classic in which a troubled orphan visits her domineering aunt's mansion, befriends…
Secrets (1993): Dir. Michael Pattinson
Feat. Noah Taylor, Willa O'Neill; During the Beatles' Melbourne tourdate of 1964, four Beatle–maniacs and an Elvis fan find themselves trapped together in a hotel basement,…
Shadowlands (1993): Dir. Richard Attenborough
Feat. Anthony Hopkins, Debra Winger; Anthony Hopkins is terrific as academic and children's author C.S. Lewis, who discovers a well of unfathomable emotion when his American divorcee…
Sharpe (TV Series) (1993-1998): Dir. Tom Clegg
Feat. Sean Bean, Brian Cox; Various teledramas adapting Bernard Cornwall's famous novels about the adventures of an officer in the 19th century British Army. In perhaps his best…
Short Cuts (1993): Dir. Robert Altman
Feat. Tim Robbins, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Tom Waits…; Tim Robbins, Jennifer Jason–Leigh, Tom Waits and Jack Lemmon lead 18 other stars in this extraordinary observation of the ordinary. Several of…
Six Degrees of Separation (1993): Dir. Fred Schepisi
Feat. Stockard Channing, Donald Sutherland, Will Smith; An invigorating adaptation of John Guare's acclaimed play about an art–dealing couple whose discreet deceptions are ironically rebounded when a…
Slingshot, The (1993): Dir. Ake Sandgren
Feat. Jesper Salen, Stellan Skarsgard, Basia Frydman; A bittersweet snapshot of pre–war Stockholm in which an enterprising 10–year–old flirts with boyhood rebellion. This local…
Snapper, 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…
Sofie (1993): Dir. Liv Ulmann
Feat. Liv Ullmann; Actress Liv Ullmann makes a confident directing debut with this period drama about a Jewish woman's emotional journey over 20 years that begins with…
Sommersby (1993): Dir. Jon Amiel
Feat. Jodie Foster, Richard Gere; Previously filmed in its native French as THE RETURN OF MARTIN GUERRE. An atypically down–beat Hollywood remake.
Stalin (1993): Dir. Ivan Passer
Feat. Robert Duvall, Maximilian Schell, Joan Plowright; Robert Duvall embodies the full–blooded treachery of the Soviet dictator in this mini–series biography shot on location in Moscow.
Sugar Hill (1993): Dir. Leon Ichaso
Feat. Wesley Snipes; Snipes vehicle in which he plays a drug dealer wanting to wade out of the mire and come to terms with his afflicted past.
Summer House, The (1993): Dir. Waris Hussein
Feat. Joan Plowright, Jeanne Moreau, Julie Walters; Joan Plowright, Jeanne Moreau and Julie Walters bestow their presense on this wry and very witty melodrama that emanates from the prospect of…
Swing Kids (1993): Dir. Thomas Carter
Feat. Robert Sean Leonard, Christian Bale, Frank Whaley; Affecting drama about the young sub–culture of pre–war Germany, who traded Nazi–ism for American jazz culture. A rare insight into…
Tales of the City (TV Series) (1993): Dir. Alastair Reid, Pierre Gang
Feat. Olympia Dukakis, Laura Linney; A rich, entertaining tele–translation of Armistead Maupin's lauded short–stories set in 1976 San Fransisco, that cleverly interweaves the…
Temptation of a Monk (1993): Dir. Clara Law
Feat. Joan Chen, Zhang Fenyi; Graphic chronicle of blood–letting by a fierce warrior general in 7th century China, that hews to the visual traditions of the classic Japanese…
Texas Cheerleader Murdering Mom (1993): Dir. Michael Ritchie
Feat. Holly Hunter; Holly Hunter won an Emmy for her portrayal of a woman who would go to any length to ensure her daughter's place on the high school cheerleading team.…
Thing Called Love, The (1993): Dir. Peter Bogdanovich
Feat. River Phoenix, Samantha Mathis, Dermot Mulroney…; River Phoenix's final film in which, sadly, his fatal affliction is plainly evident. Set in Nashville, he aspires to country–rock stardom but…
This Boy's Life (1993): Dir. Michael Caton-Jones
Feat. Robert De Niro, Ellen Barkin, Leonardo DiCaprio; An exemplary bittersweet nostalgia piece based on the autobiography of Tobias Wolfe. Sheer craft elevates the sombre material, with Robert De Niro,…
Three Colours: Blue (1993): Dir. Krzysztof Kieslowski
Feat. Juliette Binoche, Benoit Regent, Emmanuelle Riva…; Immaculate, introspective meditation on grief, redemption and liberty, Kieslowski's masterpiece borders on the pretentious. This redefines ART…
Tina - What's Love Got to Do with It (1993): Dir. Brian Gibson
Feat. Angela Bassett, Laurence Fishburne; Exemplary musical biopic about legendary soulstress Tina Turner that soars thanks to two powerhouse performances from Angela Bassett as Tina and…
Traps (1993): Dir. Pauline Chan
Feat. Saskia Reeves, Jacqueline McKenzie; An English journalistic couple travel to pre–war South Vietnam to rejuvenate their floundering marriage, but falter on the shifting ground of a…
Typhon's People (1993): Dir. Yvonne MacKay
Feat. Alfred Molina, Sophie Lee, Michael Hurst…; Capable sci–fi thriller, scripted by Margaret Mahy, concerning dodgy genetic–engineering in a remote NZ research station. Stars local…
What's Eating Gilbert Grape? (1993): Dir. Lasse Hallstrom
Feat. Johnny Depp, Juliette Lewis, Leonardo DiCaprio…; An off–beat delight that's quirky take on tin–pot America is never at the expense of its truthfulness or poignancy. The ballad of the…
Where the Rivers Flow North (1993): Dir. Jay Craven
Feat. Rip Torn, Michael J. Fox, Tantoo Cardinal…; Drama set in Vermont in 1927, based on the novel by Howard Frank Mosher about a couple who live remotely on a large amount of land, and refuse to…
Wide Sargasso Sea (1993): Dir. John Duigan
Feat. Karina Lombard, Rachel Ward, Michael York; Polished screen adaptation of Jean Rhys' novel of erotic obsession between a English aristocrat and a Island beauty in 19th Century Jamaica.
Widow's Peak (1993): Dir. John Irvin
Feat. Joan Plowright, Natasha Richardson, Mia Farrow; In 1920s Ireland, Joan Plowright presides over a widow's community and engages in emotional game–playing with Natasha Richardson and Mia…
Wittgenstein (1993): Dir. Derek Jarman
Feat. Clancy Chassey, Jill Balcon, Sally Dexter; A fittingly unorthodox tribute to the life of the gay millionaire's son turned philosopher, Ludwig Wittgenstein. Unmistakably Jarmanesque, it probes…
Wrestling Ernest Hemingway (1993): Dir. Randa Haines
Feat. Robert Duvall, Richard Harris, Sandra Bullock…; A high–spirited, unpatronising portrait of senior citizenship, with consummate performances from two old pro's, Robert Duvall and Richard…
Year in Provence, A (TV Series) (1993): Dir. David Tucker
Feat. John Thaw, Lindsay Duncan; Adapted from Peter Mayle's best–selling book, this depicts the experiences of an English couple who move into a rustic village in the south of…
Younger 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…
Zelda (1993): Dir. Pat O'Connor
Feat. Natasha Richardson, Timothy Hutton; A polished biography about the decadent, obsessive lives of F. Scott Fitzgerald and his wife, Zelda.
A Few Good Men (1992): Dir. Rob Reiner
Feat. Tom Cruise, Jack Nicholson, Demi Moore; Tom Cruise portrays another upstart lawyer brat who is called to defend the alleged murderers of a fellow army cadet. Blame soon veers to the very…
A Touch of Frost (TV Series) (1992-1995): Feat. David Jason; An old–fashioned but thoroughly reliable British detective series set around a Detective Inspector with the 'common touch'. David Jason's…
Absent Without Leave (1992): Dir. John Laing
Feat. Craig McLauchlan; Craig McLauchlan from Neighbours stars as a love–struck newly–wed on the run from the army during WW2. Slight nostalgia with lots of…
Accompanist, The (1992): Dir. Claude Miller
Feat. Richard Bohringer, Romane Bohringer; A humble pianist is hired to accompany a wealthy soprano in occupied France, but their partnership becomes fraught with rivalry and…
Adam Bede (1992): Dir. Giles Foster
Feat. Iain Glen, Patsy Kensit, James Wilby; BBC adaptation of George Eliot's passionate tale of love and betrayal, set in 1799 rural England. Tells the story of a pretty dairy maid seduced from…
Alive (1992): Dir. Frank Marshall
Feat. Ethan Hawke, Vincent Spano, Josh Hamilton…; Full–throttle true–story dramatisation of the rugby team who were forced to fight the horrors of Mother Nature after their plane crashed…
American Heart (1992): Dir. Mertin Bell
Feat. Jeff Bridges, Edward Furlong; Fate deals a rough hand to ex–con Jeff Bridges, who attempts to rebuild his life and relationship with estranged son Edward Furlong.…
American Me (1992): Dir. Edward James Olmos
Feat. Edward James Olmos, William Forsythe, Pepe Serna; Edward James Olmos directs and stars in this above–average gang drama focused on three generations of a Hispanic–American family from…
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…
Baby of Macon, The (1992): Dir. Peter Greenaway
Feat. Peter Greenaway, Julia Ormond, Ralph Fiennes; Agent provocateur Peter Greenaway redefines new boundaries for his extreme taste, whether it be highly refined (production design, photography) or…
Bad Lieutenant (1992): Dir. Abel Ferrara
Feat. Harvey Keitel; Deeply disturbing character study of a bent cop that Harvey Keitel goes off the method deep–end to authenticate. An addiction to smack and…
Best Intentions (1992): Dir. Bille August
Feat. Samuel Froler, Pernilla August, Max von Sydow…; Sincere, meticulous yet characteristically bleak adaptation of Ingmar Bergman's biographical account of his parents' turbulent courtship and…
Blackfellas (Day of the Dog) (1992): Dir. James Ricketson
Feat. John J. Moore, David Ngoombujarra, Jack Charles; The first feature to be made within the Aboriginal community paints an unglamorous picture of a displaced culture in telling its tragic tale of a…
Bodyguard, The (1992): Dir. Mick Jackson
Feat. Whitney Houston, Kevin Costner; A perfect exercise in Hollywood cliche that rises above the ordinary thanks to Whitney Houston in a commendable acting debut and Kevin Costner as the…
Broadway 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…
Camomile Lawn, The (1992): Feat. Felicity Kendal, Claire Bloom, Jennifer Ehle; Handsomely mounted for it's time, this TV miniseries is set in 1939 in Cornwall, against the backdrop of the final days of the Spanish Civil War and…
Chaplin (1992): Dir. Richard Attenborough
Feat. Robert Downey Jnr., Geraldine Chaplin, Anthony Hopkins; A reverent yet captivating biopic of comic genius Charlie Chaplin, boasting an uncanny central performance from Robert Downey Jnr. Commendably…
Chunuk Bair (1992): Dir. Dale G. Bradley
Feat. Robert Powell, Kevin J. Wilson, Jed Brophy; Modest, reverent account of an exhausted and shell–shocked Wellington regiment of the ANZAC forces who endeavoured to gain control of the ridge…
Citizen Cohn (1992): Dir. Frank Pierson
Feat. James Woods; James Woods plays Joseph McCarthy's crooked lawyer, Roy Cohn – a role meaty enough to sustain every ounce of his frustrated energy. The…
City of Joy (1992): Dir. Roland Joffe
Feat. Patrick Swayze; Patrick Swayze sincerely portrays an American surgeon who encounters difficulties in the heart of India's urban slums. A polished adaptation of…
Conte D'hiver (A Winter's Tale) (1992): Dir. Eric Rohmer
Feat. Charlotte Very, Frederic Van Den Driessche; A whirlwind romance ends abruptly for a young woman when she accidentally gives her lover a wrong address. Four years pass and she remains possessed…
Crazy in Love (1992): Dir. Martha Coolidge
Feat. Holly Hunter, Gena Rowlands; Romantic complications ensue for three generations of women – especially Holly Hunter – whose worries about her 'perfect' husband's…
Cronos (1992): Dir. Guillermo Del Toro
Feat. Frederico Luppi, Ron Perlman; Elderly antique dealer Federico Luppi discovers the ancient (and sought–after) 'Cronos' device, which has the power to give eternal life, but…
Crossing the Bridge (1992): Dir. Mike Binder
Feat. Stephen Baldwin, Josh Charles; A drug smuggling venture across the Canadian border tests the wits and friendship of three long–time pals about to confront adulthood in the…
Crush (1992): Dir. Alison Maclean
Feat. Marcia Gay Harden; A downbeat analysis of female personal politics, with Marcia Gay Harden, an American vixen in Rotorua who neglects her dear friend recently paralysed…
Crying Game, The (1992): Dir. Neil Jordan
Feat. Stephen Rea, Miranda Richardson, Forest Whitaker…; An IRA terrorist attempts to shrug off his past but becomes involved with the chantreuse sister of the man he was obliged to murder. Surprise hit…
Damage (1992): Dir. Louis Malle
Feat. Jeremy Irons, Juliette Binoche, Miranda Richardson; Jeremy Irons plays a Tory cabinet minister who becomes entangled, (especially physically) with his son's fiancee – a chic,…
Deadly (1992): Dir. Esben Storm
Feat. Jerome Ehlers, Frank Gallacher; This thriller deals frankly with the subject of Aboriginal deaths while in police custody. Flawed, yet recommended for those with an interest in the…
Dear Diary (Caro Diario) (1992): 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…
Dingo (1992): Dir. Rolf De Heer
Feat. Colin Friels; Superb, romantic jazz tribute stars Colin Friels as an aspiring musician/devotee who sets about realizing his childhood dream, to play with his idol…
Discrete, La (1992): 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,…
Doing Time On Maple Drive (1992): Dir. Ken Olin
Feat. James Sikking, Bibi Besch, Jim Carrey…; Effective tragic farce about an 'ordinary' family in crisis over several coinciding issues, including alcoholism, closet homosexuality, abortion and…
Enchanted April (1992): Dir. Mike Newell
Feat. Joan Plowright, Miranda Richardson, Polly Walker…; A gentle, lucid ensemble piece about four women who escape the constrictions of Edwardian London for a month in a castle on the Riviera.
Fiorile (1992): Dir. Paolo Taviani, Vittorio Taviani
Feat. Claudio Bigagli, Galatea Ranzi, Michael Vartan; The brothers' Taviani spin three torrid tales of hot–blooded Italians at love and war, recounted by a father to his children about family myths…
Fly by Night (1992): Dir. Steve Gomer
Feat. Jeffrey D. Sams, Ron Brice; An unheralded black youth melodrama that brings with it a fresh perspective, an intelligent script and direction that doesn't impose (too much)…
Footstep Man, The (1992): Dir. Leon Narbey
Feat. Michael Hurst, Jennifer Ward-Lealand; An ambitious psychological drama about a forlorn sound–effects man who becomes obsessed with the woman in a film he is working on. Technically…
Framed (1992): Dir. Geoffrey Sax
Feat. Penelope Cruz, Timothy Dalton, Timothy West…; Psychological thriller by award winning screenwriter / author Lynda La Plante (PRIME SUSPECT) mapping a battle of minds between a young cop and an…
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…
Glengarry Glen Ross (1992): Dir. James Foley
Feat. Al Pacino, Alec Baldwin, Ed Harris…; Gripping transposition of David Mamet's savage stageplay about ruthless real estate salesmen who reel under a do–or–die sales ultimatum.…
Hammers Over the Anvil (1992): Dir. Ann Turner
Feat. Russell Crowe, Charlotte Rampling; A young polio victim's innocence is lost when his fantasy role model (Russell Crowe) falls from grace after involvement with a much older aristocrat…
Hoffa (1992): Dir. Danny De Vito
Feat. Jack Nicholson; An earnest attempt to redress the life of the controversial union leader who vanished without a trace in 1975. Jack Nicholson is near unrecognizable…
Howards End (1992): Dir. James Ivory
Feat. Anthony Hopkins, Emma Thompson, Helena Bonham Carter; Merchant/Ivory's E.M. Forster adaptation is so exquisite it pales their previous efforts. Forster's usual themes of class injustice and emotional…
Husbands 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 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…
Indochine (1992): Dir. Regis Wargnier
Feat. Catherine Deneuve, Vincent Perez, Linh Dan Pham…; Oscar–winning Foreign Film of 1993 set during the Inochinese revolution of 1930. Catherine Deneuvre plays a French landowner coming to terms…
Jacksons, The - An American Dream (1992): Dir. Karen Arthur
Feat. Wylie Draper, Lawrence Hilton-Jacobs, Angela Bassett…; Soapy account of the dysfunctional Jackson family follows them to the top of the charts first as The Jackson Five and then solo success. Skipping a…
Juice (1992): Dir. Ernest Dickerson
Feat. Omar Epps, Samuel L. Jackson, Tupac Shakur…; Innocence is lost and tragedy strikes as it does in these tales of black male youths in lethal conflict with rival peers and…
Jumpin' at the Boneyard (1992): Dir. Jeff Stanzler
Feat. Tim Roth, Alexis Arquette; Tim Roth and Alexis Arquette both give knock–out performances in this powerful drama about a violent man trying to clean–up his…
La Reine Blanche (1992): Dir. Jean-Loup Hubert
Feat. Catherine Deneuve, Richard Bohringer; The return of a childhood friend to his home fishing village has fateful consequences for a long–married couple.
La Sentinelle (The Sentinel) (1992): Dir. Arnaud Desplechin
Feat. Emmanuel Salinger, Thibault de Montalembert, Jean-Louis Richard…; French chiller from director Arnaud Desplechin (A CHRISTMAS TALE) about a forensic medicine student who finds himself mysteriously in possession of a…
Last Days of Chez Nous, The (1992): Dir. Gillian Armstrong
Feat. Kerry Fox; Kerry Fox seduces the French husband of her sister who's away trying to resolve her relationship with her father. Like SWEETIE, it's beautifully…
Laws of Gravity (1992): Dir. Nick Gomez
Feat. Peter Greene, Edie Falco, Adam Trese…; Remarkably authentic Brooklyn street story follows a couple of aimless pals, their girlfriends and a volitile circle of hoods. The four leads are…
Leaving Normal (1992): Dir. Edward Zwick
Feat. Christine Lahti, Meg Tilly; Post–THELMA AND LOUISE female–bonding drama with the ever–likeable Christine Lahti and Meg Tilly, who abandon their lives of…
Lolo (1992): Dir. Francisco Athie
Feat. Damian Alcazar, Lorena Caballero, Alonso Echanove; An unflinching portrait of an urban Mexican slum in which a 17–year–old's pursuit of happiness is shattered when a petty crime leads to…
Long Day Closes, The (1992): Dir. Terence Davies
Feat. Marjorie Yates, Leigh McCormack, Anthony Watson; The director follows up DISTANT VOICES, STILL LIVES with a more optimistic but just as dream–like portrait of working–class life in '50s…
Lorenzo's Oil (1992): Dir. George Miller
Feat. Nick Nolte, Susan Sarandon; Nick Nolte and Susan Sarandon do a virtuoso job as parents forced to take science into their own hands when their son is diagnosed with a rare and…
Love Field (1992): Dir. Jonathan Kaplan
Feat. Michelle Pfeiffer, Dennis Haysbert; Michelle Pfeiffer plays a forlorn housewife who befriends a black man and his daughter en route to JFK's funeral. Confederate cronies and bitter…
Lover, The (1992): Dir. Jean-Jacques Annaud
Feat. Jane March, Tony Leung (Kar-fai); Exotic adaptation of Marguerite Duras' autobiographical novel charting an illicit affair between a 15–year–old French school–girl…
Mad Dog and Glory (1992): Dir. John McNaughton
Feat. Robert De Niro, Bill Murray, Uma Thurman; Wimpy cop Robert De Niro saves the life of smarmy mobster Bill Murray who then obliges him with the dubious services of one Uma Thurman for a week.…
Maigret (TV Series) (1992-1993): Feat. Michael Gambon, Jack Galloway; Michael Gambon plays Chief Inspector Jules Maigret of the Paris Surete in this realistic crime series centred on Maigret's investigations into…
Map of the Human Heart (1992): Dir. Vincent Ward
Feat. Jason Scott Lee, Patrick Bergin, Anne Parillaud…; Worldly romantic adventure spanning the life of an orphaned Eskimo. A majestic achievement for local boy Vincent Ward, as much for its unique slant…
Melrose Place (TV Series) (1992-1999): Feat. Heather Locklear, Courtney Thorne-Smith, Daphne Zuniga…; Glossy spinoff to BEVERLY HILLS 90210 tracked an older set of characters all living at a plush apartment complex in Los Angeles and coping with love,…
Midnight Clear, A (1992): Dir. Keith Gordon
Feat. Peter Berg, Kevin Dillon, Arye Gross…; A provocative, suspenseful anti–war parable about a fresh–faced American platoon assigned to an abandoned chateau near the German border…
Mima (1992): Dir. Philomene Esposito
Feat. Nino Manfredi, Margarita Lozano, Virginie Ledoyen; The first–time director captures the nuance and feeling of her own experience as a young girl who witnesses the mysterious disappearance of her…
Mississippi Masala (1992): Dir. Mira Nair
Feat. Denzel Washington, Roshan Seth, Sarita Choudhury; A poignant gem about a tabooed romance between a beautiful Indian girl and a black carpet cleaner (Denzel Washington) in the deep South.
Mrs. 'Arris Goes to Paris (1992): Dir. Anthony Shaw
Feat. Angela Lansbury, Diana Rigg, Omar Sharif; In this Francophilic fantasy, Angela Lansbury makes a pilgrimage to Paris to purchase an haute couture evening gown from the House of Dior. Fantastic…
Newsies (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…
Night and the City (1992): Dir. Irwin Winkler
Feat. Robert De Niro, Jessica Lange; Robert De Niro stars with Jessica Lange as a two–bit lawyer who struggles to fulfil his aspirations as a boxing promoter. Gritty, realistic Big…
Nostradamus Kid, The (1992): Dir. Bob Ellis
Feat. Noah Taylor; Noah Taylor, the charismatic geek from THE YEAR MY VOICE BROKE and FLIRTING comes of age yet again, this time at the height of atomic–age…
Oak, The (Balanta) (1992): Dir. Lucian Pintilie
Feat. Maia Morgenstern, Razvan Vasilescu, Victor Rebengiuc; Provocative director Pintilie strikes the perfect balance of surreal comedy and powerful realism as he examines the progressive disillusionment of a…
Of Mice and Men (1992): Dir. Gary Sinise
Feat. John Malkovich, Gary Sinise, Ray Walston…; Actor/director Gary Sinise and John Malkovich bring John Steinbeck's tragic tale of two friends struggling in Depression era California to a new…
Orlando (1992): Dir. Sally Potter
Feat. Tilda Swinton; Majestic interpretation of Virginia Woolf's 'unfilmable' novel salutes the work of Greenaway and gives Tilda Swinton the role of a lifetime, not to…
Ox, The (1992): Dir. Sven Nykvist
Feat. Stellan Skarsgard, Ewa Froling, Lennart Hjulstrom; During the famine years of Sweden in the 1860s, a peasant family slaughter their employer's ox, then reap the consequences. Directed by Ingmar…
Passion Fish (1992): Dir. John Sayles
Feat. Mary MacDonnell, Alfre Woodard, David Strathairn; After a debilitating accident, soap–opera super–bitch Mary MacDonnell returns to Louisiana and finds an unlikely soulmate in her black…
Peter'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,…
Picket Fences (TV Series) (1992): Feat. Tom Skerritt, Kathy Baker, Costas Mandylor…; Small–town drama from the creator of BOSTON LEGAL and ALLY MCBEAL in which Sheriff Jimmy Brock (Tom Skerritt) investigates dark goings on…
Plague, The (1992): Dir. Luis Puenzo
Feat. John Hurt, Robert Duvall, Raul Julia…; William Hurt, Robert Duvall and Raul Julia star in this truncated adaptation of Albert Camus's complex novel. Bubonic plague besieges a modern South…
Playboys, The (1992): Dir. Gillies MacKinnon
Feat. Robin Wright, Aidan Quinn, Albert Finney; Robin Wright and travelling player Aidan Quinn attempt to consummate their passions in the face of religion, geography and Albert Finney's drunkard…
Player, The (1992): Dir. Robert Altman
Feat. Tim Robbins, Greta Scacchi, Whoopi Goldberg…; A glittering Tinseltown satire that manages to be an intricate, clever, surprising and entertaining thriller all at the same time, with a cast of…
Power of One, The (1992): Dir. John G. Avildsen
Feat. Morgan Freeman, Stephen Dorff; From Bryce Courtney's best–seller, an oppressed English orphan in Africa finds a father figure in prison inmate Morgan Freeman, who teaches him…
Quiet Days in Clichy (1992): Dir. Claude Chabrol
Feat. Nigel Havers, Andrew McCarthy; From Henry Miller's novel, Nigel Havers and Andrew McCarthy are hedonistic literary foreigners cavorting in turn–of–the–century…
Red Curtain Trilogy (Strictly Ballroom; Romeo and Juliet; Moulin Rouge) (1992-2001): Dir. Baz Luhrmann; Australian dir. Baz Luhrmann's three visionary modern musicals given a lavish box–set presentation.
River Runs Through It, A (1992): Dir. Robert Redford
Feat. Brad Pitt, Craig Sheffer; Redford's pleasant wade through Norman MacLean's autobiography about two fly–fishing brothers (Brad Pitt and Craig Sheffer) whose lives take…
Romper Stomper (1992): Dir. Geoffrey Wright
Feat. Russell Crowe; Powerhouse drama about a gang of neo–Nazi skinheads who wreak havoc on the Melbourne's Vietnamese community. The contentious subject is…
Ruby (1992): Dir. John Mackenzie
Feat. Danny Aiello; The story of the man who shot the man who shot JFK, with Danny Aiello perhaps too likeable in the title role. Worthy slant on an increasingly…
Rush (1992): Dir. Lili Fini Zanuck
Feat. Jennifer Jason Leigh, Jason Patric; This sordid but engaging parable posits Jennifer Jason Leigh and Jason Patric as narcotics cops who slip into a drug–addicted mire whilst…
Salmonberries (1992): Dir. Percy Adlon
Feat. k.d. Lang; Pop diva k.d. lang plays an Alaskan Eskimo who forms an uneasy amorous alliance with her town librarian. A worldly, indiosyncratic view of repressed…
Savage Nights (1992): Dir. Cyril Collard
Feat. Cyril Collard, Romane Bohringer, Carlos Lopez…; A audaciously frank and romantic tale of the life, love and passions of its bisexual director and star, who died of AIDS and was posthumously…
School Ties (1992): Dir. Robert Mandel
Feat. Brendan Fraser, Matt Damon, Chris O'Donnell…; A working–class teen hides that he is Jewish when he is awarded a scholarship to an exclusive prep school.
Short Reels: Ten New Zealand Short Films (1992-2004): 1. Watermark (2001) 12m. 2. The Platform (2001) 5m. 3. The Little Things (2004) 12m. 4. The Man Who Couldn't Dance (2004) 10m. 5. Lovelock (1992)…
Shortland Street: 15 Years Of (TV Series) (1992-2007): New Zealand's most successful primetime drama – a regular weeknight fixture for homes nationwide, and a port–of–call for almost every…
Simple 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.
Sinking of the Rainbow Warrior, The (1992): Dir. Michael Tuchner
Feat. Sam Neill, Jon Voight, Tony Barry…; Telemovie enactment of the French–sponsored bombing of the Greenpeace vessel ' Rainbow Warrior' in 1984. Solidly dramatised with Neill and…
Stan and George's New Life (1992): Dir. Brian McKenzie
Feat. Paul Chubb; Life begins at 40 forty for under–achiever Stan who finally cuts the apron strings, gets a new job and finds a soul mate. A poignant story of…
Station, The (1992): Dir. Sergio Rubini
Feat. Sergio Rubini, Margherita Buy, Ennio Fantastichini; Beguiling film about a disillusioned society woman who becomes drawn to a humble station–master while waiting for the first available train.
Stolen Children, The (1992): Dir. Gianni Amelio
Feat. Enrico Lo Verso, Valentina Scalici, Giuseppe Ieracitano; Two kids are reluctantly escorted from Milan to Palermo after they are refused asylum at an orphanage. A warts–and–all, portrait of…
Story of Qiu Ju, The (1992): Dir. Zhang Yimou
Feat. Gong Li; Docu–drama about a peasant wife's determined fight for her justice after her husband is assaulted. An insight into modern China is glimpsed…
Strangers (1992): Dir. Daniel Vigne, Joan Tewkesbury, Wayne Wang
Feat. Linda Fiorentino, Joan Chen, Timothy Hutton; A compendium of three stories connected only by a theme of American tourists in Europe. Three seasoned directors add class.
Trial, The (1992): Dir. David Jones
Feat. Kyle MacLachlan, Anthony Hopkins, Jason Robards Jr.…; Update of Kafka's disturbing, influential novel posits Kyle MacLachlan as the man mysteriously arrested and subjected to a totalitarian judiciary.…
Untamed Heart (1992): Dir. Tony Bill
Feat. Christian Slater, Marisa Tomei; A fairy–tale romance kindles between a perky waitress and a kitchen–hand with a special condition. Does wonders for Christian Slater's…
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.
Vacas (Cows) (1992): Dir. Julio Medem
Feat. Emma Suarez, Ana Torrent, Karra Elejalde…; Debut film of dir. Julio Medem follows in vivid, swift fashion the growing connections between two Basque families over the decades between the…
Warszawa (1992): Dir. Janusz Kijowski
Feat. Julie Delpy, Lambert Wilson, Hanna Schygulla; Tense and original drama has a young Jewish couple (Lambert and Delpy) escaping the Warsaw massacre in 1943, by hiding with an older woman…
Waterdance, The (1992): Dir. Neal Jimenez, Michael Steinberg
Feat. Eric Stoltz, Wesley Snipes; A wheel–chair bound Eric Stoltz shares a rehab unit with others whom he has nothing else in common. Based on writer Neal Jimenez's experience,…
Waterland (1992): Dir. Stephen Gyllenhaal
Feat. Jeremy Irons, Sinead Cusack, Lena Headey…; Jeremy Irons plays a history teacher in America who recounts his own suppressed coming of age to his cynical students. Adapted from Graham Swift's…
Where the Day Takes You (1992): Dir. Mark Rocco
Feat. Dermot Mulroney, Lara Flynn Boyle, Ricki Lake…; Dermot Mulroney, Lara Flynn Boyle, Ricky Lake, Will Smith, and others elucidate the harsh realities of life on the streets of L.A. Somewhat dominated…
Wind (1992): Dir. Carroll Ballard
Feat. Matthew Modine, Jennifer Grey, Cliff Robertson…; Matthew Modine and Jennifer Grey play a yachtie couple determined to win the America's cup from the Ozzies.
Wuthering Heights (1992): Dir. Peter Kominsky
Feat. Juliette Binoche, Ralph Fiennes; More ambitious than the 1939 version, this adaptation of Emily Bronte's novel was much–maligned upon release, chiefly due to Juliette Binoche's…
Zebrahead (1992): Dir. Anthony Drazan
Feat. Michael Rapaport, Kevin Corrigan; A white Jewish boy ignites long–simmering racial tension when he starts dating his best friend's black cousin. Gritty urban drama coasts along…
A Heart in Winter (Un Coeur en Hiver) (1991): Dir. Claude Sautet
Feat. Emmanuelle Beart, Andre Dussollier; Impeccable romantic tragedy examines a love triangle between a virtuoso violinist, her violin–making boyfriend and his emotionally crippled…
A Murder of Quality (1991): Dir. Gavin Millar
Feat. Denholm Elliott, Glenda Jackson, Joss Ackland…; Tele–movie based on the novel by John le Carré, who also served here as screenwriter, following the fictional character George Smiley…
Absolute 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…
Adjuster, The (1991): Dir. Atom Egoyan
Feat. Elias Koteas, Arsinee Khanjian, Maury Chaykin; Eliptical and seductive fifth feature from one of cinema's most original talents. Two 'adjusters' – an insurance assessor, and his wife, a film…
Amants Du Pont Neuf, Les (1991): Dir. Leos Carax
Feat. Juliette Binoche, Denis Lavant; Extravagant production breathes fire into this unusual epic love story of two young Paris street punks. Through the ebbs and the flows, Carax adjusts…
American Friends (1991): Dir. Tristram Powell
Feat. Michael Palin, Connie Booth, Trini Alvarado; Subdued yet engaging period drama with Ex–Monty Pythoner Michael Palin, but expect few laughs from him as a scrupulous Oxford tutor whose vow…
Arizona Dream (1991): Dir. Emir Kusturica
Feat. Johnny Depp, Faye Dunaway, Lili Taylor; A young Inuit dreamer is called to Arizona for his uncle's wedding, where he is bewitched by a neurotic mother–daughter team. An eccentric…
At Play in the Fields of the Lord (1991): Dir. Hector Babenco
Feat. Tom Berenger, John Lithgow, Daryl Hannah…; Tom Berenger, John Lithgow, Darryl Hannah, Aidan Quinn, Kathy Bates and Tom Waits endured the two–year location shoot of Peter Matthiessen's…
Babe, The (1991): Dir. Arthur Hiller
Feat. John Goodman; John Goodman portrays Babe Ruth, the outsized baseball legend who rose from the ashes of ridicule to become one of America's all–time sporting…
Ballad of the Sad Cafe (1991): Dir. Simon Callow
Feat. Vanessa Redgrave, Keith Carradine, Rod Steiger…; Backwoods America sets the peculiar scene for an uneasy romance between Vanessa Redgrave and Keith Carradine that evolves into a visceral…
Barton Fink (1991): Dir. Joel Coen
Feat. John Turturro, John Goodman, Judy Davis; The Coen Bros' striking if enigmatic account of a brilliant scribe hampered with writer's block and a strange hotel companion in mid 1940s Hollywood.…
Billy Bathgate (1991): Dir. Robert Benton
Feat. Dustin Hoffman, Nicole Kidman, Bruce Willis; Tempers flare as loyalties are betrayed in this solid gangland tale concerning the indoctrination of a teenager into the mob.
Black Robe (1991): Dir. Bruce Beresford
Feat. Lothaire Bluteau, Aden Young; A Jesuit priest attempts to convert Shamanist Indians in the Canadian wilderness of 1643. A heady mix of explicit savagery and incomparable beauty.
Boyz N the Hood (1991): Dir. John Singleton
Feat. Laurence Fishburne, Cuba Jr. Gooding, Ice-Cube; Sincere and authentic street gang fable focuses on a group of friends living in a black, working–class neighbourhood in South Central L.A. A…
Breaking 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.
Brides of Christ (TV Series) (1991): Dir. Ken Cameron
Feat. Brenda Fricker, Naomi Watts, Russell Crowe; Set in Catholic convent in 1960s Australia among a group of nuns and students, this series caused mild controversy on release, depicting the church…
Bridge, The (1991): Dir. Sydney MacCartney
Feat. Saskia Reeves, David O'Hara, Joss Ackland…; A moving–canvas period drama about a romantic liaison between a married mother (Saskia Reeves) and a impressionist painter. Over–familiar…
Bright Angel (1991): Dir. Michael Fields
Feat. Dermot Mulroney, Lili Taylor, Sam Shepard…; Sombre mid–western road movie avoids genre cliches and maintain its grip once it takes hold.
Brighter Summer Day, A (1991): Dir. Edward Yang
Feat. Chen Chang; Sublime ode to adolescence set in early 1960's Taiwan, Edward Yang's sprawling, novelistic narrative reflects the personal and political turmoil of…
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…
Bugsy (1991): Dir. Barry Levinson
Feat. Warren Beatty, Annette Bening; Glamourous portrait of infamous gangster 'Bugsy' Siegel, whose dream to build Las Vegas turned out to be his fatal flaw. Warren Beatty, Annette…
Centre Stage (Actress) (1991): Dir. Stanley Kwan
Feat. Maggie Cheung; Maggie Cheung won the Silver Bear in Berlin for her moving portrayal of Ruan Lingyu, a '30s Chinese matinee idol who committed suicide at age 25. A…
City of Hope (1991): Dir. John Sayles
Feat. Vincent Spano, Stephen Mendillo, Chris Cooper; 36 principals weave in and out of this sprawling, warts–and–all take on class, crime and corruption in working–class New York. The…
Clarissa (Mini-series) (1991): Dir. Robert Bierman
Feat. Sean Bean, Saskia Wickham, Shirley Henderson; Based on the colossal Samuel Richardson novel this series set in the 18th century reveals the trials of a young heiress in line for an arranged…
Closet Land (1991): Dir. Radha Bharadwaj
Feat. Madeleine Stowe, Alan Rickman; Madeleine Stowe and Alan Rickman comprise the entire cast of this dramatic exercise that consists solely of an alleged subversive children's author…
Comfort of Strangers, The (1991): Dir. Paul Schrader
Feat. Rupert Everett, Natasha Richardson, Christopher Walken…; Genuinely unsettling, if not ultimately coherent, tale of an English couple (Rupert Everett and Natasha Richardson) in Venice who become the…
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, 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,…
Conte De Printemps (A Tale of Springtime) (1991): Dir. Eric Rohmer
Feat. Anne Teyssedre, Hugues Quester, Florence Darel…; The first of the director's 'Tales of Four Seasons', as invigorating as its Springtime theme. Complex relationships are woven from the meeting of two…
Cool as Ice (1991): Dir. David Kellogg
Feat. Vanilla Ice, Kristin Minter, Naomi Campbell; This dubious remake of THE WILD ONE finds rap wash–up Vanilla Ice whooping it up in Brando's famous tough guy role.
Danzon (1991): Dir. Maria Novaro
Feat. Maria Rojo; Lovely film about a phone operator and mother in Mexico City enthralled by the popular Cuban dance, known as "danzon". When her regular dance partner…
Daughters of the Dust (1991): Dir. Julie Dash
Feat. Cora Lee Day, Alva Rogers; Turn–of–the–century tale of the Gullah, descendants of slaves living on islands near South Carolina who maintained their West…
Days of Being Wild (1991): Dir. Wong Kar-Wai
Feat. Leslie Cheung; An excellent example of the other side of Hong Kong movie–making. Set in 1960, Leslie Cheung plays a disillusioned, spoiled youth who…
December Bride (1991): Dir. Thaddeus O'Sullivan
Feat. Saskia Reeves; A rain–soaked melodrama set in '30s rural Ireland in which Saskia Reeves endures Catholic prejudice after giving birth out of wedlock. This is…
Doctor, The (1991): Dir. Randa Haines
Feat. William Hurt, Christine Lahti, Elizabeth Perkins…; Well–rounded drama starring William Hurt as a high–falutin surgeon who experiences the unsympathic health system after being diagnosed…
Dogfight (1991): Dir. Nancy Savoca
Feat. River Phoenix, Lili Taylor; Satisfying romantic comedy about a U.S. marine who surrenders his machismo for one night to have an unlikely and sensitive affair with an 'ugly…
Doors, The (1991): Dir. Oliver Stone
Feat. Val Kilmer, Kyle MacLachlan, Meg Ryan; Val Kilmer gives an extraordinary visual and aural imitation of Jim Morrison in this spell–binding biopic of America's most influential rock…
Double Life of Veronique (1991): Dir. Krzysztof Kieslowski
Feat. Irene Jacob; An incandescent meditation on the lives of two identical young women – one Polish, one French – both played by Irene Jacob (RED). A…
Dying Young (1991): Dir. Joel Schumacher
Feat. Julia Roberts, Campbell Scott, Vincent D'Onofrio…; Chuckle as stilettoed ignoramus Julia Roberts nurtures a rich and handsome cancer patient with whom she falls in lurve.
Edward II (1991): Dir. Derek Jarman
Feat. Tilda Swinton, Nigel Terry; Self–conscious updating of the Elizabethan play by Phillip Marlowe, imbued with a stagey panache by dir. Jarmen (a la WITTGENSTEIN),…
Eerie Indiana (TV Series) (1991-1992): Feat. Omri Katz, Justin Shenkarow; Short–lived, cult TWIN PEAKS–offshoot follows the arrival of a young boy to Eerie, Indiana, a town overrun with urban legends, a living…
End of the Golden Weather (1991): Dir. Ian Mune
Feat. Stephen Fulford, Stephen Papps, Paul Gittins; A delightful adaptation of Bruce Mason's one man play about a young boy's last summer holiday in 1930s New Zealand. Some glorious set pieces and a…
Europa, Europa (1991): Dir. Agnieszka Holland
Feat. Marco Hofschneider, Salomon Perel, Rene Hofschneider; A riveting account of the real–life ordeal experienced by German Jew Soloman Perel, who concealed his ethnicity for seven years when drafted…
For the Boys (1991): Dir. Mark Rydell
Feat. Bette Midler, James Caan; Bette Midler portrays the ebullient Dixie Leonard, a brassy cabaret–style performer who helped raise the spirits of American troups through…
Fried Green Tomatoes (Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe) (1991): Dir. Jon Avnet
Feat. Kathy Bates, Jessica Tandy, Mary-Louise Parker…; Kathy Bates strikes up a friendship with Jessica Tandy who waxes nostalgic about a pair of Southern belles who triumphed over adversity in the '30s.…
G.B.H (TV Mini-series) (1991): Feat. Robert Lindsay, Michael Palin, Dearbhla Molloy…; Dynamite Channel 4 mini–series from the pointed pen of tele–writer Alan Bleasdale plays out the battle of wits between a mad Labour Party…
Gas, Food, Lodging (1991): Dir. Allison Anders
Feat. Brooke Adams, Ione Skye, Fairuza Balk; Delectable romantic tale of life in a truck–stop town for mom and two teenage daughters adds up to much more than the sum of its incidental…
Grand Canyon (1991): Dir. Lawrence Kasdan
Feat. Kevin Kline, Steve Martin; Kevin Kline and Steve Martin lead an ensemble for this sobering look at the extremes of life in contemporary L.A. Poignant, dynamic film indicts the…
Guilty by Suspicion (1991): Dir. Irwin Winkler
Feat. Robert De Niro; Robert De Niro portrays a film–maker victimised by the communist witch–hunts of the '50s. A powerful examination of the dilemma faced by…
Hear My Song (1991): 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 –…
Herman (1991): Dir. Erik Gustavson
Feat. Anders Danielsen Lie, Elisabeth Sand, Bjorn Floberg; A gentle, wry tale of a boy who finds his hair is falling out at the ripe old age of 11 but, instead of wallowing in puberty blues, chooses to turn…
Hours and Times, The (1991): Dir. Chris Munch
Feat. David Angus, Ian Hart; Intriguing gem posits what might have gone on between John Lennon and his gay manager, Brian Epstein, a weekend in Barcelona, just before The Beatles…
Indecent Woman, The (1991): Dir. Ben Verbong
Feat. Jose Way, Coen Van Vrijberghe de Coningh, Huub Stapel; A married violinist is drawn into a no–holds–barred relationship with a mystery man. A decent erotic parable that perceptively explores…
Indian Runner, The (1991): Dir. Sean Penn
Feat. David Morse, Viggo Mortensen, Dennis Hopper…; Sean Penn's interesting directing debut is a sly throwback to '70s road movies, even using a Springsteen ditty as the basis for its plot.
Inner Circle, The (1991): Dir. Andrei Konchalovsky
Feat. Tom Hulce, Bob Hoskins, Lolita Davidovich; A naive Muscovite (Tom Hulce) is initiated into a world of privilege as Stalin's projectionist. True–life saga of Soviet life under iron rule…
Jacquot De Nantes (1991): Dir. Agnes Varda
Feat. Philippe Maron, Edouard Joubeaud, Laurent Monnier; Beautifully–crafted, affectionate tribute to the director's late husband, the film–maker Jacques Demy (UMBRELLAS OF CHERBOURG, LOLA).…
JFK (1991): Dir. Oliver Stone
Feat. Kevin Costner, Gary Oldman, Sissy Spacek…; Oliver Stone's gripping, technically dazzling opus is both convincing propaganda and marvellous entertainment, with Kevin Costner leading a large and…
Journey of Hope (1991): Dir. Xavier Koller
Feat. Necmettin Cobanoglu, Emin Sivas, Yaman Okay; Powerful but heart–breaking drama about an exiled Turkish family who trek through the Swiss alps in a desperate bid for a new homeland. Upset…
Jungle 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…
Kafka (1991): Dir. Steven Soderbergh
Feat. Jeremy Irons, Ian Holm, Theresa Russell…; This unsuspecting follow–up film for the director of the independent smash hit, SEX, LIES AND VIDEOTAPE went largely unreleased, though it has…
La Belle Noiseuse (1991): Dir. Jacques Rivette
Feat. Michel Piccoli, Emmanuelle Beart; Rivette's four–hour portrait of an artist as an old man explores the process and politics of a retired artist painting a nude model. Subtle,…
Last Butterfly, The (1991): Dir. Karel Kachyna
Feat. Tom Courtenay, Brigitte Fossey, Freddie Jones; Another worthy drama based on facts surrounding Nazi death camps, stage mime Tom Courtenay is compelled by the Gestapo to put on a performance for…
Let Him Have It (1991): Dir. Peter Medak
Feat. Christopher Eccleston, Tom Courtenay, Eileen Atkins; Riveting re–creation of events pre–empting the tragic 1952 hanging of a simple teenager, whose only crime was to ambiguously utter “Let…
Life On a String (1991): Dir. Chen Kaige
Feat. Zhongyuan Liu, Lei Huang, Qing Xu; A richly poetic chronicle of a blind man who devotes himself to music. Like the director's subsequent FAREWELL MY CONCUBINE, some messages may be…
Little Man Tate (1991): Dir. Jodie Foster
Feat. Jodie Foster, Dianne Wiest; A super–intelligent child is the central figure of a tug–of–war between mother Jodie Foster and child psychologist Dianne Wiest.…
London Kills Me (1991): Dir. Hanif Kureishi
Feat. Justin Chadwick, Stephen Mackintosh, Emer McCourt; MY BEAUTIFUL LAUNDRETTE writer Kureishi directs a young ensemble for his glossy depiction of drug–dealing squatters in London's Notting Hill.…
Long Walk Home, The (1991): Dir. Richard Pearce
Feat. Sissy Spacek, Whoopi Goldberg; Set in 1955 Alabama during the civil rights bus boycott, this portrays the impact of change on two families, with Sissy Spacek as an uppercrust…
Madame Bovary (1991): Dir. Claude Chabrol
Feat. Isabelle Huppert, Jean-Francois Balmer, Christophe Malavoy…; Chabrol remains faithful to the text of this oft–filmed classic of French literature, with Isabelle Huppert bringing a glacial refinement to…
Mambo Kings, The (1991): Dir. Arne Glimcher
Feat. Armand Assante, Antonio Banderas; Armand Assante and Antonio Banderas play sibling Mambo freaks who spin out of the fast lane en route to the American Dream. The dance sequences are…
Man in the Moon, The (1991): Dir. Robert Mulligan
Feat. Sam Waterston, Tess Harper, Gail Strickland…; A bittersweet tale of sexual awakening set in 1950s Louisiana. A 14–year–old girl struggles to draw the amorous attentions of her dream…
Married (1991): Dir. Gaylene Preston
Feat. Jed Brophy, Tracey Moore; Jed Brophy and Tracey Moore play newlyweds coping with sex roles and a communication breakdown one day in mythical NZ suburbia. Preston directs a…
Medicine Man (1991): Dir. John McTiernan
Feat. Sean Connery, Lorraine Bracco; Sean Connery plays a crotchety mad scientist whose tinkerings in the Amazon rainforest result in a cure for cancer – but then he just as soon…
Mediterraneo (1991): Dir. Gabriele Salvatores
Feat. Claudio Bigagli, Diego Abatanthono, Giuseppe Cederna; Oscar–winning tale of eight Italian soldiers who find themselves stranded on a remote Greek isle during WW2. An affecting and surprising…
Meeting Venus (1991): Dir. Istvan Szabo
Feat. Glenn Close, Niels Arestrup; Glenn Close plays a Swedish diva (miming to our Dame Kiri) entangled in personal and political problems whilst leading in Wagner's Tannhauser.
Merci La Vie (1991): Dir. Bertrand Blier
Feat. Charlotte Gainsbourg, Anouk Grinberg; Two young girls bond on a magical, mysterious tour played out against shifts in time, from the present to Occupied France. The audacious mix of ideas…
Mortal Thoughts (1991): Dir. Alan Rudolph
Feat. Demi Moore, Glenne Headly, Bruce Willis…; Less idiosyncratic than cult director Alan Rudolph's 1980's output, this earnest dramatic thriller stars Demi Moore (hot off the smash hit, GHOST) as…
My Own Private Idaho (1991): Dir. Gus Van Sant
Feat. Keanu Reeves, River Phoenix, James Russo…; Melancholic tale imbued with the director's stylistic flair stars Keanu Reeves and River Phoenix as a pair of young hustlers with opposing personal…
Night On Earth (1991): 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…
Nirvana Street Murder (1991): Dir. Aleksi Vellis
Feat. Mark Little, Ben Mendelsohn; Raw, inventive street story that juggles cultural conflict with matters of the heart as two disparate brothers find themselves in a scrape with Greek…
Not Without My Daughter (1991): Dir. Brian Gilbert
Feat. Sally Field, Alfred Molina; Sally Field stars in this gripping true story of a woman who accompanied her Iranian–born husband to his homeland, and became his permanent…
Object 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,…
Old Man And the Sea, The (1991): Dir. Jud Taylor
Feat. Anthony Quinn, Patricia Clarkson, Joe Santos…; Based on Ernest Hemingway's great allegorical novel, Anthony Quinn is perfectly cast as Santiago, the aging fisherman who engages in an epic battle…
Olivier Olivier (1991): Dir. Agnieszka Holland
Feat. Francois Cluzet, Brigitte Rouan, Gregoire Colin; After disappearing from his country home six years earlier, a boy's mysterious return brings with it a mix of salvation and suspicion to his…
On My Own (1991): Dir. Antonio Tibaldi
Feat. Judy Davis; Coming–of–age tale draws a devastating performance from Judy Davis as the imbalanced mother of a fifteen–year–old boarding…
Once Around (1991): Dir. Lasse Hallstrom
Feat. Richard Dreyfuss, Holly Hunter, Gena Rowlands…; Richard Dreyfuss plays an abrasive, rich braggart who enters into an emotional tug–of–war with the family of fiancee Holly Hunter.
One Against the Wind (1991): Dir. Larry Elikann
Feat. Judy Davis, Sam Neill, Anthony Higgins…; Judy Davis gives a typically gutsy performance in this drama set during the Nazi occupation of France and based on the true story of a British Red…
Only Yesterday (1991): Dir. Isao Takahata; Studio Ghibli's most 'adult' offering is a moving, poignantly drawn rumination on childhood and regret, told through the eyes of a disenchanted…
Our Sons (1991): Dir. John Erman
Feat. Julie Andrews, Ann-Margret; Middle–aged Julie Andrews and Ann–Margret discover their estranged gay sons have only weeks to live. In other words they have AIDS,…
Over the Hill (1991): Dir. George Miller
Feat. Olympia Dukakis; Not getting any younger, inpedendent widow Olympia Dukakis travels to Australia and has the time of her life in the outback. Will win the hearts of…
Paris Trout (1991): Dir. Stephen Gyllenhaal
Feat. Dennis Hopper, Barbara Hershey; In 1949, crazed hick Dennis Hopper manifests his full–blooded rascism when he murders the young sister of a negro who has renegged on his car…
Poison (1991): Dir. Todd Haynes
Feat. Edith Meeks, Millie White, Buck Smith…; Personal, arty dissertation about AIDS, alienation and childhood rebellion cross–cutting three disparate stories – a mock–tabloid…
Prime Suspect (TV Series) (1991-2003): Dir. Christopher Menaul
Feat. Helen Mirren, Tom Bell, Tom Wilkinson…; Helen Mirren stars as DCI Tennison in seven award–winning (Emmy and BAFTA) mini–series from the pen of Lynda La Plante.
Prince of Tides, The (1991): Dir. Barbra Streisand
Feat. Barbra Streisand, Nick Nolte; Babs directs herself in self–adoring but skillful fashion as the genteel psychiatrist of Pat Conroy's classy novel. Nick Nolte plays her…
Prisoner of Honour (1991): Dir. Ken Russell
Feat. Richard Dreyfuss, Oliver Reed, Peter Firth…; Fact–based story of a military official Alfred Dreyfuss who was wrongly convicted of espionage in the French army c1900. Richard Dreyfuss (no…
Proof (1991): Dir. Jocelyn Moorhouse
Feat. Hugo Weaving, Russell Crowe, Genevieve Picot; Near–perfect little drama makes the most of its intriguing premise; a blind photographer interprets the world by having his photographs…
Prospero's Books (1991): Dir. Peter Greenaway
Feat. John Gielgud; A radically stylised take on Shakespeare's The Tempest, with John Gielgud in the title role upstaged by the graphic opulence on display. Like a good…
Quarrel, The (1991): Dir. Eli Cohen
Feat. Saul Rubinek, R.H. Thompson; In 1948, two estranged friends of the Jewish faith overcome their differences through honest discussion on how the Holocaust has impacted on their…
Queens Logic (1991): Dir. Steve Rash
Feat. Joe Mantegna, Kevin Bacon, John Malkovich; Joe Mantegna, Kevin Bacon, John Malkovich and others gather for a friend's wedding, but are each encumbered with personal crises. Strong ensemble…
Raise the Red Lantern (1991): Dir. Zhang Yimou
Feat. Gong Li; Gong Li is unforgettable as an educated woman who bitterly serves as the fourth arranged wife of a feudal nobleman. A magnificent tragedy, enriched…
Rambling Rose (1991): Dir. Martha Coolidge
Feat. Laura Dern, Robert Duvall, Diane Ladd; Laura Dern plays the title nymphet, a free–spirited nanny whose promiscuous ways elicit more than a few raised eyebrows in '30s Georgia.
Rapture, The (1991): Dir. Michael Tolkin
Feat. Mimi Rogers; Mimi Rogers, in a tour–de–force performance, trades in her lurid sex romps for spiritual ecstasy. Her rocky road from sin to redemption…
Regarding Henry (1991): Dir. Mike Nichols
Feat. Harrison Ford, Annette Bening; The tables turn for ruthless lawyer Harrison Ford when his mentality is reverted to that of a 10–year–old – the result of a shotgun…
Rhapsody in August (1991): Dir. Akira Kurosawa
Feat. Sachiko Murase, Richard Gere; A Japanese grandmother shares painful memories of Nagasaki with her four grandchildren who travel to meet extended kin–folk in Hawaii. Dir.…
Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead (1991): 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…
Sarah, Plain and Tall (Winter's End; Skylark) (1991-1999): Dir. Glenn Jordan
Feat. Glenn Close, Christopher Walken; A beloved made–for–TV adaptation of Patricia MacLachlan's famous children's novel. A widowed farmer places an ad for a wife, with a…
Scene at the Sea, A (1991): Dir. Takeshi Kitano
Feat. Kuroudo Maki, Hiroko Oshima, Sabu Kawahara…; One from dir. Kitano’s (HANA–BI) quieter side, this fable of deaf–mute garbageman’s obsession with surfing is deceptively minimal,…
Shadows and Fog (1991): Dir. Woody Allen
Feat. Woody Allen, John Malkovich, Kathy Bates…; Woody, John Malkovich, Kathy Bates, John Cusack, Jodie Foster and Madonna cast their prominent shadows for his droll tale of mystery stranglers,…
Shining Through (1991): Dir. David Seltzer
Feat. Melanie Griffith, Michael Douglas; In wartime New York, Melanie Griffith's fascination with war movies lands her a job as a spy in Germany. Her boss/love interest is Michael Douglas.
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…
Spotswood (1991): Dir. Mark Joffe
Feat. Anthony Hopkins, Ben Mendelsohn, Bruno Lawrence…; Anthony Hopkins plays an efficiency expert hired to overhaul a cottage moccasin factory, and finds himself endeared to the staff, in this affable…
Stranger, The (1991): Dir. Satyajit Ray
Feat. Deepankar Dey, Mamata Shankar; An absorbing domestic parable from revered film–maker Satyajit Ray, whose last film here explores familial bonds when a long–lost…
Surviving 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…
Swoon (1991): Dir. Tom Kalin
Feat. Daniel Schlachet, Craig Chester; A stylised interpretation of the famous Loeb–Leopold murder case of 1924. The fateful gay lovers entwined their clandestine sex life with that…
Talent for the Game (1991): Dir. Robert M. Young
Feat. Edward James Olmos, Lorraine Bracco, Jamey Sheridan; Low–key, character–driven sports drama starring Edward James Olmos as a baseball scout who finds professional hope in discovering a…
Te Rua (1991): Dir. Barry Barclay; Dir. Barry Barclay's second feature film concerns a group of Maori who travel to Germany to reclaim sacred 'taonga' from a museum, a century after…
Together Alone (1991): Dir. P.J. Castellaneta
Feat. Terry Curry, Todd Stites; Two disparate gay men share their thoughts 'the morning after' on everything from gay issues and abortion to poetry, dreams and betrayals. This…
Toto the Hero (1991): Dir. Jaco Van Dormael
Feat. Michel Bouquet; Fascinating tragicomedy about an old man who bitterly reflects on his life and the privileged life he feels was stolen from him. Intricate and fresh…
Tous Les Matins Du Monde (All the Mornings of the World) (1991): Dir. Alain Corneau
Feat. Jean-Pierre Marielle, Gerard Depardieu, Anne Brochet…; Gerard Depardieu duets with real–life son Guillaume in this romantic tale of love, betrayal and classical music in the 17th Century. Exquisite…
Twin Peaks - Season 2 (TV Series) (1991): Dir. David Lynch, Various
Feat. Kyle MacLachlan, Michael Ontkean, Madchen Amick…; Second and final season of the cult nineties serial, with Kyle MacLachlan as an eccentric, mystical FBI agent arriving in a small Pacific Northwest…
Until the End of the World (1991): Dir. Wim Wenders
Feat. William Hurt, Solveig Dommartin, Sam Neill; Wim Wenders dream project, shot in nine countries, concerns global ambling at the end of the millenium before developing its best idea about…
Van Gogh (1991): Dir. Maurice Pialat
Feat. Jacques Dutronc; The ultra–naturalistic style of Maurice Pialat may not seem the best choice for a costume drama about probably the most–often filmed…
Voyager (1991): Dir. Volker Schlondorff
Feat. Sam Shepard, Julie Delpy; Based on an existentialist novel of the 1950s, Sam Shepard plays a lone, melancholy man of science who uneasily submits to the random hand of fate…
Where Angels Fear to Tread (1991): Dir. Charles Sturridge
Feat. Judy Davis, Helena Bonham Carter, Rupert Graves…; An untimely death in the family spurs Judy Davis, Helena Bonham–Carter and Rupert Graves to squabble it out in…
Whore (1991): Dir. Ken Russell
Feat. Theresa Russell; Theresa Russell in a likeably loathsome dead–pan performance in this portrait of a prostitute as blunt as its title. Ken did it better with…
Wildflower (1991): Dir. Diane Keaton
Feat. Beau Bridges, Patricia Arquette, William McNamara…; Delicate tale of a teenage pair who restore dignity to an epileptic girl they discover caged by her abusive father.
Woman's Tale, A (1991): Dir. Paul Cox
Feat. Sheila Florance; An unexpected pleasure about old age starring and written for the late, great Sheila Florance who had only weeks to live when the film was shot. A…
Woman, 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…
Young Soul Rebels (1991): Dir. Isaac Julian
Feat. Frances Barber, Shyro Chung; A melange of black, white, gay, straight, soul and punk cultures as it might have been in London in the late 1970s. Popularly dubbed as the black MY…
Across the Tracks (1990): Dir. Sandy Tung
Feat. Brad Pitt, Rick Schroder, Carrie Snodgrass; Two brothers, one recently released from reform school, the other an all–star runner, must learn to deal with each other again when they…
Ages of Lulu, The (1990): Dir. Bigas Luna
Feat. Francesca Neri, María Barranco, Javier Bardem…; Spanish erotic drama depicting the sexual explorations of a young woman as she descends into the dangerous and kinky underworld of Madrid –…
An Angel at My Table (1990): Dir. Jane Campion
Feat. Kerry Fox; Multi–award winning adaptation of Janet Frame's three autobiographies, deserving of its big reputation through compassionate storytelling and…
Antonia 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…
Avalon (1990): Dir. Barry Levinson
Feat. Armin Mueller-Stahl, Aidan Quinn; The director's semi–autobiography is a gorgeously lensed account of a Polish immigrant family facing the trials and tribulations of growing up…
Awakenings (1990): Dir. Penny Marshall
Feat. Robert De Niro; A maverick doctor experiments with a new drug on a group of catatonic patients, with mixed results. De Niro steals the show with a performance of…
Betsy's Wedding (1990): Dir. Alan Alda
Feat. Molly Ringwald, Alan Alda, Catherine O'Hara…; Ringwald is the free spirited bride–to–be, stressed with a double dose of forthright parental guidance. Alda writes/directs/stars.
Beverly Hills 90210 (TV Series) (1990-2000): Dir. Tim Hunter
Feat. Shannen Doherty, Jason Priestley, Tori Spelling…; In its day, compulsory viewing for teenagers, as the Beverly Hills High gang of new–faces (Shannen Doherty, Jason Priestley), rich–kids…
Big Man, The (1990): Dir. David Leland
Feat. Liam Neeson, Billy Connolly, Joanne Whalley; An intense morality tale set in the heart of Scotland, ill–fortuned family man Liam Neeson risks life and limb to compete in a…
Bonfire of the Vanities (1990): Dir. Brian De Palma
Feat. Tom Hanks, Bruce Willis, Melanie Griffith…; Hanks, Willis and Griffith stumble through Tom Wolfe's novel about a hot–shot stockbroker who is scandalised through misdemeanor. A famous…
C'est La Vie (1990): Dir. Diane Kurys
Feat. Nathalie Baye, Richard Berry; Another twee autobiographical snapshot, set at a French holiday resort in a late–'50s summer. A teenager's coming of age is marked by the…
Chattahoochee (1990): Dir. Mick Jackson
Feat. Gary Oldman, Dennis Hopper, Frances McDormand; Gary Oldman plays a Korean war veteran admitted to an asylum where he discovers gross malpractise and corruption.
Chicago Joe and the Showgirl (1990): Dir. Bernard Rose
Feat. Kiefer Sutherland, Emily Lloyd, Keith Allen…; Ambitious, but flawed account of an American soldier AWOL in London whose impersonation of a low–life gangster soon turns deadly.
Cinema Paradiso (1990): Dir. Giuseppe Tornatore
Feat. Antonella Attili, Enzo Cannavale, Isa Danieli…; Enchanting, achingly sweet film in which young Toto falls into a lifelong adoration of movies at the village theatre and its grumpy old…
Class Action (1990): Dir. Michael Apted
Feat. Gene Hackman, Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio; A lawyer becomes forced to prosecute a case in which his estranged daughter will act for the defence. Courtroom ethics are violated in style by Gene…
Close My Eyes (1990): Dir. Stephen Poliakoff
Feat. Saskia Reeves, Clive Owen, Alan Rickman; This admirably probes the notion of a love affair between a long–separated brother and sister. Saskia Reeves and Clive Owen entwine in the…
Close to Eden (Urga) (1990): Dir. Nikita Mikhalkov
Feat. Badema , Bayaertu , Vladimir Gostyukhin; The vanishing ancient culture of Mongolia is offered spellbinding yet humourous insight through a herdsman's family whose simple life is threatened…
Close-Up (1990): Dir. Abbas Kiarostami
Feat. Hossain Sabzian, Mohsen Makhmalbaf; A uniquely–devised work intermingling life and art, documentary and fiction, born of a real life incident in which an unemployed film buff is…
Come See the Paradise (1990): Dir. Alan Parker
Feat. Dennis Quaid; An epic romance about a hot–headed unionist whose love affair with a Japanese American is torn apart when the state interns 100,000 Japanese…
Company of Strangers (Strangers in Good Company) (1990): Dir. Cynthia Scott
Feat. Alice Diabo, Constance Garneau, Winifred Holden; A special film created from a script that was inspired by the real lives of the seven elderly women who play the roles. Relationships are forged and…
Crossing, The (1990): Dir. George Ogilvie
Feat. Russell Crowe, Danielle Spencer; A fresh–faced Russell Crowe plays an art student in the sixites who up–and–leaves for the Big City, much to the dismay of his then…
Cyrano De Bergerac (1990): Dir. Jean-Paul Rappeneau
Feat. Gerard Depardieu, Anne Brochet, Vincent Perez…; Rostand's classic play filmed in its native tongue, with the man born to play the poet with the outsized hooter, Gerard Depardieu. Little expense has…
Dances with Wolves (1990): Dir. Kevin Costner
Feat. Kevin Costner; Kevin Costner's finest few hours. He plays an estranged cavalry officer who befriends and learns the survivalist culture of the native Sioux. Winner…
Dancin' 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…
Days of Thunder (1990): Dir. Tony Scott
Feat. Tom Cruise, Nicole Kidman, Paul Newman; TOP GUN on wheels with Tom Cruise as a star rookie race–driver whose attention behind the wheel veers to Dr. Nicole Kidman's behind.
Father (1990): Dir. John Power
Feat. Max von Sydow, Julia Blake, Carol Drinkwater…; Compelling drama has a daughter reeling from the revelation that her gentle father may have been a Nazi. Somewhat subtler than THE MUSIC BOX.
Field, The (1990): Dir. Jim Sheridan
Feat. Richard Harris, John Hurt, Sean Bean; Another sombre gem from the MY LEFT FOOT team. Richard Harris plays an aging Irish land–lubber whose life–long devotion to cultivating…
Fools of Fortune (1990): Dir. Pat O'Connor
Feat. Julie Christie, Iain Glen; Intimate family saga set against the Irish turbulence between the wars.
Garden, The (1990): Dir. Derek Jarman
Feat. Tilda Swinton, Johnny Mills; Derek Jarman's sincere personal affront with AIDS and the Christian church is represented through a non–narrative dreamscape with himself as…
Ghost (1990): Dir. Jerry Zucker
Feat. Demi Moore, Patrick Swayze, Whoopi Goldberg; Technically brilliant amalgam of fantasy, thriller, comedy and love story is entertainment Hollywood wish they could make more often.
Godfather Part 3, The (1990): Dir. Francis Ford Coppola
Feat. Al Pacino; The conclusion of the epic Corleone trilogy, with an aging Al Pacino looking to legitimise his business activities, and find a suitable successor.…
Golden Braid (1990): Dir. Paul Cox
Feat. Chris Haywood, Gosia Dobrowolska; Off–beat tale of a clock–maker who finds he can't commit to a relationship because he's in love with a girl from the past whose sole…
Good Evening, Mr. Wallenberg (1990): Dir. Kjell Grede
Feat. Stellan Skarsgard, Karoly Eperjes; Swedish WWII film starring Stellan Skarsgard as Raoul Wallenberg, a businessman who saved over 60000 Hungarian Jews by helping them to acquire…
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, The (Twilight of the Ice Nymphs, The Heart of the World, Archangel) (1990-2000): 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…
Hamlet (1990): Dir. Franco Zeffirelli
Feat. Mel Gibson, Glenn Close, Alan Bates…; Mel Gibson pulls off a creditable lead performance as the melancholy Dane, certainly aided by the director's eye for detail, and top supporting…
Hamlet (1990): Dir. Kevin Kline
Feat. Kevin Kline, Diane Venora; A traditional stage version of Shakespeare's classic, essentially filming Joseph Papp's 1990 New York Shakespeare Festival production. Kline is…
Handmaid's Tale, The (1990): Dir. Volker Schlondorff
Feat. Natasha Richardson, Robert Duvall, Faye Dunaway; Disturbing but thoroughly rewarding version of Margaret Atwood's novel set in a near future where 99% of women have become infertile. Privileged…
Havana (1990): Dir. Sydney Pollack
Feat. Robert Redford, Lena Olin; A gracefully ageing Robert Redford seeks his fortune on the verge of the Cuban revolution, while romantic entanglement with Lena Olin has political…
Henry and June (1990): Dir. Philip Kaufman
Feat. Maria de Medeiros, Fred Ward, Uma Thurman; From the diaries of French author Anais Nin, her steamy and stormy adventures with American writer Henry Miller and his wife are lensed to perfection.
Hidden Agenda (1990): Dir. Ken Loach
Feat. Brian Cox, Frances McDormand, Brad Dourif…; Perhaps dir. Loach’s most genre–based film, this political thriller about sectarian conflict in Northern Ireland in the early 1980s involves…
Horseplayer (1990): Dir. Kurt Voss
Feat. Brad Dourif, Sammi Davis, Max Perlich; Interesting item stars the incomparably strange Brad Dourif as a loner being manipulated by bored neighbours. Unfortunately for them, Brad turns out…
House of Cards, The (TV Series) (1990-1993): Dir. Paul Seed
Feat. Ian Richardson; A sardonic and blackly humourous look at British politics, with a reptilian Ian Richardson plotting and blackmailing his way into power in three…
Impromptu (1990): 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…
Incident, The / Incident In A Small Town (1990-1994): Dir. Delbert Mann, Joseph Sargent
Feat. Walter Matthau, Harry Morgan; Enjoyable made for television murder mystery set during the Second World War sees a characteristically gruff Matthau play Harmon Cobb, a small town…
Ju Dou (1990): Dir. Zhang Yimou
Feat. Gong Li; Immaculately composed fable about a village girl who conducts an illicit affair with the nephew of the bitter factory owner she has been forced to…
Julia Has Two Lovers (1990): Dir. Bashar Shbib
Feat. Daphna Kastner, David Duchovny; A simple wrong number turns into a marathon phone conversation and 'relationship' between a doubtful bride–to–be (Daphna Kastner) and a…
King's Whore, The (1990): Dir. Axel Corti
Feat. Timothy Dalton, Valeria Golino; Easy–on–the–eye historical drama has Italian King Timothy Dalton becoming obsessed by Valeria Golino, the off–limits object…
Kurosawa's Dreams (1990): Dir. Akira Kurosawa
Feat. Akira Terao, Mitsuko Baisho, Martin Scorsese; Opinions vary wildly over this sequence of eight re–enactments of Akira's very own dreams – stunning photography and subtle use of…
Lambada (1990): Dir. Joel Silberg
Feat. J. Eddie Peck, Melora Hardin, Adolfo Quinones; A "dance–ploitation" drama produced by the gloriously low–brow Cannon Films to cash in on the suggestive South American Lambada dance…
Life and Nothing But (1990): Dir. Bertrand Tavernier
Feat. Philippe Noiret, Sabine Azema; Philippe Noiret plays a Missing–in–Action chief officer whose obsession to account for the anonymous casualties of WW1 draws him to a…
Life Is Sweet (1990): 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…
Little Gangster, The (Le Petit Criminel) (1990): Dir. Jacques Doillon
Feat. Gerald Thomassin, Richard Anconina, Clotilde Courau; Jacques Doillon (PONETTE) combines his eye for youthful naturalism with technical and storytelling assurance in this neatly formed movie about a…
Longtime Companion (1990): Dir. Norman Rene
Feat. Campbell Scott, Patrick Cassidy, John Dossett; Spirit–lifting work chronicles a decade in the lives of a group of gay men and their freinds who become personally affected by AIDS.
Lord of the Flies (1990): Dir. Harry Hook
Feat. Balthazar Getty, Chris Furrh, James Badge Dale; Updated film version of William Golding's novel about stranded military school cadets whose instinct for survival reverts to barbarism.
Lorna Doone (1990): Dir. Andrew Grieve
Feat. Polly Walker, Clive Owen, Sean Bean…; British television film set in the West Country during the Monmouth Rebellion in 1685 (though actually filmed in Scotland). John Kidd seeks to avenge…
Mahabharata, The (1990): Dir. Peter Brook
Feat. Erika Alexander, Maurice Benichou, Amba Bihler; This 'great story of mankind' forms the basis of Indian religion and mythology. Some 15 times the length of the bible, stage maestro Peter Brook has…
Man and Two Women, A (1990): Dir. Valerie Stroh
Feat. Valerie Stroh, Lambert Wilson, Dianne Pierens; Inspired by the writings of Doris Lessing, three sensuous stories are thoughtfully realised from the imagination of an emotionally inhibited writer.
Martha and I (1990): Dir. Jiri Weiss
Feat. Michel Piccoli, Marianne Sagebrecht; A touching, humourous yarn from the director's childhood memoirs. He witnesses his eccentric uncle (Michel Piccoli) marry his under–educated…
Match 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…
Men Don't Leave (1990): Dir. Paul Brickman
Feat. Jessica Lange; Jessica Lange stars as the mother of two precocious sons, forced to adapt to a new environment after losing her husband and their rural home.
Miracle, The (1990): Dir. Neil Jordan
Feat. Beverly D'Angelo, Donal McCann, Lorraine Pilkington; Pre–CRYING GAME labour of love for Neil Jordan is a romantic Irish yarn about a teenager who unwittingly falls in love with his estranged…
Mister Johnson (1990): Dir. Bruce Beresford
Feat. Pierce Brosnan, Edward Woodward; Handsome drama set in '20s Africa about a native clerk who tries to ingratiate himself into the ruling white colonialist society.
Mo' Better Blues (1990): Dir. Spike Lee
Feat. Denzel Washington; This male flipside to Lee's SHE'S GOTTA HAVE IT sees talented musician caught between two women and his passion for jazz. A cinematic feast for the…
Mountains of the Moon (1990): Dir. Bob Rafelson
Feat. Patrick Bergin, Iain Glen, Richard E. Grant…; Ambitious saga details the quest of Sir Richard Burton to discover the source of the Nile river. Compelling personal story remains focused amid the…
Mr. and Mrs. Bridge (1990): Dir. James Ivory
Feat. Paul Newman, Joanne Woodward; A Merchant–Ivory production with real–life partners Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward as a straight–laced couple who devote their…
My Father's Glory (La Gloire de Mon Pere) (1990): Dir. Yves Robert
Feat. Philippe Caubere, Nathalie Roussel, Didier Pain; Archetypal French art movie adapted from the memoirs of author Marcel Pagnol (JEAN DE FLORETTE). Little Marcel takes to life in Provence where even…
My Mother's Castle (Le Chateau de Ma Mere) (1990): Dir. Yves Robert
Feat. Philippe Caubere, Nathalie Roussel, Didier Pain…; Sequel to MY FATHER'S GLORY continues life in Provence with the Pagnol family. The nostalgic vignettes unfold with each frame a scenic wonder to…
Night Sun (Il Sole Anche Di Notte) (1990): Dir. Paolo Taviani, Vittorio Taviani
Feat. Julian Sands, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Nastassja Kinski; After rejecting nobility, a soldier (Julian Sands) struggles to find fulfilment at a monastery. A thoughtful, near–mythical meditation based on…
Northern Exposure (TV Series) (1990): Feat. Rob Morrow; A softer, kinder version of TWIN PEAKS, unfolding among a moderately eccentric community in the State of Alaska, comprised of native Indians,…
Portrait of a Marriage (TV Mini-series) (1990): Dir. Stephen Whittaker
Feat. Janet McTeer, Cathryn Harrison, David Haig; TV mini–series detailing the real–life love affair between Vita Sackville–West and Violet Keppel, as well as the strength of Vita's…
Pump Up the Volume (1990): Dir. Allan Moyle
Feat. Christian Slater, Samantha Mathis, Annie Ross…; Christian Slater is Hard Harry, maverick pirate radio DJ by night, anonymous and shy student by day. His anarchic commentaries earn a loyal band of…
Queen of Hearts (1990): Dir. Jon Amiel
Feat. Vittorio Duse, Joseph Long, Anita Zagaria; Love, revenge and cappuccino permeate this exquisite story of an Italian family living in 1950s London. Fans of CINEMA PARADISO should indulge.
Quigley Down Under (1990): Dir. Simon Wincer
Feat. Tom Selleck, Laura San Giacomo, Alan Rickman; Sharpshooter Tom Selleck goes on the run in the Australian outback after being hired by a treacherous cattle baron and discovering his new job is to…
Return Home (1990): Dir. Ray Argall
Feat. Ben Mendelsohn, Dennis Coard; Male–healing drama finds bitterly divorced Noel (Dennis Coard) returning home in search of direction, finding solace in his brother Steve and…
Reversal of Fortune (1990): Dir. Barbet Schroeder
Feat. Jeremy Irons, Glenn Close, Ron Silver; In his best performance, Jeremy Irons won an Oscar for portraying Claus Von Bulow, a European émigré who was accused of trying to poison his wife…
Riff Raff (Riff-Raff) (1990): Dir. Ken Loach
Feat. Robert Carlyle, Emer McCourt, Richard Belgrave; A warts–and–all exploration of the barely–working class focusing on a group of nomadic Northerners who find work on a London…
Roselyne and the Lions (1990): Dir. Jean-Jacques Beineix
Feat. Isabelle Pasco, Gerard Sandoz, Gabriel Monnet; Another visual triumph from the director of DIVA, this is an absorbing account of a teen couple's yearning to tame and perform with lions. The…
Royal Hunt, The (1990): Dir. Vitaly Melnikov
Feat. Nikolai Yeryomenko Ml, Svetlana Kryuchkova, Anna Sumokhing; Erotic and exotic expose of Catherine the Great and the claimants to her throne in 17th Century Russia. Passion, scandal and lavish costumes come…
Russia House, The (1990): Dir. Fred Schepisi
Feat. Sean Connery, Michelle Pfeiffer; Sean Connery and Michelle Pfeiffer star in this cat–and–mouse drama involving Western intelligence's use of a publisher to liaise with an…
Seduction: The Cruel Woman (1990): Dir. Monika Treut, Elfi Mikesch
Feat. Udo Kier; The director of VIRGIN MACHINE takes her subversive sensibilities further with this outing exploring the activities of a domanatrix. Udo Kier takes…
Sharing the Secret (1990): Dir. Katt Shea
Feat. Mare Winningham, Alison Lohman, Tim Matheson…; Intelligent portrayal of a teenager's battle with bulimia and conflict with her psychologist mother, excellently acted by Lohman and Winningham.
Sheltering Sky, The (1990): Dir. Bernardo Bertolucci
Feat. John Malkovich, Debra Winger, Campbell Scott…; John Malkovich and Debra Winger play a troubled, upper–class American couple who discover 'themselves' while on trek through the North African…
Soldier's Tale, A (1990): Dir. Larry Parr
Feat. Gabriel Byrne; A tragic love story between a British soldier and a beautiful French woman who is accused of Nazi collaboration by the French resistance. Gabriel…
Stanley and Iris (1990): Dir. Martin Ritt
Feat. Jane Fonda, Robert De Niro, Swoosie Kurtz…; Adapted from the novel 'Union Street' by Pat Barker, and transposed to the USA, this concerns a grieving widow (Fonda) who teaches a…
Stella (1990): Dir. John Erman
Feat. Bette Midler, John Goodman, Trini Alvarado; Bette Midler takes a dramatic turn as Stella Dallas, a woman determined to sacrifice her own lifestyle for the sake of her daughter.
Story of Boys and Girls (1990): Dir. Pupi Avati
Feat. Felice Andreasi, Angiola Baggi, Davide Bechini; A piquant soap opera in which love, lust and class rivalry add to a twenty course meal shared by the thirty relatives of a newly engaged couple in…
Texasville (1990): Dir. Peter Bogdanovich
Feat. Jeff Bridges, Cybill Shepherd, Annie Potts…; The director reassembles the youthful cast from his THE LAST PICTURE SHOW to illustrate the effect that thirty years has had on a group of school…
Thelma and Louise (1990): Dir. Ridley Scott
Feat. Susan Sarandon, Geena Davis, Harvey Keitel…; Geena Davis and Susan Sarandon take action and escape their housebound repression in a T–Bird, but discover the road to freedom is littered…
Time of the Gypsies (1990): 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…
To Sleep With Anger (1990): Dir. Charles Burnett
Feat. Danny Glover, Mary Alice, Carl Lumbly…; Accomplished style–piece about African–American life in a Los Angeles suburb, where family calm is disturbed by the arrival of a…
Truly, Madly, Deeply (1990): Dir. Anthony Minghella
Feat. Juliet Stevenson, Alan Rickman, Bill Paterson; Charming story of a grief–stricken widow who discovers the ghost of old luvvy resurrected in her living room. Many have fallen truly, madly and…
Trust (1990): Dir. Hal Hartley
Feat. Adrienne Shelly, Martin Donovan, Edie Falco…; A blackly comic examination of suburban neuroses with Adrienne Shelly returning for the director as a college drop–out who befriends an equally…
Twin Peaks - Season 1 (TV Series) (1990): Dir. David Lynch, Various
Feat. Kyle MacLachlan, Michael Ontkean, Madchen Amick…; An eccentric, mystical FBI agent arrives in a small Pacific Northwest town to investigate the murder of a young high school girl. Iconic, influential…
Two Jakes, The (1990): Dir. Jack Nicholson
Feat. Jack Nicholson, Harvey Keitel; Long–awaited sequel to CHINATOWN, with Jack Nicholson reprising his role as the laconic P.I. whose petty burrowing upturns homicide and…
Vincent and Theo (1990): Dir. Robert Altman
Feat. Tim Roth; This biopic charts the relationship between the tortured artist and his patron brother, with sympathetic direction and Tim Roth's performance as…
Wait Until Spring, Bandini (1990): Dir. Dominique Deruddere
Feat. Joe Mantegna, Faye Dunaway; Beautifully made adaptation of Joe Fante's novel about the father of impoverished immigrants who falls for a rich widow.
Waiting (1990): Dir. Jackie McKimmie
Feat. Noni Hazlehurst, Deborra-Lee Furness; Wonderful comedy/drama sees friends come together to support a home–birth for a surrogate mother–to–be. The most is made of a witty…
White Hunter, Black Heart (1990): Dir. Clint Eastwood
Feat. Clint Eastwood; Clint Eastwood, in the character role of his career, portrays an eccentric, stubborn film–maker determined to bag an elephant before filming in…
White Palace (1990): Dir. Luis Mandoki
Feat. James Spader, Susan Sarandon; An uptight yuppie unwittingly falls in love with a 43–year–old hamburger waitress. James Spader and Susan Sarandon are perfectly…
Women and Men: Stories of Seduction (1990): Dir. Ken Russell, Tony Richardson, Frederic Raphael
Feat. James Woods, Melanie Griffith, Peter Weller…; Three stories of love from the pens of famous Americans, in the hands of three great directors.
Yaaba (1990): Dir. Idrissa Ouedraogo
Feat. Fatimata Sanga, Noufou Ouedraogo, Roukietou Barry; All–too–rare African film to emerge on Western shores is a simple delight about a friendship between a 12–year–old boy and an…
A Dry White Season (1989): Dir. Euzhan Palcy
Feat. Donald Sutherland, Susan Sarandon, Marlon Brando…; Enraged by the brutal, senseless murder of his black gardener’s son by a racist ‘special policeman’, a South African schoolteacher (Sutherland)…
A TV Dante (The Inferno Cantos I - VIII) (1989): Dir. Peter Greenaway
Feat. John Gielgud, Bob Peck, Joanne Whalley; Striking recitation by Gielgud and company of the first eight cantos. Greenaway superimposes some truly potent images over a series of talking heads.…
A 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…
Agatha Christie's Poirot (TV Series) (1989-2002): Feat. David Suchet; Solid TV adaptation of Agatha Christie's series of detective novels featuring the fussily eccentric Belgian detective Hercule Poirot as he goes about…
Always (1989): Dir. Steven Spielberg
Feat. Richard Dreyfuss, John Goodman, Holly Hunter; Heartwarming fantasy about a deceased pilot whose spirit returns to help his best friend pursue the same career and lady.
Around the World in 80 Days (TV Mini-series) (1989): Dir. Buzz Kulik
Feat. Pierce Brosnan, Eric Idle, Peter Ustinov…; Mostly delightful version of Jules Verne's light adventure yarn, in which Phileas Fogg (Brosnan) attempts the titular feat for a bet. More complete…
Belt, The (La Cintura) (1989): Dir. Giuliana Gamba
Feat. James Russo; American teacher James Russo embarks on an affair with a beautiful Italian woman in Rome, which gets interesting when she buys him a belt... to whip…
Beyond Gravity (1989): Dir. Garth Maxwell
Feat. Iain Rea, Robert Pollock; Gay romance blossoms for a astronomy–obsessed technician when he encounters a free–spirited Italian.
Black Rain (Kuroi Ame) (1989): Dir. Shohei Imamura
Feat. Yoshiko Tanaka, Katzuo Kitamura, Etsuko Ichihara; Alarming, mournful insider's view of post–nuclear devastation that focuses on a surviving family that have been contaminated by the fallout of…
Blaze (1989): Dir. Ron Shelton
Feat. Paul Newman, Lolita Davidovich, Richard Jenkins; Paul Newman plays flamboyant Southern governor Earl Long, who was scandalized over a love affair with an exotic dancer (Lolita Davidovich, in a…
Boys from the Blackstuff (TV Series) (1989): Dir. Philip Saville
Feat. Bernard Hill; Alan Bleasdale's series of plays vividly encapsulates the bleaker side of life in Thatcher's Liverpool. Beginning with the feature–length…
Christabel (1989): Dir. Adrian Shergold
Feat. Elizabeth Hurley, Stephen Dillane, Geoffrey Palmer; Set during the rise of Nazism, a German lawyer and his English wife plot against Hitler. Written by Dennis Potter.
Circus Boys (1989): Dir. Kaizo Hayashi
Feat. Hiroshi Mikami, Moe Kamura, Shu Ken; Sumptuous film blends illusion and reality in contrasting the paths of two brothers from a circus family, one an idealist who attempts to rejuvenate…
City of Sadness, A (Beiging Chengsi) (1989): Dir. Hou Hsiao-Hsien
Feat. Tony Leung (Chiu-wai), Hsin Shu-fen, Chen Sown-yung…; The first of the director’s trilogy of films about the modern history of Taiwan, here depicting the unstable post–WW2 period through the eyes…
Come In Spinner (TV Mini-series) (1989): Dir. Robert Marchand
Feat. Lisa Harrow, Rebecca Gibney, Gary Day; Something of an Australian TV classic, this revolves around three women working in a Sydney beauty salon during the closing years of WW2 and the…
Cook, The Thief, His Wife and Her Lover, The (1989): Dir. Peter Greenaway
Feat. Helen Mirren, Tim Roth, Michael Gambon; Greenaway combines the best elements of his previous work into one illustrious concoction of charcoal humour, explicit violence, awe–inspiring…
Crimes and Misdemeanors (1989): 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…
Dad (1989): Dir. Gary David Goldberg
Feat. Ted Danson, Jack Lemmon, Ethan Hawke…; Ted Danson returns home to find his father (Jack Lemmon) has physically and emotionally deteriorated.
Dead Poet's Society (1989): Dir. Peter Weir
Feat. Robin Williams, Robert Sean Leonard, Ethan Hawke…; Robin Williams is perfect as an a maverick English teacher at a private high–school for boys, where his passion for poetry profoundly…
Delinquents, The (1989): Dir. Chris Thomson
Feat. Kylie Minogue, Charlie Schlatter, Bruno Lawrence…; Minogue graduated from her TV soap–opera days with this attempt at a serious period drama, with her and Schlatter playing lovestruck teen…
Do the Right Thing (1989): 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.…
Driving Miss Daisy (1989): Dir. Bruce Beresford
Feat. Jessica Tandy, Morgan Freeman, Dan Aykroyd; Oscar–winning adaptation of Albert Uhry's stage play charting the 25–year relationship between a crotchety Southern woman and her black…
Drugstore Cowboy (1989): Dir. Gus Van Sant
Feat. Matt Dillon, Kelly Lynch, Heather Graham…; A stylised yet vivid journey into the lives of a group of sympathetic, drug–addicted youths in the early '70s. A high point in the career…
Eight Men Out (1989): Dir. John Sayles
Feat. John Cusack, Michael Rooker, Christopher Lloyd…; True story of the Chicago White Sox baseball team who conspired with gamblers to lose the World Series in 1919. Finely detailed topical drama with an…
Emma's Shadow (1989): Dir. Soeren Jacobsen
Feat. Line Kruse, Borje Ahlstedt, Erik Wedersoe; 12–year–old Emma, feeling that her affluent parents would care more for her if she were missing, fakes her own kidnapping, and discovers…
Enemies, A Love Story (1989): Dir. Paul Mazursky
Feat. Ron Silver, Anjelica Huston; Ron Silver and Anjelica Huston star in this sobering story of a Jewish immigrant in post–war New York who winds up married to three different…
Eversmile, 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…
Fabulous Baker Boys, The (1989): Dir. Steve Cloves
Feat. Michelle Pfeiffer, Jeff Bridges, Beau Bridges…; The fabulous Bridges brothers play two sibling cocktail musicians who employ sexy vocalist Michelle Pfeiffer to spice up their routine act.
Family 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…
Field of Dreams (1989): Dir. Phil Alden Robinson
Feat. Kevin Costner, James Earl Jones, Burt Lancaster…; Kevin Costner has his childhood fantasy fulfilled when he is asked by strange voices to build a baseball diamond in his corn–field.…
Firm, The (1989): Dir. Alan Clarke
Feat. Gary Oldman, Phillip Davis; Another of dir. Clarke’s essential forays into the vicious subcultures of Britain, here a ‘firm’ of football hooligans led by real estate agent…
Five Days in June (1989): Dir. Michel Legrand
Feat. Sabine Azema, Annie Girardot, Matthieu Roze; Yet another addition to the canon of dramas based on childhood memoirs. A renowned composer takes the helm to recall five days in his life on the…
Flying Fox in a Freedom Tree (1989): Dir. Martyn Sanderson
Feat. Richard Von Sturmer; A Western Samoan youth finds himself caught between traditionalism and the freedoms of Western culture. Albert Wendt's novel is given the…
Francesco (1989): Dir. Liliana Cavani
Feat. Mickey Rourke, Helena Bonham Carter; Mickey Rourke and Helena Bonham–Carter star in this lavish yet clunky Italian production of the story of Francis of Assisi, the 13th Century…
Great Balls of Fire (1989): Dir. Jim McBride
Feat. Dennis Quaid, Winona Ryder, Alec Baldwin…; Brash, but seriously–intentioned biopic of early rock'n'roll legend Jerry Lee Lewis, who was equally famous for marrying his 13–year old…
Henry IV (1989): Dir. Michael Bogdanov
Feat. Michael Cronin, Barry Stanton, Michael Pennington…; Michael Pennington and The English Shakespeare Company’s internationally acclaimed production of Henry IV tells of the aftermath of Henry…
Henry V (1989): Dir. Kenneth Branagh
Feat. Kenneth Branagh, Derek Jacobi, Brian Blessed…; A remarkable achievement from Kenneth Branagh both as actor and first–time director, he brings a new vitality to Shakespeare's most energetic…
Henry V (1989): Dir. Michael Bogdanov
Feat. Barry Stanton, Michael Pennington, Andrew Jarvis…; Michael Pennington and The English Shakespeare Company’s internationally acclaimed production of Henry V – England's greatest warrior king…
Henry VI (1989): Dir. Michael Bogdanov
Feat. Barry Stanton, Michael Pennington, June Watson…; Michael Pennington and The English Shakespeare Company’s internationally acclaimed production of Henry VI – the tragic history of a king who…
High Hopes (1989): Dir. Mike Leigh
Feat. Phillip Davis, Ruth Sheen; Mike Leigh's excruciating portrait of a dysfunctional yet typical working–class family surviving in Thatcher's England. The blistering social…
Hush-A-Bye-Baby (1989): Dir. Margo Harkin
Feat. Seamus Ball, Rosina Brown, Sean Carlin…; Excellent portrayal, using 'workshop' methods, of the tribulations of four teenage girls in Northern Ireland, as they negotiate the local facts of…
I Can No Longer Hear the Guitar / Emergency Kisses (1989-1991): Dir. Philippe Garrel
Feat. Philippe Garrel; Two French drama films by Philippe Garrel, both semi–autobiographical in nature: 'I Can No Longer Hear The Guitar' depicts youthful romance in…
Immediate Family (1989): Dir. Jonathan Kaplan
Feat. Glenn Close, James Woods, Mary Stuart Masterson…; Earnest drama with strong cast brings together a couple who desperately want a child and a teenage mother and her boyfriend who discover unexpected…
In Country (1989): Dir. Norman Jewison
Feat. Bruce Willis, Emily Lloyd, Joan Allen; Drama about a High School graduate from Kentucky who throws herself into a rigorous investigation of the life of her father, who died in the Vietnam…
In Fading Light (1989): Dir. Amber Film Collective
Feat. Joe Caffrey, Maureen Harold; Amber collective's admirable film focuses on the plight of a fishing town on the English north coast, in the face of Thatcherite corporate investment.
Iron and Silk (1989): Dir. Shirley Sun
Feat. To Funglin, Zhuong Genyuan; Autobiographical account of an American in China who learns the inherent cultural differences by way of a mysterious girl and a dedication to the…
Island (1989): Dir. Paul Cox
Feat. Irene Papas, Eva Sitta; Three disparate women cross paths on a remote Greek island where they come to terms with their past to reconsider their place in the world.
Jacknife (1989): Dir. David Jones
Feat. Robert De Niro, Ed Harris; Vietnam vet Robert De Niro looks up old army buddy, Ed Harris.
Jesus of Montreal (1989): Dir. Denys Arcand
Feat. Lothaire Bluteau, Catherine Wilkening; Brilliant parable of an actor (Lothaire Bluteau) whose life is profoundly changed after he plays the role of Jesus. Funny, disturbing and richly…
Jeweller's Shop, The (1989): Dir. Michael Anderson
Feat. Burt Lancaster, Olivia Hussey, Ben Cross; Charming, low–key adaptation of a play by Pope John Paul the Second. Burt Lancaster in his last film role plays a jeweller in 1930's Poland…
Karen Carpenter Story, The (1989): Dir. Joseph Sargent
Feat. Cynthia Gibb, Stephanie Griffin, Mitchell Anderson; Well–made account of the rise and fall of MOR pop phenomenon, The Carpenters, up until Karen's tragic death from Anorexia–Nervosa.
King Richard II (1989): Dir. Michael Bogdanov
Feat. Colin Farrell, Michael Pennington, Michael Cronin…; Michael Pennington and The English Shakespeare Company’s internationally acclaimed production of King Richard II – who became England's…
King Richard III (1989): Dir. Michael Bogdanov
Feat. Michael Pennington, Roger Booth, June Watson…; Michael Pennington and The English Shakespeare Company’s internationally acclaimed production of King Richard III. The final installment of the…
Kitchen Sink (1989): Dir. Alison Maclean
Feat. Theresa Healy, Peter Tait, Anagretta Christian; Three shorts from director Alison Maclean. Her 1989 award–winning Gothic horror is here paired with two earlier works, TALKBACK (1987), and the…
Kiwi 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…
Last Exit to Brooklyn (1989): Dir. Uli Edel
Feat. Jennifer Jason Leigh; A harrowingly realistic adaptation of a contentious novel about civil unrest during the New York dock workers strike in the 1950s. Jennifer Jason…
Lean On Me (1989): Dir. John G. Avildsen
Feat. Morgan Freeman, Robert Guillaume; Principal Morgan Freeman whips the pupils of a troubled high–school into shape in this formulaic but likeable example of the genre.
Lily Was Here (1989): Dir. Ben Verbong
Feat. Marion Van Thijn, Thom Hoffman, Coen Van Vrijberghe de Coningh; Well known for Eurythmics' Dave Stewart's seductive score, the film follows the desperate plight of a young woman forced to resort to prostitution…
Little Thief, The (1989): Dir. Claude Miller
Feat. Charlotte Gainsbourg, Didier Bezace; Penned by the late Francois Trauffant and completed by his protege, this engaging tale of mis–spent youth follows the adventures of a…
Look Back in Anger (1989): Dir. Judi Dench
Feat. Kenneth Branagh, Emma Thompson, Siobhan Redmond; TV production of John Osborne's influential play from the 50's, directed by Judi Dench. Kenneth Branagh plays the educated but disaffected "angry…
Master of the Marionettes, A (1989): Dir. Pedr James
Feat. Kenneth Cranham, Carol Drinkwater; Effective though modest BBC drama–thriller posits a 'Twilight Zone' scenario of a salesman suspected of stabbing a man he has rescued. As…
Matter of Degrees, A (1989): Dir. W.T. Morgan
Feat. Arye Gross, Sarah Bork; Student life on a Long Island university campus, centering around the imminent commercialisation of their beloved radio station. Well–made…
Metropolitan (1989): 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…
Milou En Mai (May Fools) (1989): Dir. Louis Malle
Feat. Michel Piccoli, Miou-Miou; In May of '68, a rural family gather for the reading of their matriarch's will, an event that will strangely affect their idyllic existence. Stephane…
Music Box (1989): Dir. Costa-Gavras
Feat. Jessica Lange, Armin Mueller-Stahl, Frederic Forrest…; Jessica Lange plays the attorney daughter of a Hungarian immigrant (Mueller–Stahl), now accused of WW2 war crimes. Her quest for the truth…
My Left Foot (1989): Dir. Jim Sheridan
Feat. Daniel Day-Lewis; Daniel Day Lewis won the Oscar for his incredible portrayal of Irishman Christy Brown who, in spite of his severe physical handicap became a…
My Name is Bill W. (1989): Dir. Daniel Petrie
Feat. James Woods, JoBeth Williams, James Garner; James Woods plays Bill Wilson, the famed co–founder of Alcoholics Anonymous, in this tele–movie charting his descent from 1920's business…
Mystery Train (1989): 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…
New York Stories (1989): Dir. Martin Scorsese, Francis Ford Coppola, Woody Allen
Feat. Woody Allen, Marvin Chatinover, Mae Questel…; Three unrelated tales from the collective genius of the Big Apple's most respected modern film–makers.
Nocturne Indien (1989): Dir. Alain Corneau
Feat. Jean-Hugues Anglade, Clémentine Célarié, Otto Tausig; Moody drama from dir. Corneau (TOUS LES MATINS DU MONDE) sees a young Frenchman travel to India to search for a missing friend, and get lost in…
On a Moonlit Night (Up to Date) (1989): Dir. Lina Wertmuller
Feat. Rutger Hauer, Nastassja Kinski, Peter O'Toole…; A reporter (Rutger Hauer) travels the world pretending to have AIDS so that he write a story. In English.
Open Doors (1989): Dir. Gianni Amelio
Feat. Gian Maria Volente, Ennio Fantastichini, Renato Carpentieri; A resonant political drama set in corrupt fascist Italy about a juror's attempt to save a political murderer from the gallows.
Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit (1989): Dir. Beeban Kidron
Feat. Geraldine McEwan, Kenneth Cranham, Charlotte Coleman; Landmark adaptation of Jeanette Winterson's novel about a young girl raised in the cult–like surrounds of a strict evangelist household in the…
Prancer (1989): Dir. John Hancock
Feat. Sam Elliott, Cloris Leachman, Abe Vigoda…; Warm–hearted festive tale of a young girl who after stumbling across a wounded reindeer and after nursing him back to health sets out to return…
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…
Rainbow, The (1989): Dir. Ken Russell
Feat. Sammi Davis, Amanda Donohoe; The director steers away from his usual excesses for D.H. Lawrence's portrait of a young woman's sexual and feminist liberation, set in Edwardian…
Rikyu (1989): Dir. Hiroshi Teshigahara
Feat. Rentaro Mikuni, Tsutomu Yamazaki; A unique dramatic meditation on the symbolic qualities of the Japanese tea ceremony, set around a Buddhist priest and the ruling Shogun of Japan in…
Romero (1989): Dir. John Duigan
Feat. Raul Julia, Richard Jordan; Provocative political drama details the story of Salvadorian Archbishop Oscar Romero, who was assassinated in 1980 by representatives of an…
Sandwich Years (Les années sandwiches) (1989): Dir. Emile Ghigo
Feat. Michel Aumont, Clovis Cornillac; In post–war France, a young Jewish boy befriends an elderly op–shop owner after his parents are arrested.
Scandal (1989): Dir. Michael Caton-Jones
Feat. John Hurt, Joanne Whalley, Bridget Fonda…; Polished dramatisation of events that led to the downfall of politician John Profumo, who engaged in an liaison with a controversial call–girl.
Secret Wedding (1989): Dir. Alejandro Agresti
Feat. Floria Bloise, Mirta Busnelli, Tito Haas; An amnesic returns to his home village after 15 years to try to reconstruct his life, but the townspeople shun him and the authorities get…
Seventh Continent, The (1989): Dir. Michael Haneke
Feat. Dieter Berner, Leni Tanzer, Birgit Doll; The disintegration of a seemingly content, middle–class family is at the center of this chilling domestic autopsy; a clinical and cynical…
Sex, Lies and Videotape (1989): Dir. Steven Soderbergh
Feat. James Spader, Peter Gallagher, Andie MacDowell…; Palm d'or winning exploration of modern sexuality concerns an enigmatic drifter who affects the dysfunctional lives of an old college pal, his wife…
Shadow Makers (Fat Man and Little Boy) (1989): Dir. Roland Joffe
Feat. Paul Newman, Dwight Schultz, Bonnie Bedelia…; An informative (if only really adequate) dramatisation of the Manhattan Project, which produced the A–Bomb in the New Mexico desert during WW2.…
She's Been Away (1989): 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…
Speaking Parts (1989): Dir. Atom Egoyan
Feat. Michael McManus, Arsinee Khanjian, Gabrielle Rose; Bizarre and striking work about a video–obssesed laundry worker's fixation on an aspiring actor who in turn has obsessions of his own. A slick…
Spirits of the Air (1989): Dir. Alex Proyas
Feat. Norman Boyd, Rhys Davis, Michael Lake; Visually intoxicating, very off–beat tale about three desert eccentrics who build a flying machine. The director went on to make THE CROW in…
Starlight Hotel (1989): Dir. Sam Pillsbury
Feat. Greer Robson, Bruce Phillips, Alison Fraser; A young runaway in search of her father and a reluctant fugitive become unlikely partners who manage to keep one step ahead of the police. Shot on…
Steel 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.
Summer's Lease (TV Mini-series) (1989): Feat. Susan Fleetwood, John Gielgud, Michael Pennington; BBC "masterpiece theatre" drama–mystery series set in Tuscany, based on the novel by John Mortimer (RUMPOLE OF THE BAILEY) and adapted by the…
Sweetie (1989): Dir. Jane Campion
Feat. Genevieve Lemon, Karen Colston, Tom Lycos; An unsettling account of a young woman's uncomfortable relationship with her boyfriend and disturbed sister who makes an unexpected visit. Askewed…
Tale of Two Cities, A (Mini-series) (1989): Dir. Philippe Monnier
Feat. James Wilby, John Mills, Jean-Pierre Aumont…; BBC TV adaptation of Charles Dickens' great, historical novel of the French Revolution, in the shadow of which two, very different men fall for the…
Testimony (1989): Dir. Tony Palmer
Feat. Ben Kingsley; The life, artistry and anguish of Russian composer Dmitri Shostakovich receives a vivid, stylistic treatment here, with Ben Kingsley in the central…
This Dance Is Ours (Waltzing Regitze) (1989): Dir. Kaspar Rostrup
Feat. Frits Helmuth, Mikael Helmuth, Ghita Norby; Longtime married couple reminisce the good times and bad when Regitze hosts a party for family and friends. Finely crafted family drama with inspired…
Traffik (1989): Dir. Alistair Reid
Feat. Bill Paterson; Complex mini–series set throughout the hierarchies of the international heroin trade. Filmed in locations such as Afghanistan, Pakistan and…
Triumph of the Spirit (1989): Dir. Robert M. Young
Feat. Willem Dafoe; Harrowing tale of a Greek–Jewish boxer (Willem Dafoe) who is deported to Auschwitz during WW2.
Unbelievable Truth, The (1989): Dir. Hal Hartley
Feat. Adrienne Shelly, Robert Burke, Chris Cooke…; The folk of a backward American town get a mite nervous when a mechanic returns after spending 15 years in prison for murdering his father and…
Unexplained Laughter (1989): Feat. Diana Rigg, Elaine Paige, Jon Finch; Diana Rigg plays a broken–hearted journalist who retreats to the country only to be haunted by ghostly laughter. Adapted from the Anna Haycraft…
Valmont (1989): Dir. Milos Forman
Feat. Colin Firth, Annette Bening, Meg Tilly…; Baroque Milos Forman variation on the classic tale of ‘Dangerous Liaisons’, with Annette Bening and Colin Firth tangling tonsils, and more, as…
Welcome Home (1989): Dir. Franklin J. Schaffner
Feat. Kris Kristofferson, JoBeth Williams, Sam Waterston…; Fairly tepid post–Vietnam War drama has Kris Kristofferson play a pilot shot down over Cambodia and was rescued by a Khmer Rouge woman, whom he…
When the Whales Came (1989): Dir. Clive Rees
Feat. Paul Scofield, Helen Mirren; Picturesque tale set on a British Isle in which old eccentric Paul Scofield and two young locals battle to save the whale that has beached upon their…
Why has Bodhi-Dharma Left for the East? (1989): Dir. Bae Yong-kyun; A mystical journey into the riddles and symbols of Zen Buddhism through various characters ensconced in a remote monastery. Loosely threaded by a…
Wired (1989): Dir. Larry Peerce
Feat. John Belushi; Stylised, controversial biopic of ailed cult funnyman John Belushi. Not sanctioned by the Belushi estate but the warts–and–all depiction…
Woman in Black, The (1989): Dir. Herbert Wise
Feat. Adrian Rawlins, Bernard Hepton, David Daker; Tastefully macabre ghost story from the makers of REILLY, ACE OF SPIES sees a young lawyer's rural visit turn macabre after his seemingly good deed…
Wonderland (the Fruit Machine) (1989): Dir. Philip Saville
Feat. Robbie Coltrane; Two gay teenagers witness a murder and flee their Northern home for Brighton, where their problems seem to escalate. Robbie Coltrane cameos as a…
Zanzibar (1989): Dir. Christine Pascal
Feat. Fabienne Babe, Andre Marcon, Francis Girod; An enigmatic, sensual work set in the tumultuous and fickle world of film–making where three self–interested obsessives – the…
1969 (1988): Dir. Ernest Thompson
Feat. Kiefer Sutherland, Winona Ryder, Robert Downey Jnr.…; Keifer Sutherland and Winona Ryder lead a brat–pack of sensitive anti–war youths in the summer of '69.
36 Filette (Virgin) (1988): Dir. Catherine Breillat
Feat. Delphine Zentout, Etienne Chicot, Olivier Parniere; The thrills and fears of a young girl's willed sexual awakening are explored when she opts to accept a ride from a mysterious stranger in order to…
A Very British Coup (1988): Dir. Mick Jackson
Feat. Ray McAnally, Alan MacNaughtan, Keith Allen…; Old–school Labourite Ray McAnally is elected Prime Minister of Great Britain, an event displeasing to various high–placed civil servants…
Accidental Tourist, The (1988): Dir. Lawrence Kasdan
Feat. William Hurt, Kathleen Turner, Geena Davis…; A travel author faces problems with the two eccentric women in his life. A dry leisure.
Accused, The (1988): Dir. Jonathan Kaplan
Feat. Jodie Foster, Kelly McGillis; Jodie Foster won an Academy Award for her portrayal of a rape victim who suffered the additional ordeal of prosecuting her attackers in the face of…
And the Violins Stopped Playing (1988): Dir. Alexander Ramatu
Feat. Horst Buchholz; At times distressing, this true–life account of a gypsy family’s entanglement in the Holocaust, is the only film to depict this…
Another Woman (1988): Dir. Woody Allen
Feat. Gena Rowlands, Gene Hackman, Ian Holm…; Gena Rowlands heads a cast of Woody Allen regulars in this absorbing Bergman–esque portrait of a successful professor who is forced to reflect…
Ariel (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…
As Tears Go By (Wong gok ka moon) (1988): Dir. Wong Kar-Wai
Feat. Andy Lau, Maggie Cheung, Jacky Cheung; Dir. Wong Kar–Wai debuted with this ambitious remake of MEAN STREETS, where best buddies Andy Lau and Jacky Cheung struggle through the…
Attic: The Hiding of Anne Frank (1988): Dir. John Erman
Feat. Mary Steenburgen, Paul Scofield; Well–remembered telemovie depiction of the well–known story of Anne Frank, who with her Jewish family was hidden from the Nazis during…
Bagdad Cafe (1988): Dir. Percy Adlon
Feat. Marianne Sagebrecht, Jack Palance, C.C.H. Pounder; Marianne Sagebrecht plays an aloof German tourist who meets a group of equally lovable eccentrics at a remote desert inn. A quirky, expressive and…
Beaches (1988): Dir. Garry Marshall
Feat. Bette Midler, Barbara Hershey, John Heard…; Bette Midler's tour–de–force about the lifetimes of two childhood friends pulls the heart strings in all the right places.
Beast, The (the Beast Of War) (1988): Dir. Kevin Reynolds
Feat. George Dzundza, Jason Patric, Stephen Baldwin…; Laying aside the usual sympathies, this American war–drama pursues a tense running–battle between a Soviet tank–crew and Afghani…
Big (1988): 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…
Big Blue, The (1988): Dir. Luc Besson
Feat. Jean-Marc Barr, Rosanna Arquette, Jean Reno; Visually, aurally (and literally) breathtaking tale of two rival free–fall divers, an American journalist, and the glorious Mediterranean.…
Bird (1988): Dir. Clint Eastwood
Feat. Forest Whitaker, Diane Venora, Keith David; Eastwood's biopic tribute to legendary jazz saxophonist Charlie 'Bird' Parker. His turbulent and extraordinary life is sympathetically characterised…
Boost, The (1988): Dir. Harold Becker
Feat. James Woods, Sean Young; An explicit cautionary tale about the effect of cocaine on the careers and private lives of an affluent L.A. couple. Superb, explosive drama.
Bourne Identity, The (Mini-series) (1988): Dir. Roger Young
Feat. Richard Chamberlain, Jaclyn Smith, Anthony Quayle…; Mini–series based on Robert Ludlam's best–seller about an injured, unconscious man who washes ashore in a small French town and discovers…
Bright Lights, Big City (1988): Dir. James Bridges
Feat. Michael J. Fox, Kiefer Sutherland, Phoebe Cates…; Michael J. Fox succumbs to drugs and the high–life in 80s NYC.
Camille Claudel (1988): Dir. Bruno Nuytten
Feat. Isabelle Adjani, Gerard Depardieu, Alain Cuny; Intense, robust biopic of the French artist and lover of fellow sculptor, Auguste Rodin. Their tumultuous affair is passionately incarnated by…
Celia (1988): Dir. Ann Turner
Feat. Rebecca Smart, Nicholas Eadie; Fans of Jane Campion should enjoy this eerie antipodean tale of a 9–year–old girl who surrenders to her nightmarish fantasies when her…
China Beach (TV Series) (1988): Feat. Dana Delany, Michael Boatman, Nan Woods; TV series set at an evacuation hospital during the Vietnam War, following the unique perspectives of a range of characters including US Army doctors…
Chocolat (1988): Dir. Claire Denis
Feat. Isaach de Bankole, Giulia Boschi, Francois Cluzet; Quietly rewarding autobiographical work follows a young woman to West Africa where she reminisces her childhood. Early work by the director of BEAU…
Christmas Wife, The (1988): Dir. David Hugh Jones
Feat. Jason Robards Jr., Julie Harris; Afraid to spend the Christmas holiday alone, an aging widower responds to an ad for "social introductions".
Clara's Heart (1988): Dir. Robert Mulligan
Feat. Whoopi Goldberg; Whoopi Goldberg plays housemaid to various insufferable yuppies.
Clean and Sober (1988): Dir. Glenn Gordon Caron
Feat. Michael Keaton, Kathy Baker, Morgan Freeman…; Unflinching, powerful drama with Michael Keaton utterly convincing as a real estate broker who decides to lay low at a drug rehabilitation facility…
Cobra Verde (1988): Dir. Werner Herzog
Feat. Klaus Kinski; Klaus Kinski stars for the last time for Herzog as another doomed outcast in an alien environment. West Africa is portrayed as a cruel, highly…
Cocktail (1988): Dir. Roger Donaldson
Feat. Tom Cruise, Bryan Brown; Tom Cruise receives behind–the–bar cocktail tips from Bryan Brown. Slick comedy was an early box–office for kiwi dir. Donaldson.
Crossing Delancey (1988): Dir. Joan Micklin Silver
Feat. Amy Irving, Peter Riegert; Liberal New Yorker Amy Irving juggles her passion for literature around two (in)eligible bachelors – a handsome academic and a humble pickle…
Da (1988): Dir. Matt Clark
Feat. Martin Sheen; Martin Sheen returns to his native Ireland for his father's funeral and finds his ghost alive and well and willing to discuss the past.
Damnation (Karhozat) (1988): Dir. Bela Tarr
Feat. Miklós B. Székely, Vali Kerekes, Gyula Pauer; A magnificent representation of the earlier feature films of Hungarian master of miserabilism Béla Tarr, telling the story of a lonely barfly who…
Dangerous Liaisons (1988): Dir. Stephen Frears
Feat. Glenn Close, John Malkovich, Michelle Pfeiffer; Classic tale of an unscrupulous French countess who creates royal havoc by challenging her former lover to the sexual conquest of a virginal…
Decalogue - Parts 1 - 5 (Dekalog) (1988): Dir. Krzysztof Kieslowski; The Polish master's extraordinary series of hour–long dramas, each pertaining to one of the ten commandments. He matches the high concept with…
Decalogue - Parts 6 - 10 (Dekalog) (1988): Dir. Krzysztof Kieslowski; Continuing Kieslowski's exemplary series of hour–long dramas, with a further five 'commandments'. Episodes: Dekalog 6 – "Thou Shalt…
Deceivers, The (1988): Dir. Nicholas Meyer
Feat. Pierce Brosnan, Saeed Jaffrey, Shashi Kapoor; Fact–based account of a secret society of murderers, and of the man who exposed them in British India 1825. Based on the novel by John Masters.
Distant Voices, Still Lives (1988): Dir. Terence Davies
Feat. Lorraine Ashbourne, Jean Boht, Pete Postlethwaite; Dream–like autobiographical vignettes of the director's good and bad memories of growing up in wartime Liverpool. Little narrative structure,…
Dominick and Eugene (1988): Dir. Robert M Young
Feat. Ray Liotta, Tom Hulce, Jamie Lee Curtis; Ray Liotta cares for his autistic twin brother Tom Hulce in this affecting drama.
Down by Law (1988): 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…
Echoes (TV Mini-series) (1988): Dir. Barbara Rennie
Feat. Siobhan Garahy, Robert Hines, Geraldine James…; Set in Ireland in the 1950's, this picturesque romance traces the life of a small town girl whose dreams of escape come true when she wins a…
Edens Lost (TV Mini-series) (1988): Dir. Neil Armfield
Feat. Julia Blake, Linda Cropper; A melancholy dramatic saga set in rural Australia around the growing knowledge of a teenage boy from Sydney, staying with mysterious landed relatives…
Evil Angels (A Cry in the Dark) (1988): Dir. Fred Schepisi
Feat. Meryl Streep, Sam Neill; Jack–of–all–accents, Meryl Streep, does wonders as Lindy Chamberlain, the woman accused of murdering her child in the Australian…
For Queen and Country (1988): Dir. Martin Stellman
Feat. Denzel Washington, George Baker, Amanda Redman; Denzel Washington plays a retired paratrooper who struggles to adapt to civilian life after returning home from the Falklands War. Crime drama…
Four Minute Mile, The (1988): Dir. James Goddard
Feat. Richard Huw, Nique Needles, Michael York; Set in the post–WW2 era of middle–distance athletics when for a period of eight years it seemed that no one would break the…
Franchise Affair, The (1988): Dir. Leonard Lewis
Feat. Rosalie Crutchley, Patrick Malahide; A 15yr–old schoolgirl who has been missing a month, re–appears, battered, bloody and accusing two local woman of kidnapping her to be…
Fresh Horses (1988): Dir. David Anspaugh
Feat. Andrew McCarthy, Molly Ringwald; Blue–blood collegian Andrew McCarthy falls for the wrong–side–of–the–tracks and underage Molly Ringwald. Earnest love…
Gorillas in the Mist (1988): Dir. Michael Apted
Feat. Sigourney Weaver, Bryan Brown, Julie Harris; Impressive biopic of American primatologist Dian Fossey (Sigourney Weaver), who ventured to the volitile African jungle to study the…
Grievous Bodily Harm (1988): Dir. Mark Joffe
Feat. Colin Friels, Bruno Lawrence, John Waters; Police thriller from Australia following a school teacher who becomes convinced that his lover did not die in a car accident as officially stated.
Handful of Dust, A (1988): Dir. Charles Sturridge
Feat. James Wilby, Kristin Scott Thomas, Rupert Graves; A host of well–known British players star in this rich period drama about a strained marriage in an affluent family. From the novel by Evelyn…
Hanussen (1988): Dir. Istvan Szabo
Feat. Klaus Maria Brandauer; Klaus Maria Brandauer adds to his list of distinctive roles in this allegedly true tale of an Austrian soldier who recovers from shotgun wounds and…
Heat and Sunlight (1988): Dir. Rob Nilsson
Feat. Rob Nilsson, Consuela Faust; This film documents the final, agonising hours of a love affair between a man and his exotic dancer girlfirend. An intriguing, erotic oddity with…
Homeboy (1988): Dir. Michael Seresin
Feat. Mickey Rourke; Grim tale with Mickey Rourke as an alcoholic boxer who struggles both in and outside the ring. Directed by Alan Parker's NZ–born cameraman…
I'm the King of the Castle (1988): Dir. Regis Wargnier
Feat. Jean Rochefort, Dominic Blanc, Regis Arpin; The young sons of a rich widowed industrialist and his house matron enter into an increasingly dangerous power play as their parents become close.…
Importance of Being Earnest (1988): Dir. Stuart Burge
Feat. Gemma Jones, Alec McCowen, Paul McGann…; A straightforward and lucid version of Oscar Wilde's classic comedy, made for television by the BBC. McGann is a particular neurotic highlight.
Jack the Ripper (TV Mini-series) (1988): Dir. David Wickes
Feat. Michael Caine, Armand Assante, Jane Seymour; This British television series adds a new solution to the ever–intriguing and grisly case of Jack the Ripper, who preyed on women in Victorian…
Judgement in Berlin (1988): Dir. Leo Penn
Feat. Martin Sheen, Sean Penn, Sam Wanamaker…; Stolid courtroom drama about the trial of an man who hijacked an airplane in order to flee East Germany for the West, Martin Sheen plays the American…
Kiwi 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…
Last Stop Paradise (Terminus paradis) (1988): Dir. Lucian Pintilie
Feat. Costel Cascaval, Dorina Chiriac, Gheorghe Visu; French/Romanian drama set against the outskirts of Budapest, centered around the ill–fated love affair between a waitress and a young pig…
Last Temptation of Christ, The (1988): Dir. Martin Scorsese
Feat. Willem Dafoe, Harvey Keitel, Barbara Hershey…; Brave, earnest film controversial for its assumption that Christ suffered from mortal doubt when chosen to carry God's message. Willem Dafoe plays…
Legend of the Holy Drinker, The (1988): Dir. Ermanno Olmi
Feat. Rutger Hauer, Anthony Quayle, Sandrine Dumas…; Rutger Hauer plays a drunken homeless man in Paris who is lent 200 francs by a stranger as long as he promises to repay it to a local church when he…
Madame Sousatzka (1988): Dir. John Schlesinger
Feat. Shirley Maclaine; Shirley Maclaine is acutely cast as an eccentric, reclusive piano teacher forced to confront the modern world when her talented pupils deny her their…
Mapantsula (1988): Dir. Oliver Schmitz
Feat. Eugene Majola, Darlington Michaels, Thomas Mogotlane; A disturbingly accurate evocation of township unrest in Soweto, as a young black petty criminal is throne into jail with a militant fraternity whom…
Martin Scorsese: Films of Faith (The Last temptation of Christ, Kun Dun, The Silence) (1988-2016): Dir. Martin Scorsese; Scorsese's artful "trilogy" meditating on faith, purpose, and destiny throughout the ages. Blu–Ray version includes two bonus discs of extra…
Mauri (1988): Dir. Merata Mita
Feat. Anzac Wallace, Eva Rickard, James Hayward; Rural slice–of–life centres around an embittered man's search for fulfilment by returning to his roots. It gently illuminates the…
Memories 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…
Milagro Beanfield War (1988): Dir. Robert Redford
Feat. Ruben Blades, Richard Bradford, Sonia Braga…; A New Mexican farmer triggers a feud with corporate developers keen to exploit his land. A spirited, simple fable – Redford lovingly directs a…
Moderns, The (1988): Dir. Alan Rudolph
Feat. Keith Carradine, Linda Fiorentino, John Lone…; A witty and exquisite recreation of Paris in the 1920s, complete with the ‘lost generation’ of Ernest Hemingway, Gertrude Stein and F Scott…
Monsignor Quixote (1988): Dir. Rodney Bennett
Feat. Alec Guinness, Leo McKern, Christopher Neame; Fine tele–version of Graham Greene's novel follows a newly appointed Monsignor and his avowed Marxist companion on an enlightening drive to…
Music Teacher, The (1988): Dir. Gerard Corbiau
Feat. Jose Van Dam, Anne Roussel, Patrick Bauchau; Sterling voiced Jose Van Dam plays an opera star who retires to train an aspiring nymphette and her wayward peer. Like the superlative operatic…
Navigator, The (A Medieval Odyssey) (1988): Dir. Vincent Ward
Feat. Bruce Lyons, Chris Haywood, Marshall Napier; A group of 14th Century Cumbrians experience future shock when their mining expedition leads them to contemporary New Zealand. A terrific adventure…
Ngati (1988): Dir. Barry Barclay
Feat. Tuta Ngarimu Tamati, Iranui Haig, Tawai Moana…; A moving and powerful drama about an Australian immigrant who encounters the spiritual home of the local 'Ngati' or tribe, which triggers his own…
Noble House (Mini-Series) (1988): Dir. Gary Nelson
Feat. Pierce Brosnan, Deborah Raffin, Ben Masters…; Improbably entertaining thriller with Brosnan smarming his way through business deals in Asia, only to find his reign as Tai–Pan (supreme…
Pascali's Island (1988): Dir. James Dearden
Feat. Ben Kingsley, Charles Dance; Polished thriller in which frustrated Turkish spy Ben Kingsley discovers little honour among thieves after he steals a Greek treasure with mysterious…
Patty Hearst (1988): Dir. Paul Schrader
Feat. Natasha Richardson, William Forsythe, Ving Rhames…; Intense depiction of Patty Hearst's kidnapping, confinement and brain–washing by 'urban guerillas' the SLA, from that specialist in American…
Permanent Record (1988): Dir. Marisa Silver
Feat. Keanu Reeves; Keanu Reeves stars in this slight but interesting teen drama about the effects of a suicide on a group of college friends.
Rain Man (1988): Dir. Barry Levinson
Feat. Dustin Hoffman, Tom Cruise, Valeria Golino; Oscar–winning road drama featuring Dustin Hoffman's virtuoso performance as the idiot savant brother of Tom Cruise, who does equally well in a…
Red Sorghum (1988): Dir. Zhang Yimou
Feat. Gong Li, Wen Jiang; A love story set among village winemakers who fight back against Japanese marauders in 1930's China. Blackly humorous and agonisingly horrific, this…
Rikky and Pete (1988): Dir. Nadia Tass
Feat. Stephen Kearney, Nina Landis; A misfit with a penchant for mechanical inventions jaunts with his lost–soul sister to a remote mining village. Quirky fun from the makers of…
Rouge (1988): Dir. Stanley Kwan
Feat. Leslie Cheung; Beautiful, haunting ghost story about a 1930s courtesan whose restless spirit roams modern Hong Kong. Asian stars Anita Mui and Leslie Cheung…
Rowing with the Wind (1988): Dir. Gonzalo Suárez
Feat. Hugh Grant, Elizabeth Hurley, Lizzy McInnerny…; Earnest dramatisation of Mary Shelley's relationship with Lord Byron and Percy Bysshe Shelley while in the midst of conceiving her famed novel…
Running On Empty (1988): Dir. Sidney Lumet
Feat. Judd Hirsch, River Phoenix, Christine Lahti…; A married couple, on the run for activist crimes in the 1960s, come to terms with their childrens' right to be free. A moving story, handled with…
Salaam Bombay! (1988): Dir. Mira Nair
Feat. Shafiq Syed, Hansa Vithal; Breakthrough Indian film that eschews Bollywood tradition is a compassionate account of an 11–year–old village boy, stranded on the…
Salome's Last Dance (1988): Dir. Ken Russell
Feat. Glenda Jackson, Stratford Johns; Oscar Wilde drops in to witness a risque performance of his own play. A perfect reason for Ken to indulge in opulent overstatement with Glenda…
Shame (1988): Dir. Steve Jodrell
Feat. Tony Barry, Deborra-Lee Furness; Stranded in an outback town, a female lawyer defends a young rape victim when her plight is met with nonchalance by the townsfolk.
Short Film About Killing, A (1988): Dir. Krzysztof Kieslowski
Feat. Miroslaw Baka, Krzysztof Globisz, Jan Tesarz; Feature–length version of Kieslowski's indelibly chilling Decalogue Pt.5 further protracts a cold–blooded murder and the subsequent…
Short Film About Love, A (1988): Dir. Krzysztof Kieslowski
Feat. Grazyna Szapolowska, Olaf Lubaszenko, Stefania Iwinska; Extended version of the director's DEKALOG Part 6 – "Thou shalt not commit adultery" shares its voyeuristic premise with MONSIEUR HIRE, though…
Stand and Deliver (1988): Dir. Ramon Menendez
Feat. Edward James Olmos, Lou Diamond Phillips, Andy Garcia; Rousing true story about a no–nonsense Math teacher in a tough L.A. school and his struggles to motivate his dispirited and troubled students.
Stealing Home (1988): Dir. Steven Kampmann
Feat. Mark Harmon, Blair Brown, Jonathan Silverman…; Coming–of–age romantic drama about a washed up baseball player (Mark Harmon) who finds out his childhood love (Jodie Foster) has…
Talk Radio (1988): Dir. Oliver Stone
Feat. Eric Bogosian, Alec Baldwin, Ellen Greene; Eric Bogosian adapts his biting stageplay for Oliver Stone's camera, and the result is devastating. He portrays a radio talkshow host with an opinion…
Tenth Man, The (1988): Dir. Jack Gold, Richard T. Heffron
Feat. Anthony Hopkins, Brenda Bruce, Derek Jacobi…; A measured TV–movie adaptation of the novel by Graham Greene about a French lawyer who saves himself from being executed during the Nazi…
Torch Song Trilogy (1988): Dir. Paul Bogart
Feat. Harvey Fierstein, Matthew Broderick; From his Broadway play, Harvey Fierstein stars in this whimsical yet moving story of a flamboyant gay New Yorker's search for love and respect in the…
Trial of Bernhard Goetz (1988): Dir. Harry Moses; A verbatim re–creation of the courtroom battle that ensued after Goetz admitted to shooting four black muggers on the New York subway in 1984.…
Tucker: a Man and His Dream (1988): Dir. Francis Ford Coppola
Feat. Jeff Bridges, Joan Allen, Martin Landau…; Jeff Bridges portrays Preston Tucker, who dreamed of building the car of the future, but was crushed by the big three auto–makers in the 1940s.
Two Moon Junction (1988): Dir. Zalman King
Feat. Sherilyn Fenn, Richard Tyson, Louise Fletcher…; Mild erotica from 9 1/2 WEEKS creator made bearable by a young, blonde Sherilyn Fenn.
Two of Us (1988): Dir. Roger Tonge
Feat. Jason Rush, Lee Whitlock, Kathy Burke; This gay youth drama made for British television caused a political outcry upon release just as the sex education laws were being revised. This…
Unbearable Lightness of Being, The (1988): Dir. Philip Kaufman
Feat. Daniel Day-Lewis, Juliette Binoche, Stellan Skarsgard; In war–torn Czechoslovakia 1968, a young doctor is caught between two lovers and the political struggle of his homeland. Daniel Day–Lewis…
Une Affair Des Femmes (a Story of Women) (1988): Dir. Claude Chabrol
Feat. Isabelle Huppert, Francois Cluzet; Traumatic, gripping fact–based story about the last woman to be guillotined in France. Isabelle Huppert is in feverish form as the woman both…
Virgin Machine (1988): Dir. Monika Treut
Feat. Ina Blum, Marcelo Uriona, Gad Klein; A frustrated German journalist takes her work to San Fransisco in this lesbian odyssey that proudly parades its fringe philosophy and contemporary…
War and Remembrance (Mini-Series) (1988): Dir. Dan Curtis
Feat. Robert Mitchum, Jane Seymour, Hart Bochner…; Sequel to THE WINDS OF WAR follows trials and tribulations of the Henry and the Jastrow families amid the events after the USA's entry into World War…
Warm Nights on a Slow Moving Train (1988): Dir. Bob Ellis
Feat. Wendy Hughes, Colin Friels, Norman Kaye; A Catholic schoolteacher moonlights as a prostitute to fund her disabled brother’s morphine dependence, later falling under the influence of a…
We Think the World of You (1988): Dir. Collin Gregg
Feat. Gary Oldman, Alan Bates; Quirky Brit comedy/drama about a love triangle between two men and an alsatian! Jealousy overcomes Gary Oldman when a prison sentence brings together…
Widowing of Mrs. Holroyd, The / The Rainbow (1988-1992): Dir. Katie Mitchell, Stuart Burge
Feat. Zoe Wanamaker, Stephen Dillane, Colin Firth…; A 1992 BBC "Performance" theatre production of The Widowing of Mrs. Holroyd, D.H. Lawrence's portrayal of a woman married to a loutish miner whom she…
Wonder Years, The (TV Series) (1988-1993): 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…
World Apart, A (1988): Dir. Chris Menges
Feat. Barbara Hershey; True account of a teenage girl's isolated upbringing in aparteid–torn South Africa, whose obsessed mother is jailed for political activism in…
Zelly and Me (1988): Dir. Tina Rathborne
Feat. Isabella Rossellini, David Lynch; Poignant story of a young orphan girl caught between her possessive grandmother and her governness (Isabella Rosellini). David Lynch has a major…
84 Charing Cross Road (1987): Dir. David Jones
Feat. Anne Bancroft, Anthony Hopkins; Book–loving New Yorker Anne Bancroft corresponds with London bookseller Anthony Hopkins in the decades following WWII, leading to some platonic…
Au Revoir Les Enfants (1987): Dir. Louis Malle
Feat. Gaspard Manesse, Raphael Fejto, Francine Racette…; Dir. Malle has transformed a childhood memoir into a powerful and vivid account of a catholic schoolboy who unknowingly witnesses anti–semitism…
Babette's Feast (1987): Dir. Gabriel Axel
Feat. Stephane Audran; Oscar–winning and mouth watering delight which tells a wistful, wise tale with a subtle sense of humour. Exiled French housekeeper Stephane…
Barbara Cartland Collection, The (A Hazard of Hearts, The Lady and the Highwayman, A Ghost in Monte Carlo, Duel of Hearts) (1987-1991): Feat. Hugh Grant, Helena Bonham Carter, Michael York…; Four made–for–TV adaptations from the prolific romance novel oeuvre of British writer and media personality Barbara Cartland. A HAZARD…
Barfly (1987): Dir. Barbet Schroeder
Feat. Mickey Rourke, Faye Dunaway, Alice Krige; Mickey Rourke relishes his role as an alcoholic low–life with a gift for poetry. Loosely based on one Charles Bukowski, who wrote the script.
Belly of an Architect, The (1987): Dir. Peter Greenaway
Feat. Brian Dennehy, Chloe Webb, Sergio Fantoni; Brian Dennehy excels as an American architect who faces a mid–life crisis while setting up his exhibition in Rome. Oblique yet trenchant and of…
Best Seller (1987): Dir. John Flynn
Feat. Brian Dennehy, James Woods, Victoria Tennant; An arresting thriller with Brian Dennehy and an on–form James Woods.
Billionaire Boys Club (1987): Dir. Marvin J. Chomsky
Feat. Judd Nelson, Ron Silver; Glossy but compulsive TV mini–series about a preppy blue–blood who persuades his well–connected classmates to join his investment…
Blind Chance (Przypadek) (1987): Dir. Krzysztof Kieslowski
Feat. Boguslaw Linda; In the opening scene a young Polish medical student (Linda) hurries to catch a train departing from Lodz to Warsaw, from which point dir.…
Boyfriends 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 News (1987): 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.
Captain James Cook (TV Mini Series) (1987): Dir. Lawrence Gordon Clark
Feat. Keith Michell, Fernando Rey, Carol Drinkwater; Lavishly–produced series about the epochal sea voyages of Captain James Cook, who set out from Britain in 1768 to observe the transit of Venus…
Castaway (1987): Dir. Nicolas Roeg
Feat. Amanda Donohoe, Oliver Reed; Amanda Donahue and Oliver Reed cohabit on a desert island. Story verges on allegory.
Cause Celebre (1987): Dir. John Gorrie
Feat. Helen Mirren, David Suchet; Gripping, three–pronged crime of passion has Helen Mirren confessing to the murder of her husband, even though her young lover is suspected of…
Complete Talking Heads, The (TV Miniseries) (1987-1998): Dir. Alan Bennett
Feat. Alan Bennett, Stephanie Cole, Thora Hird…; Much–feted 1980s TV series comprising a series of six stage monologues by renowned playwright Alan Bennett, devised to depict various suffering…
Crazy Love (Love Is a Dog from Hell) (1987): Dir. Dominique Deruddere
Feat. Josse De Pauw, Geert Hunaerts, Michael Pas…; Superlative tragicomedy based on the work of Charles Bukowski is told in three parts – pre–pubescence, acne plagued teenagehood and…
Cry Freedom (1987): Dir. Richard Attenborough
Feat. Denzel Washington, Kevin Kline; Potent political cinema based on the story of black South African activist Steve Biko (Denzel Washington), whose suspicious death was investigated by…
Cry of the Owl, The (Le Cri du hibou) (1987): Dir. Claude Chabrol
Feat. Christophe Malavoy, Mathilda May, Jacques Penot; Rich adaptation of the Patricia Highsmith novel from New Wave director Claude Chabrol, who probes the mind of a troubled artist obsessed with his…
Dangerous Orphans (1987): Dir. John Laing
Feat. Peter Stevens, Michael Hurst, Jennifer Ward-Lealand; Three orphans act on their plan to avenge the death of their father but must undermine an elaborate crime ring to carry it out. With Peter Stevens,…
Dark Eyes (1987): Dir. Nikita Mikhalkov
Feat. Marcello Mastroianni; The Soviet director ventures to Italy for this exquisite Chekhovian romantic tragedy in which Marcello Mastroianni abandons rationale for the allure…
Dead, The (1987): Dir. John Huston
Feat. Anjelica Huston; James Joyce's novella adapted as personal, fascinating vignettes of family life in Ireland, 1904. Anjelica Huston stars in her father's final film.
Debajo Del Mundo (Underground) (1987): Dir. Beda Docampo Feijóo
Feat. Oscar Ferrigno Jr., Gabriel Rovito; Intense WW2 drama focused on a Polish family who make the drastic decision to bury themselves underground to hide from the Nazis. Based on a true…
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…
Drowning by Numbers (1987): Dir. Peter Greenaway
Feat. Joan Plowright, Juliet Stevenson; Blackly comic tale of three women who each drown their husbands. Peppered with references to game–playing, you can take part by counting to…
East of Ipswich (1987): Dir. Tristram Powell
Feat. Edward Rawle-Hicks; Michael Palin drew from his childhood memories of seaside family holidays in penning this coming–of–age dramedy for the BBC, set in the…
Ebony Tower, The (1987): Dir. Robert Knights
Feat. Laurence Olivier, Roger Rees, Greta Scacchi…; Self–conscious but watchable satire has a young art critic finding himself attracted to the unusual lifestyle of a reclusive painter. Based on…
Empire of the Sun (1987): Dir. Steven Spielberg
Feat. Christian Bale, John Malkovich, Miranda Richardson…; A much–admired Spielberg epic in which a young boy witnesses the Japanese invasion of China in WWII. Based on the memoirs of sci–fi…
Family Viewing (1987): Dir. Atom Egoyan
Feat. David Hemblen, Aidan Tierney; A technically basic yet highly original film that weaves director Egoyan's obsessive themes – technology, voyeurism, dysfunction – into…
Five Corners (1987): Dir. Tony Bill
Feat. Jodie Foster, Tim Robbins, Todd Graff…; Ambitious, although ultimately chaotic, drama set in the Bronx in 1964, where a young Jodie Foster is stalked by her former boyfriend (Turturro), who…
Fortunes of War (TV Mini-series) (1987): Dir. James Cellan Jones
Feat. Kenneth Branagh, Emma Thompson, Alan Bennett…; An under–appreciated historical epic focused on the personal experience of war, starring then–English glamour couple Kenneth Branagh and…
Friendship's Death (1987): Dir. Peter Woollen
Feat. Ruby Baker, Patrick Buchanan; Philosophical sci–fi film subverts genre conventions to instead deliver a delicate drama about a woman who alleges she is a robot sent to Earth…
Gardens of Stone (1987): Dir. Francis Ford Coppola
Feat. James Caan, Anjelica Huston, James Earl Jones…; Downbeat story of a frustrated soldier appointed to guard the US military cemetery during the Vietnam war.
Gathering of Old Men (1987): Dir. Volker Schlondorff
Feat. Holly Hunter, Louis Jr. Gossett, Richard Widmark; Racial tensions overboil in the Deep South when a white man is killed in a black man's yard. Holly Hunter and a group of white elders emerge in…
Ghosts (1987): Dir. Elijah Moshinsky
Feat. Judi Dench, Michael Gambon, Kenneth Branagh…; BBC television adaptation of Ibsen's great, once–controversial play about secrets and lies, sex and hypocrisy, starring Judy Dench as Mrs…
Girl Who Lived Twice, The (1987): Dir. Francois Villiers
Feat. Julian Sands; Julian Sands stars in this fantasy/drama about an Indian girl's obsession with finding her alleged rich husband of a past life. Shot in Nepal.
Grand Chemin, Le (1987): Dir. Jean-Loup Hupert
Feat. Anemone , Richard Bohringer; A charming, heartfelt drama about a childless and unhappy couple who are entrusted with the care of a 9–year–old relative over the summer…
Harp in the South, The (TV Mini Series) (1987): Dir. George Whaley
Feat. Martyn Sanderson, Anne Phelan, Anna Hruby…; A TV mini–series about an Irish family who migrate to Australia in the post WW2 years to find their hopes of prosperity dashed on the streets…
High Tide (1987): Dir. Gillian Armstrong
Feat. Judy Davis, Claudia Karvan, Colin Friels; The director of MY BRILLIANT CAREER encores with Judy Davis for this bittersweet exploration of mother–daughter relations at a bleak coastal…
Hope and Glory (1987): Dir. John Boorman
Feat. Sebastian Rice-Edwards, Geraldine Muir; Well–crafted account of Dir. Boorman's childhood in wartime London.
Housekeeping (1987): Dir. Bill Forsyth
Feat. Christine Lahti, Sara Walker; A sombre but wonderful tale of a free–spirited woman in 1950s Idaho who voluteers to take care of her two orphaned nieces despite her being an…
I've Heard the Mermaids Singing (1987): Dir. Patricia Rozema
Feat. Sheila McCarthy, Paule Baillargeon; A naive and self–conscious woman lands a job in an art gallery and grows to idolise the chic and sophisticated female curator. Quirky parable…
Illustrious Energy (1987): Dir. Leon Narbey
Feat. Shaun Bao, Peter Hayden, Peter Chin; Cinematographer Leon Narbey's debut as a director is a real gem, revealing one of New Zealand's 'hidden societies', that of Chinese gold–miners…
In Between (TV Series) (1987): Feat. Sheryl Munks, Vichea Ten, Jim Petrovski…; Acclaimed Australian TV series about troubled teenagers attempting to find their way through life in the inner city, dealing with issues like drugs,…
Initiation (1987): Dir. Michael Pearce
Feat. Bruno Lawrence, Rodney Harvey, Anna-Maria Winchester…; Oddball coming of age tale with a young American venturing to the outback to reunite with his estranged father – a drug trafficker.
Inspector Morse (TV Series) (1987-2000): Feat. John Thaw; Much–loved British TV Series that follows the criminal cases of Morse, probably John Thaw's most famous character – the cantankerous…
Intervista (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…
Ironweed (1987): Dir. Hector Babenco
Feat. Jack Nicholson, Meryl Streep; Rich, downbeat story of a guilt–ridden alcoholic hobo and his companion, with Jack Nicholson and Meryl Streep in finest method.
Julia and Julia (1987): Dir. Peter Del Monte
Feat. Kathleen Turner, Gabriel Byrne, Sting; Kathleen Turner leads a double (love) life with husband Gabriel Byrne and toy–boy photographer Sting.
Kitchen Toto, The (1987): Dir. Harry Hook
Feat. Edwin Mahinda, Bob Peck, Phyllis Logan; Rewarding drama set in Kenya, during the Mau Mau insurrection.
La Bamba (1987): Dir. Luis Valdez
Feat. Lou Diamond Phillips, Esai Morales, Elizabeth Pena…; Tightly constructed biopic of Hispanic rock'n'roller Richie Valens lends the usual 'rise to fame' tale an unusual ethnic slant. Lou Diamond Phillips…
Last Emperor, The (1987): Dir. Bernardo Bertolucci
Feat. John Lone, Peter O'Toole; Grand scale interpretation of the true life of Pu Yi (John Lone), the last emperor of China, who ascended the throne at three years–old to live…
Less Than Zero (1987): Dir. Marek Kanievska
Feat. Andrew McCarthy, Robert Downey Jnr., Jami Gertz…; A slick, rather thin adaptation of Bret Easton Ellis’ cult–novel set among the bored, coke–snorting youth of 1980s upper–crust…
Little Dorrit (TV Mini-Series) (1987): Dir. Christine Edzard
Feat. Alec Guinness, Derek Jacobi, Joan Greenwood…; Exemplary, all–star reworking of the Charles Dickens' classic in two parts. The first, "Nobody's Fault", is told from Arthur Clennam's (Derek…
Living On Tokyo Time (1987): Dir. Stephen Okazaki
Feat. Minako Ohashi, Ken Nakagawa, Mitzi Abe; Amusing independent film about a Japanese–American couple living in a marriage–of–convenience in San Fransisco.
Lonely Passion of Judith Hearne (1987): Dir. Jack Clayton
Feat. Maggie Smith, Bob Hoskins; An anguished spinster pins romantic hopes on a sweet–talking business man who has other intentions. Melancholy fare, remarkably acted by Maggie…
Long Day's Journey Into Night (1987): Dir. Jonathan Miller
Feat. Jack Lemmon; Jack Lemmon gives an incredible performance as the patriach of a family plagued with drug–addiction, madness and disease. Based on Eugene…
Long Live the Lady (1987): Dir. Ermanno Olmi
Feat. Marco Esposito, Simone Brandalise, Stafania Busanello; Six teenage catering scholars await a banquet at a remote chateau. A telling observation of boyhood evolves, with an emphasis on action and…
Make and Break (1987): Dir. Michael Frayn
Feat. Judi Dench, Robert Hardy; BBC television drama, directed by Michael Frayn and based on his play of the same name, stars Hardy as a building industry boss, unaware of his…
Mark II (1987): Dir. John Anderson; Three unemployed Maori youth embark on a bumpy ride south in their Mark II Ford Zephyr. The young novice actors exude charm and raw energy that…
Matewan (1987): Dir. John Sayles
Feat. Chris Cooper, James Earl Jones, Mary McDonnell…; In 1920s Virginia, miners unite against their strong–arm company who resort to 'scab' minority labour in response to strike action. Costly…
Maurice (1987): Dir. James Ivory
Feat. Hugh Grant, James Wilby, Rupert Graves…; In the face of Edwardian attitudes and noble breeding, two young Englishmen comes to terms with their homosexuality. From E.M. Forster's novel.
Month in the Country, A (1987): Dir. Pat O'Connor
Feat. Colin Firth, Kenneth Branagh, Natasha Richardson; Colin Firth plays a shellshocked WW1 vet keen to recoup a medieval painting in a remote Yorkshire town. Kenneth Branagh and Natasha Richardson prove…
Northanger Abbey (1987): Dir. Giles Foster
Feat. Katherine Schlesinger, Peter Firth; A BBC adaptation based on the Jane Austen novel, with Austen–heroine Katherine Schlesinger yearning for a consuming gothic romance amid the…
Nuts (1987): Dir. Martin Ritt
Feat. Barbra Streisand, Richard Dreyfuss, Maureen Stapleton…; Barbra Streisand must prove her sanity in order to stand trial for manslaughter. Richard Dreyfuss helps out with some heavy duty courtroom banter.
On the Black Hill (1987): Dir. Andrew Grieve
Feat. Bob Peck, Nicola Beddoe, Patrick Godfrey; Adapted from Bruce Chatwin's novel about the difficult lives of Welsh tenant–farmers in the early 20th century. A bull–headed Bob Peck…
Orphans (1987): Dir. Alan J. Pakula
Feat. Albert Finney, Matthew Modine; Two delinquents attempt to rob a gangster, but tables turn to a point where he becomes their friend and mentor. Powerhouse drama.
Out on a Limb (1987): Dir. Robert Butler
Feat. Shirley Maclaine, Charles Dance, Anne Jackson…; Unusual docudrama that follows the epic journey of self–discovery of actress Shirley MacLaine, as she travels the world in search of…
Pelle the Conqueror (1987): Dir. Bille August
Feat. Max von Sydow; Swedish widower Max Von Sydow emigrates in the 19th century to Denmark with his son, where they struggle against injustice and poverty. Won an Oscar…
Perfect Spy, A (1987): Dir. Peter Smith
Feat. Peter Egan, Ray McAnally, Peggy Ashcroft…; Peter Egan is Magnus Pyum, a spy so perfect he has come to betray everyone he knows, including himself. A superbly realised Beeb version of John Le…
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.…
Prick Up Your Ears (1987): Dir. Stephen Frears
Feat. Gary Oldman; Gary Oldman portrays Joe Orton, the infamous gay playwright whose scandalous personal life ended at the bloodied hand of his jealous lover. The title…
Radio Days (1987): Dir. Woody Allen
Feat. Woody Allen, Mia Farrow, Julie Kavner; Woody Allen revisits his childhood days in the golden era of radio.
Room Upstairs, The (1987): Dir. Stuart Margolin
Feat. Stockard Channing, Sarah Jessica Parker, Sam Waterston…; The life of a lonely and isolated woman is transformed when she turns her childhood home into a boarding house filled with eclectic characters.
Russkies (1987): Dir. Rick Rosenthal
Feat. Whip Hubley, Joaquin Phoenix, Peter Billingsley; Cold–War adventure story in which Danny (JOAQUIN PHOENIX in one of his earliest roles) and his friends discover a Russian sailor hiding in some…
Sammy and Rosie Get Laid (1987): Dir. Stephen Frears
Feat. Shashi Kapoor, Frances Barber, Claire Bloom; Against a backdrop of London's riot–torn streets, Sammy and Rosie conduct an open relationship while his disturbed father, an exiled Indian…
Scoop (1987): Dir. Gavin Millar
Feat. Denholm Elliott, Sir Michael Hordern, Herbert Lom; Satirical drama based on the 1938 novel of the same name by Evelyn Waugh. Set in the world of journalism, where an inexperienced reporter is sent to…
September (1987): Dir. Woody Allen
Feat. Denholm Elliott, Dianne Wiest, Mia Farrow; A weekend gathering of friends proves to be an emotionally taxing experience when true feelings are gradually exposed. An under–rated serious…
Shy People (1987): Dir. Andrei Konchalovsky
Feat. Jill Clayburgh, Barbara Hershey, Martha Plimpton; Manhattanite Jill Clayburgh ventures into the Florida everglades to discover her family roots.
Sicilian, The (1987): Dir. Michael Cimino
Feat. Christopher Lambert, Terence Stamp, Joss Ackland…; Still reeling from the box office catastrophe of HEAVEN'S GATE, Michael Cimino turned his attention to this Mario Puzo–scripted saga about an…
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…
Sur (1987): Dir. Fernando Solanas
Feat. Susu Pecoraro, Miguel Angel Sola, Philippe Leotard; A political prisoner, freed after five years, confronts his haunting past and alien present before reconciling with his wife. Deeply personal,…
T. Dan Smith (1987): Dir. Amber Film Collective; Docu–drama chronicles of events leading to the imprisonment of a maverick Newcastle councillor. Made in collaboration with Smith himself, it…
Tale of Ruby Rose, The (1987): Dir. Roger Scholes
Feat. Chris Haywood, Rod Zuanic, Melita Jurisic…; Australian drama set in the 1920's, following a woman who lives in the wild and remote Tasmanian Highlands, but one day decides to embark on a…
Thirtysomething (TV Series) (1987-1991): Feat. Timothy Busfield, Mel Harris, Peter Horton…; One of the highlights of 1980's television, centering around a group of late thirties baby boomers struggling with adult angst in Philadelphia, is…
Tour of Duty (TV Series) (1987-1988): Feat. Terence Knox, Stephen Caffrey; A much–admired chronicle of U.S. soldiers grappling with combat, friendship, and ethics in Vietnam. One of several popular Vietnam War…
Track 29 (1987): Dir. Nicolas Roeg
Feat. Gary Oldman, Theresa Russell, Christopher Lloyd…; Purporting to be her long–lost son, sleazoid Gary Oldman materialises out of Theresa Russell's alcoholic haze, as husband Christopher Lloyd…
Uncle Tom's Cabin (1987): Dir. Stan Lathan
Feat. Avery Brooks, Phylicia Rashad, Edward Woodward…; Faithful to the classic abolitionist novel this made for cable adaptation garnered considerable acclaim for Avery Brooks' performance.
Under the Sun of Satan (Soues Le Soleil De Satan) (1987): Dir. Maurice Pialat
Feat. Gerard Depardieu, Sandrine Bonnaire, Maurice Pialat…; Both booed and awarded the top prize at Cannes Film Festival, Pialat's visionary film exemplifies the director's style and his thematic preoccupation…
Wall Street (1987): Dir. Oliver Stone
Feat. Michael Douglas, Charlie Sheen, Daryl Hannah…; Quintessential 1980s drama is a compelling morality tale with Michael Douglas in an Oscar–winning turn as a carnivorous corporate raider.…
Weeds (1987): Dir. John Hancock
Feat. Nick Nolte; Fact–based story of a San Quentin prisoner who is relieved of his life term to pursue his talent for play–writing.
Whales of August, The (1987): Dir. Lindsay Anderson
Feat. Bette Davis, Lillian Gish, Vincent Price; A gently homespun slice of life in one's final years, with the joyous presence of late cinema icons Bette Davis, Lillian Gish and Vincent Price.
White Mischief (1987): Dir. Michael Radford
Feat. Greta Scacchi, Charles Dance, Sarah Miles…; Popular tale of drugs, decadence, wife–swapping and murder–mystery in colonial Kenya, with an attractive cast.
Wings of Desire (1987): Dir. Wim Wenders
Feat. Bruno Ganz, Solveig Dommartin, Otto Sander…; Wenders ambitious and hypnotic film centres around two angels who can listen into human thought in pre–unified Berlin. This rich and surreal…
Winter Tan, A (1987): Dir. Jackie Burroughs, Louise Clark, John Frizzell
Feat. Jackie Burroughs; Based on the late Maryse Holder's raw, confessional letters from Mexico, Jackie Burroughs brilliantly interprets this woman who "took a holiday from…
Wish You Were Here (1987): Dir. David Leland
Feat. Emily Lloyd; The formative years of Cynthia Payne, Britain's most famous Madam, are depicted here with an exuberant Emily Lloyd in her debut role. Often…
Wolf at the Door, The (1987): Dir. Henning Carlsen
Feat. Donald Sutherland, Max von Sydow; Thoughtful biopic of painter Paul Gauguin’s middle–years, with Donald Sutherland contending with the philistines of Paris upon his return…
Year My Voice Broke, The (1987): Dir. John Duigan
Feat. Noah Taylor, Ben Mendelsohn; Scrawny yet sensitive adolescent Noah Taylor can only watch as brazen older mate Ben Mendelsohn courts his dream–girl in '60s rural Australia.…
Yeelen (Brightness) (1987): Dir. Souleymane Cisse; One the few internationally–seen films from the African continent, this myth–like narrative concerns a young man of the Bambara culture…
9 1/2 Weeks (1986): Dir. Adrian Lyne
Feat. Mickey Rourke, Kim Basinger; See Mickey Rourke and Kim Basinger at the peak of their self–obsessed careers in this sleazy but not unenjoyable romp through the dark side of…
About Last Night (1986): Dir. Edward Zwick
Feat. Demi Moore, Rob Lowe, James Belushi…; Hollywood adaptation of David Mamet's play "Sexual Perversity in Chicago".
Arriving Tuesday (1986): Dir. Richard Riddiford
Feat. Judy McIntosh, Peter Hayden; An estranged couple try to rekindle their romance by taking a holiday which only seems to make matters worse. A poignant love story.
Bashu, The Little Stranger (1986): Dir. Bahram Beizai
Feat. Susan Taslimi, Parvis Pourhosseini, Adrian Afravian; Compassionate film follows the plight of a 10–year–old boy whose raided Iranian village forced him to take contentious refuge. Certain to…
Best 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…
Betty Blue (1986): Dir. Jean-Jacques Beineix
Feat. Beatrice Dalle, Jean-Hugues Anglade; Beatrice Dalle stars as the ultra crazy and ultra sexy Betty in this lusty, over–the–top drama as only the French aspire to create.…
Cactus (1986): Dir. Paul Cox
Feat. Isabelle Huppert, Norman Kaye; Challenging and intriguing drama from dir. Paul Cox, about a French woman (Isabelle Huppert) having an uneasy vacation in Australia.
Caravaggio (1986): Dir. Derek Jarman
Feat. Noam Almaz, Dawn Archibald, Sean Bean; A stylised, impressionistic biopic of the controversial bisexual artist from the Italian renaissance. The film is similarly cryptic, bold and…
Children of a Lesser God (1986): Dir. Randa Haines
Feat. William Hurt, Marlee Matlin, Piper Laurie; Powerful drama in which teacher–for–the–deaf William Hurt falls in love with Marlee Matlin.
Clan of the Cave Bear, The (1986): Dir. Michael Chapman
Feat. Daryl Hannah, Pamela Reed; In the Cro–Magnon age when homosapiens shared the earth with an earlier species of man, Darryl Hannah gets adopted by a clan of Neanderthals,…
Color of Money, The (1986): Dir. Martin Scorsese
Feat. Tom Cruise, Paul Newman, Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio…; 25 years on from the THE HUSTLER, Paul Newman is the tainted ex–pool shark who passes his baton on to rookie Tom Cruise. Unremarkable Scorsese,…
Comrades (1986): Dir. Bill Douglas
Feat. Keith Allen, Dave Atkins; A compelling epic exposing the hypocrisy and inequality facing the Tolpuddle Martyrs, the 1830s Dorset farmers who were deported to Australia after…
Crimes 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…
Crossroads (1986): Dir. Walter Hill
Feat. Ralph Macchio, Jami Gertz, Joe Seneca…; Great Ry Cooder music peps this light drama in which Ralph Macchio seeks lost blues tunes in the Deep South.
Decline of the American Empire (1986): Dir. Denys Arcand
Feat. Pierre Curzi, Remy Girard, Yves Jacques…; An astute and devastatingly frank expose of the sexes from the director of JESUS OF MONTREAL, that alternately eavesdrops on the separate gatherings…
Desert Bloom (1986): Dir. Eugene Corr
Feat. Ellen Barkin, Jon Voight; In 1951 Nevada, a 13–year–old girl becomes the victim of domestic turbulence and the ignorance of nuclear testing on their back…
Edge of Darkness (TV Mini-series) (1986): Dir. Martin Campbell
Feat. Bob Peck, Joe Don Baker, Joanne Whalley…; Multi award–winning suspense drama journeys into the secret, high–stakes world of the nuclear state. This is television at its most…
Extremities (1986): Dir. Robert M. Young
Feat. Farrah Fawcett, James Russo, Diana Scarwid…; Notoriously violent drama concerns a rape–victim who turns the tables on her attacker when he returns to torment her. Something of a 'cause…
Falklands Collection, The (The Falklands Play, Tumbledown) (1986): Dir. Michael Samuels
Feat. Patricia Hodge, Colin Firth; A collection of two BBC dramas focused around the controversial Falklands Campaign of 1982 during Margaret Thatcher's reign. The Falklands Play:…
Fringe Dwellers, The (1986): Dir. Bruce Beresford
Feat. Donald McAlpine, Ernie Dingo; Quietly dramatic race drama, has an Aboriginal woman move into the mainstream white suburbs with her mother, but finds her extended family have…
Good Morning, Babylon (1986): Dir. Paolo Taviani, Vittorio Taviani
Feat. Vincent Spano, Joaquim De Almeida, Greta Scacchi; Two artisan Italian brothers seek their fortune in America and wind up sculpting for D.W. Griffith on the set of INTOLERANCE. An elegant tribute to…
Green Ray, The (Summer) (1986): Dir. Eric Rohmer
Feat. Marie Riviere, Lisa Heredia, Beatrice Romand…; Exemplary Rohmer material, this bittersweet story follows a reserved young woman on her Riviera holiday, who must assert herself if she is to find…
Hannah and Her Sisters (1986): 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.
Heartburn (1986): Dir. Mike Nichols
Feat. Meryl Streep, Jack Nicholson; Meryl Streep and Jack Nicholson undergo some engaging marital strife.
Hoosiers (1986): Dir. David Anspaugh
Feat. Gene Hackman, Dennis Hopper, Barbara Hershey; Superior sports drama, with Hackman coaching a high–school basketball team out of their slump. Feelgood message is combined with a bit of…
Horse Thief, The (Dao ma zei) (1986): Dir. Tian Zhuangzhuang
Feat. Daiba, Rigzin Tseshang, Jiji Dan; Chinese drama from director director Tian Zhuangzhuang (THE BLUE KITE), once again bravely describing the struggles of Chinese ethnic minorities.…
Insurance Man, The (1986): Dir. Richard Eyre
Feat. Daniel Day-Lewis, Robert Hines, Geoffrey Palmer…; A fascinating BBC production of Alan Bennett's screenplay about the one–and–only Franz Kafka, who is trapped in his own infernal…
Jean De Florette (1986): Dir. Claude Berri
Feat. Yves Montand, Gerard Depardieu, Daniel Auteuil; A modern classic of love, greed and revenge set against the beauty of 1920s French Provence, superbly performed by three of France's biggest…
Kangaroo (1986): Dir. Tim Burstall
Feat. Judy Davis, Colin Friels; Thinly veiled autobiographical account of novelist D.H. Lawrence features Colin Friels as 'a British writer' in Australia who gets unintentionally…
Leading Edge, The (1986): Dir. Michael Firth
Feat. Billy T. James; Adventure docu–drama that's little more than an excuse to show off some wonderful South Island scenery and awesome ski theatrics. Billy T.…
Life and Loves of a She-Devil, The (1986): Dir. Philip Saville
Feat. Julie T Wallace, Dennis Waterman, Patricia Hodge…; Splendidly ripe BBC adaptation of Fay Weldon's quasi–feminist satire in which a housewife (Wallace) discovers her husband's (Waterman)…
London's Burning (TV Series) (1986-1988): This long running drama series was developed from a feature length telemovie which focused on the lives of the Blue Watch firefighters in London's…
Lord Mountbatten - The Last Viceroy (TV Mini-series) (1986): Dir. Tom Clegg
Feat. Nicol Williamson, Janet Suzman, Nigel Davenport…; Epic mini–series tracing the life and influence of 'Lord Mountbatten' choosing to focus on the final days of the Indian British Empire and his…
Man and A Woman: 20 Years Later, A (1986): Dir. Claude Lelouch
Feat. Anouk Aimee, Jean-Louis Trintignant, Richard Berry; Worthy follow–up to Lelouch's seminal 60's romantic drama benefits from appealing performances by it's two leads.
Manon Des Sources (1986): Dir. Claude Berri
Feat. Yves Montand, Emmanuelle Beart, Daniel Auteuil; Indispensible sequel to JEAN DE FLORETTE concludes Marcel Pagnol's story of innocence, greed, envy and revenge in 1920s Provence. At the time the…
Mauvais Sang (The Night Is Young) (1986): Dir. Leos Carax
Feat. Michel Piccoli, Denis Lavant, Juliette Binoche; A street–punk joins a gang of hoods intent on stealing a top–secret serum, but complications prevail. Romantic thriller contains…
Melo (1986): Dir. Alain Resnais
Feat. Sabine Azema, Fanny Ardant, Pierre Arditi…; New Wave dir. Resnais explores unusually restrained, linear territory in this bittersweet melodrama centered around a love triangle between longtime…
Mission, The (1986): Dir. Roland Joffe
Feat. Jeremy Irons, Robert De Niro, Liam Neeson; Jeremy Irons plays a Jesuit missionary in the jungles of 18th Century Brazil. Robert De Niro is his agressive adversary who gradually comes to seek…
Mona Lisa (1986): Dir. Neil Jordan
Feat. Bob Hoskins, Michael Caine; Gritty British crime thriller, with Bob Hoskins in great form as a crim fresh out of prison.
Monocled Mutineer, The (TV Mini-series) (1986): Dir. Jim O'Brien
Feat. Paul McGann, Robert Fellows; A four–part BBC historical drama depicting the life of Private Percy Toplis, who supposedly led a British army mutiny against training officers…
Nothing 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…
Paradise Postponed (TV Series) (1986): Feat. Sir Michael Hordern, Richard Vernon, Peter Egan…; Ambitious series following various characters in a small British village across three post–war decades. Written by John Mortimer, who adapted…
Parting Glances (1986): 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 Blues (1986): 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…
Peter the Great (TV Mini-Series) (1986): Feat. Maximilian Schell, Vanessa Redgrave, Omar Sharif…; Emmy Award–winning mini–series about Peter I, Tsar of Russia from 1682, and his efforts to transform Russia in an "all European" country,…
Queen City Rocker (1986): Dir. Bruce Morrison
Feat. Matthew Hunter, William Edwardson, Sarah Douglas; Four days in the life of a young Auckland punk looking to escape the treadmill of violence and crime.
Round Midnight (1986): Dir. Bertrand Tavernier
Feat. Dexter Gordon, Francois Cluzet; In 1950s Paris, a decadent American saxophonist develops a friendship with an appreciative French fan who shows him the virtues of clean living. A…
Sacrifice, The (1986): Dir. Andrei Tarkovsky
Feat. Erland Josephson, Susan Fleetwood, Allan Edward; Tarkovsky's final film is this harrowing tale of a man who vows to sacrifice all that he is in order for the world to avoid the apocalypse. Further…
Second Serve (1986): Dir. Anthony Page
Feat. Vanessa Redgrave, Louise Fletcher, Martin Balsam; Vanessa Redgrave gives a remarkable performance in this TV–movie true–story as a transexual…
Seize the Day (1986): Dir. Fielder Cook
Feat. Robin Williams, Joseph Wiseman, Jerry Stiller…; Under–valued drama, whose title ironically represents the quest of 40–something 'loser' Robin Williams to find some form of redemption…
Sid and Nancy (1986): Dir. Alex Cox
Feat. Gary Oldman, Chloe Webb; Pretty grim portrait of the life and times of Sex Pistol Sid Vicious and his girlfriend. Both are stunningly personified by Gary Oldman and Chloe…
Singing Detective, The (TV Series) (1986): 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 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 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…
Therese (1986): Dir. Alain Cavalier
Feat. Catherine Mouchet, Aurore Prieto, Sylvie Habault…; Brooding realisation of the diaries of a convent girl who achieved sainthood. The meticulous, stylised treatment offers an experience akin to…
Travelling North (1986): Dir. Carl Schultz
Feat. Leo McKern, Julia Blake; Screen adaptation of David Williamson's play about a cantankerous retiree who finds love at last, but then discovers his imminent mortality.
Umbrella Woman, The (1986): Dir. Ken Cameron
Feat. Rachel Ward, Sam Neill, Bryan Brown; Smalltown adultery in 30s Australia, with Rachel Ward and Sam Neill.
Windrider (1986): Dir. Vincent Monton
Feat. Nicole Kidman, Tom Burlinson; A fresh–faced Nicole Kidman ditches her BMX Bandits for a buff windsurfer in this breezy teen romance.
Working Girls (1986): Dir. Lizzie Borden
Feat. Louise Smith, Deborah Banks; A frankly realistic, 'fly–on–the–wall' insight into the daily lives of women working in a high–class New York brothel.…
Youngblood (1986): Dir. Peter Markle
Feat. Rob Lowe, Cynthia Gibb, Ed Lauter…; Brat–packer Rob Lowe stars as a pro–hockey hopeful toughing it out during a stay in a Canadian minor hockey town, while engaging in a…
A Chorus Line (1985): Dir. Richard Attenborough
Feat. Michael Douglas; Michael Douglas plays the cantankerous Broadway director in Sir Richard Attenborough's perfunctory adaptation of the highly successful stage musical.…
Agnes of God (1985): Dir. Norman Jewison
Feat. Jane Fonda, Meg Tilly, Anne Bancroft; Jane Fonda investigates, in this intriguing murder–mystery set in a nunnery.
Alamo Bay (1985): Dir. Louis Malle
Feat. Amy Madigan, Ed Harris; Gulf–coast fisherman clash with Vietnamese boat–people. Ry Cooder soundtrack.
Alfred Hitchcock Presents… (1985): Dir. Various
Feat. Ned Beatty, John Huston, Steven Bauer…; Four episodes from the TV–series, posthumously endorsed by Hitch, which replicate his blend of suspense, macabre humour and brutal…
American Flyers (1985): Dir. John Badham
Feat. Kevin Costner, Rae Dawn Chong, David Marshall Grant…; Cross–country cycle drama about a couple of brothers striving to complete a race across the Rocky Mountains by summoning all their physical and…
An Indecent Obsession (1985): Dir. Les Marinos
Feat. Wendy Hughes, Bruno Lawrence, Gary Sweet…; Set in a humid Asiatic mental hospital after the Japanese surrender in WW2, this moderately torrid psychodrama features a devout nun (Hughes) develop…
ANZACS (TV Series) (1985): Dir. John Dixon, George Miller, Pino Amenta
Feat. Paul Hogan, Andrew Clarke, Jon Blake…; An exemplary depiction of a group of ANZAC soldiers in WWI as they progress through the horrors of the war in Europe. Told mainly from the Australian…
Assam Garden, The (1985): Dir. Mary McMurray
Feat. Deborah Kerr; Gently paced drama finds Deborah Kerr tending her late husband's garden.
At Close Range (1985): Dir. James Foley
Feat. Sean Penn, Christopher Walken; Sean Penn plays a wayward youth who reunites with his gangland father (Christopher Walken) with violent consequences. Sordid yet solid drama.
Aviator, The (1985): Dir. George Miller
Feat. Christopher Reeve, Rosanna Arquette, Jack Warden…; Earnest aviation drama about a 1920's mail pilot and a rich man's daughter who crash–land on a mountain full of hungry wolves. Based on the…
Beethoven's Nephew (1985): Dir. Paul Morrissey
Feat. Wolfgang Reichmann, Dietmar Prinz, Nathalie Baye…; Thoughtful story of the destructively possessive relationship between Ludwig Von Beethoven and his nephew, leading to humiliation and tragedy.…
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…
Bliss (1985): Dir. Ray Lawrence
Feat. Barry Otto; Peter Carey's cult novel maintains its distinctive off–beat flavour in this screen adaptation, about a middle–aged ad–man who…
Boys Next Door, The (1985): Dir. Penelope Spheeris
Feat. Charlie Sheen, Maxwell Caulfield; Early feature film by celebrated underground film maker Penelope Spheeris (DECLINE OF WESTERN CIVILISATION), with Charlie Sheen Maxwell Caulfield…
Colonel Redl (1985): Dir. Istvan Szabo
Feat. Klaus Maria Brandauer; Klaus Maria Brandauer offers another tour–de–force performance for the second in Szabo's WW2 trilogy (between MEPHISTO and HANUSSEN)…
Color Purple, The (The Colour Purple) (1985): Dir. Steven Spielberg
Feat. Whoopi Goldberg, Oprah Winfrey, Danny Glover…; Striking interpretation of Alice Walker's novel about a black girl's life and hard times in the South, spanning forty years. Whoopi Goldberg's screen…
Come and See (1985): Dir. Elim Klimov
Feat. Aleksei Kravchenko, Olga Mironova, Liubomiras Lauciavicius; Shattering film that chronicles the devastating effect the Nazi occupation had on Russian peasantry, focusing on one impoverished youth. The brutal…
Come Back to the Five and Dime, Jimmy Dean (Come Back to the 5 & Dime Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean) (1985): Dir. Robert Altman
Feat. Sandy Dennis, Cher, Karen Black; The repressed anxieties and memories of five women are triggered when they congregate to celebrate their childhood hero, James Dean. Stunningly…
Coming Through (1985): Dir. Peter Barber-Fleming
Feat. Kenneth Branagh, Helen Mirren, Alison Steadman; D.H. Lawrence's love affair with the married Frieda Von Richthofen is entwined with the life of a man in the present day who is obsessed with the…
Crazy for You (Vision Quest) (1985): Dir. Harold Becker
Feat. Matthew Modine, Linda Fiorentino; A high school wrestler in Spokane, Washington has trouble focusing on his training regimen when a worldly drifter takes up temporary residence at his…
Dance with a Stranger (1985): Dir. Mike Newell
Feat. Miranda Richardson, Rupert Everett; A considered and compelling account of the final years of Ruth Ellis, the last woman in Britain to be hanged by the state, featuring a mesmerizing…
Death of a Salesman (1985): Dir. Volker Schlondorff
Feat. Dustin Hoffman, John Malkovich, Charles Durning; An excellent adaptation of Arthur Miller’s most famous play, with Dustin Hoffman bringing pathos, seediness and tragedy to the central…
Desert Hearts (1985): Dir. Donna Deitch
Feat. Helen Shaver, Patricia Charbonneau; '50s Nevada provides the backdrop for a freindship between two women that develops in a love affair. Provocative yet dignified drama is well served…
Detective, The (1985): Dir. Jean-Luc Godard
Feat. Claude Brasseur, Nathalie Baye, Johnny Hallyday…; Late, vague genre piece mismatches big name French stars (Baye, Leaud, and a young Julie Delpy) and trench coat chic with Godard’s newfound…
Dunera Boys, The (Mini-series) (1985): Dir. Ben Lewin
Feat. Bob Hoskins, Warren Mitchell, Julia Blake; WW2 set mini–series following a group of suspected Jewish spies sent from England to a POW camp in NSW, Australia. Nicely balanced historical…
Echo 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,…
Eleni (1985): Dir. Peter Yates
Feat. John Malkovich, Kate Nelligan, Linda Hunt; John Malkovich plays a U.S. reporter in Greece trying to find the long–lost truth about his mother's political execution.
Equalizer, The (TV Series) (1985-1989): Feat. Edward Woodward, Keith Szarabajka; Classic '80's show noted for its mix of espionage, crime drama, and the private eye genres rolled into a classy film noir package. Woodward excels…
Falcon and the Snowman (1985): Dir. John Schlesinger
Feat. Sean Penn, Timothy Hutton; A composed intellectual convinces his wayward friend to sell federal secrets to the Russians. Stunning political drama featuring a stand–out…
Fandango (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…
Fool for Love (1985): Dir. Robert Altman
Feat. Sam Shepard, Kim Basinger, Harry Dean Stanton…; One of dir. Altman's ambitious stageplay adaptations, this largely succeeds in bringing Sam Shepard's brand of 'surreal Americana' to life. This…
Fortunate Life, A (Mini-series) (1985): Feat. Dominic Sweeney; At the turn of the 20th century, a motherless child faces hard labour, the trauma of Gallipoli, and the unforgiving outback in this life affirming…
Fran (1985): Dir. Glenda Hambly
Feat. Noni Hazlehurst, Annie Byron, Alan Fletcher; Fran is a single mother devoted to her children, but when she becomes romantically involved with Jeff, she abandons them for a holiday with her new…
Great Wall, A (The Great Wall is A Great Wall) (1985): Dir. Peter Wang
Feat. Peter Wang, Sharon Iwai, Kelvin Han Yee; The first American film to be shot in China follows a Chinese–American computer executive (the director) and his family to Peking where they…
Hail Mary (1985): Dir. Jean-Luc Godard
Feat. Myriem Roussel, Thierry Rode, Juliette Binoche; Controversial and ultimately reverent update on the story of the immaculate conception, with Mary as a gas station attendant and Joseph as her cab…
Heart of the Dragon (Long de xin) (1985): Dir. Sammo Hung, Fruit Chan
Feat. Jackie Chan, Sammo Hung, Emily Chu; Uncharacteristically serious Chan–Hung drama follows police detective Chan's difficulties in caring for his mentally disabled, child–like…
Hour of the Star (1985): Dir. Suzana Amaral
Feat. Marcelia Cartaxo, Jose Dumont, Tamara Taxman…; Distinctive Brazilian drama following the life of an impoverished, orphaned young girl who moves to Rio de Janeiro to take a job as a typist after…
Insignificance (1985): Dir. Nicolas Roeg
Feat. Gary Busey, Tony Curtis, Theresa Russell; Curious chamber piece intriguingly posits Joe DiMaggio, Marilyn Monroe, Joseph McCarthy and Albert Einstein as characters who meet in a hotel room in…
Journey of Natty Gann, The (1985): Dir. Jeremy Kagan
Feat. John Cusack, Meredith Salenger, Ray Wise…; Lowkey and rich in atmosphere, this superior Disney feature crosses Depression–era America with a young runaway, who forms an unlikely bond…
Kane And Abel (Mini-series) (1985): Dir. Buzz Kulik
Feat. Sam Neill, Peter Strauss, Ron Silver; Based on the epic best selling novel by Jeffrey Archer, about two ambitious men born on the same day on either side of the Atlantic, one to a…
Kiss of the Spider Woman (1985): Dir. Hector Babenco
Feat. Raul Julia, William Hurt; Evocative drama posits a political activist and a gay window dresser in a South American prison cell, where fantasy becomes their only tool for…
Lady Jane (1985): Dir. Trevor Nunn
Feat. Helena Bonham Carter; Helena Bonham–Carter leads a Royal Shakespeare Co. cast for this historical pageant about the shortest reigning British monarch.
Lamb (1985): Dir. Colin Gregg
Feat. Liam Neeson, Harry Towb; Catholic Brother Liam Neeson clashes with Irish traditions as he takes a 10–year–old epileptic boy into his care in this sombre yet…
Leave All Fair (1985): Dir. John Reid
Feat. John Gielgud, Jane Birkin; A rewarding drama set among the memories of John Middleton Murray (John Gielgud), husband of NZ writer Katherine Mansfield (Jane Birkin). Well worth…
Legend of Billie Jean, The (1985): 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…
Lost Tribe, The (1985): Dir. John Laing
Feat. John Bach, Darien Takle, Martyn Sanderson…; John Bach's performance is the highlight of this mysterious drama in which he plays a man suspected of murdering his anthropologist brother who has…
Mala Noche (1985): Dir. Gus Van Sant; Low–budget granular drama and the first film made by the eclectic Mr Van Sant near the start of his influential career.It tells the tale of a…
Mask (1985): Dir. Peter Bogdanovich
Feat. Eric Stoltz, Cher, Sam Elliott; Highly watchable tearjerker skillfully steers a facially–deformed teenager through the trials of adolescence, dodging most of the cliches and…
Me and the Girls / Bon Voyage / Mr. and Mrs. Edgehill (The Noel Coward Collection - Disc 6) (1985): Dir. Jack Gold, Gavin Millar
Feat. Tom Courtenay, Robert Glenister, Nigel Havers…; – Me and the Girls (85') Touching drama centred on a terminally ill gay man reminiscing on his past life performing and managing a dance…
Mesmerized (1985): Dir. Michael Laughlin
Feat. Jodie Foster, John Lithgow, Michael Murphy…; Jodie Foster plays a young woman in colonial NZ who flees an orphanage but finds herself trapped in an arranged marriage to a much older business man…
Mishima - A Life in Four Chapters (1985): Dir. Paul Schrader
Feat. Ken Ogata; Fascinating study of the controversial Japanese author/militarist whose desire to merge life and art led to his ritualistic suicide. A luminous…
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…
Mussolini - The Untold Story (1985): Dir. William A. Graham
Feat. George C. Scott, Gabriel Byrne, Robert Downey Jnr.…; Based on the memoirs of his eldest son this memorable mini–series begins with Mussolini's rise to power in 1922 and follows his political and…
Mussolini and I (1985): Dir. Alberto Negrin
Feat. Bob Hoskins, Anthony Hopkins, Susan Sarandon…; The last days of Il Duce as embodied by Bob Hoskins in this strong Italian miniseries.
My Beautiful Laundrette (1985): Dir. Stephen Frears
Feat. Daniel Day-Lewis; First and best Hanif Kureishi comedy (so far), explores race and sex prejudices in the London EastEnd.
My Life As a Dog (1985): Dir. Lasse Hallstrom
Feat. Arnold Alfredsson, Ing-Marie Carlsson, Ralph Carlsson; A young boy is taken away from his ill mother to a rural village where he confronts the likes of death, soccer, guilt and his first love. Ultimately…
Naked Country, The (1985): Dir. Tim Burstall
Feat. John Stanton, Tommy Lewis, Rebecca Gilling; Confrontational outback western pits a gritty Queensland rancher against an antagonised tribe of aborigines in 50s Australia.
No End (Bez konca) (1985): Dir. Krzysztof Kieslowski
Feat. Grazyna Szapolowska; Bleak but powerful drama about life under martial law in early–1980s Poland, centred around the consequences that follow the death of an…
North and South (TV Series) (1985): Dir. Richard T. Heffron
Feat. Patrick Swayze, James Read, Kirstie Alley…; Heavyweight Civil War tome starring Patrick Swayze and James Read as young men caught up in the winds of American revolution, conflict and…
Official Story, The (1985): Dir. Luis Puenzo
Feat. Hector Alterio, Norma Aleandro, Chunchuna Villafane; The heart–wrenching official story of a woman who discovers her adopted daughter was stolen at birth by the then military dictatorship. This…
Oliver Twist (Mini-series) (1985): Dir. Gareth Davies
Feat. Robert Middlemass, Lysette Anthony, Michael Attwell…; Quality BBC adaptation of the beloved Dickens story starring Ben Rodska as the eponymous orphan, ably supported by older British thespian brass.
Out of Africa (1985): Dir. Sydney Pollack
Feat. Meryl Streep, Robert Redford; Epic, elegant retelling of Karen Blixen's African memoirs. Winner of seven Oscars including Best Picture.
Perfect (1985): Dir. James Bridges
Feat. John Travolta, Jamie Lee Curtis; John Travolta and Jamie Lee Curtis get physical in this under–rated slice of 80s sizzle: he plays a Rolling Stone journalist investigating the…
Pickwick Papers, The (Mini-series) (1985): Feat. Nigel Stock, Clive Swift, Ray Brooks…; BBC televison production stars Nigel Stock as the titular Mr Samuel Pickwick who – with his pals Nathaniel Winkle, Augustus Snodgrass, and…
Plenty (1985): Dir. Fred Schepisi
Feat. Meryl Streep, John Gielgud, Sam Neill…; Meryl Streep plays a hero of WWII, who finds the rest of her life an anticlimax.
Ran (1985): Dir. Akira Kurosawa
Feat. Tatsuya Nakadai; The title translates to 'chaos'; it is Kurosawa's vast and bloody interpretation of Shakespeare's King Lear. Grandiose in every sense – a…
Revolution (1985): Dir. Hugh Hudson
Feat. Al Pacino, Donald Sutherland, Nastassja Kinski…; Disastrous epic with Pacino almost committing career suicide as a fur trapper caught in the upheaval of the American Revolution. Some handsome…
Room with a View, A (1985): Dir. James Ivory
Feat. Helena Bonham Carter, Daniel Day-Lewis, Denholm Elliott…; Arguably the pinnacle achievement of the Merchant–Ivory partnership, this light–toned but nuanced adaptation of E. M. Forster's novel…
Sacred Hearts (1985): Dir. Barbara Rennie
Feat. Anna Massey; Earnest drama set in a repressive convent (run by Anna Massey) during the Blitz.
Seacoal (1985): Dir. Amber Film Collective; The first feature from the Tyneside film community who mix drama and 'real life' to tell their own stories. This film focuses on the plight of…
Should I Be Good or Should I Be Evil? (1985): Dir. Graham McLean
Feat. Beaver , Harry Lyon; Musos Beaver and Harry Lyon from Hello Sailor have a bash at acting in a story based on the Mr Asia drug–ring. Music by Hammond Gamble.
Silas Marner (The Weaver of Raveloe) (1985): Dir. Giles Foster
Feat. Ben Kingsley, Jenny Agutter, Jim Broadbent…; Excellent adaptation of the George Elliot classic, with Kingsley superb as the weaver who wrongfully accused of theft who withdraws from society only…
Smooth Talk (1985): Dir. Joyce Chopra
Feat. Laura Dern, Treat Williams, Mary Kay Place…; Poignant yet sinister coming–of–age tale chronicles a young girl's sexual awakening and the attention she attracts from a mysterious…
Steaming (1985): Dir. Joseph Losey
Feat. Vanessa Redgrave, Sarah Miles, Brenda Bruce…; A low–rent London bathhouse is the setting for six women’s weekly get–togethers, in this adaptation of Neil Dunn’s stageplay. Often…
Summer Lovers (1985): Dir. Randal Kleiser
Feat. Peter Gallagher, Daryl Hannah, Valerie Quennessen…; Daffy drama set on a Greek isle with Gallagher and Hannah as a holidaying couple, trouble ensues when Gallagher meets a sexy archaeologist.
Sweet Dreams (1985): Dir. Carol Rice
Feat. Jessica Lange, Ed Harris, Ann Wedgeworth…; Sterling biopic of country singer Patsy Cline.
Sylvia (1985): Dir. Michael Firth
Feat. Eleanor David; Eleanor David plays Sylvia Ashton–Warner, educational cruasader and best–selling author in the 1940s.
That Was Then, This Is Now (1985): Dir. Christopher Cain
Feat. Emilio Estevez, Craig Sheffer; Emilio Estevez plays juvenile delinquent, in this version of the S E Hinton book.
Trip to Bountiful, The (1985): Dir. Peter Masterson
Feat. Geraldine Page, Rebecca De Mornay, John Heard; Geraldine Page won an Oscar for her portrait of a widow who finally embarks on one final journey to her Texas birthplace.
Trouble in Mind (1985): Dir. Alan Rudolph
Feat. Kris Kristofferson, Keith Caradine, Lori Singer; Fans of the obscure should enjoy this rollicking film noir. Set in the near future, an ex–convict returns to his favourite cafe to rekindle a…
Tuff Turf (1985): Dir. Fritz Kiersch
Feat. James Spader, Robert Downey Jnr., Claudette Nevins; High school turf wars commence in this posturing 80s melodrama, about a pretty boy (Spader) who takes on a gang of hoodlums in order to win the girl…
Turtle Diary (1985): Dir. John Irvin
Feat. Ben Kingsley, Glenda Jackson; Ben Kingsley and Glenda Jackson seek to liberate giant turtles from London Zoo. Screenplay by Harold Pinter.
Vagabond (1985): Dir. Agnes Varda
Feat. Sandrine Bonnaire; Award–winning drama that artfully presents poetic moments from young vagabond Sandrine Bonnaire’s last month alive, listlessly drifting…
Wallenberg: A Hero's Story (1985): Dir. Lamont Johnson
Feat. Richard Chamberlain, Alice Krige, Kenneth Colley…; The true story of Hungarian diplomat Raoul Wallenberg, who risked his own life manufacturing protective passports for thousands of Jews in exile…
Water (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…
Wetherby (1985): Dir. David Hare
Feat. Vanessa Redgrave, Ian Holm, Judi Dench…; Haunting psychodrama with Vanessa Redgrave and Judi Dench as guests at a dinner party that is overshadowed by a repressed tragedy which threatens to…
When Father Was Away on Business (1985): 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…
White Nights (1985): Dir. Taylor Hackford
Feat. Mikhail Baryshnikov, Gregory Hines, Jerzy Skolimowski…; Baryshnikov and Hines try to dance themselves free from Soviet oppression in this amusing dated thriller. The dance sequences still hold up though.
Zed and Two Noughts, A (1985): Dir. Peter Greenaway
Feat. Andrea Ferreol, Brian Deacon, Eric Deacon…; Enigmatic visual essay centres around a pair of identical twin zoologists and a paraplegic Spanish seductress! A difficult but rewarding film…
1984 (1984): Dir. Michael Radford
Feat. John Hurt, Richard Burton; Adaptation of George Orwell's novel remains faithful to his book and is thus a despairing experience. John Hurt and Richard Burton represent the…
A Soldier's Story (1984): Dir. Norman Jewison
Feat. Howard Jr. Rollins, Adolph Caesar, Art Evans…; In charge of an inquiry into the murder of a black sergeant on an army base in 1944, investigator Howard E Rollins Jnr uncovers a knot of racial…
A Year of the Quiet Sun (1984): Dir. Krzysztof Zanussi
Feat. Maja Komorowska, Scott Wilson; Realistic and poignant drama that depicts the tentative yet soulful romance that blooms between a Polish woman and an American soldier who is…
After The Rehearsal (1984): Dir. Ingmar Bergman
Feat. Erland Josephson, Liv Ullmann, Lena Olin; Television film from Ingmar Bergman, which takes place entirely within a theatre – wherein a veteran director reflects on his career and…
Amadeus (1984): Dir. Milos Forman
Feat. Tom Hulce, F. Murray Abraham; Academy–award winning biopic of Mozart's illustrious but brief existence that spawned much of the greatest music ever written. A humourous yet…
Among the Cinders (1984): Dir. Rolf Haedrich
Feat. Paul O'Shea, Derek Hardwick, Yvonne Lawley; A tender chronicle of a 16–year–old's rite–of–passage who finds first love with an older woman embittered by her experience…
And the Ship Sails On (1984): Dir. Federico Fellini
Feat. Freddie Jones, Barbara Jefford, Victor Poletti; An idyllic odyssey aboard an ocean liner, where celebrated guests who have gathered for the funeral voyage of a great opera star are introduced in…
Annie's Coming Out (A Test of Love) (1984): Dir. Gil Brealey
Feat. Angela Punch McGregor, Drew Forsythe, Liddy Clark…; A therapist learns to communicate with cerebral palsy patient Annie using an alphabet board and comes to believe that although physically disabled,…
Another Country (1984): Dir. Marek Kanievska
Feat. Rupert Everett, Colin Firth, Cary Elwes; An oppressive private schooling has an adverse affect on a couple of young, gay Englishmen in the 1930s, who eventually become spies for the…
BBC Shakespeare Collection: Series 7 (Much Ado About Nothing, Love's Labour's Lost, Pericles: Prince of Tyre, Titus Adronicus) (1984-1985): Dir. Stuart Burge, Elijah Moshinsky, David Giles
Feat. Robert Lindsay, Cherie Lunghi, Leonard Rossiter…; Disc 1: "The Life and Death of King John" (157 Minutes) Directed by David Giles. Starring Leonard Rossiter as King John. Disc 2: "Pericles, Prince…
Beat Street (1984): Dir. Stan Lathan
Feat. Rae Dawn Chong, Guy Davis; Key film in the history of hip–hop culture, this urban musical may show its age and derivation (SATURDAY NIGHT FEVER), but still comprises an…
Bill, The (TV Series) (1984-2006): One of the longest–running TV series in history, this surprisingly realistic drama is set around the comings and goings of the Sun Hill Police…
Birdy (1984): Dir. Alan Parker
Feat. Matthew Modine, Nicolas Cage; Matthew Modine and Nicolas Cage star in this complex yet compelling tale of a disturbed war veteran's descent into believing he is a bird. A bold and…
Bodyline (TV Mini-series) (1984): Feat. Gary Sweet, Hugo Weaving; A classy TV drama which follows the infamous 1932–33 cricket tour of Australia by the English team led by Douglas Jardine (Weaving). The…
Bostonians, The (1984): Dir. James Ivory
Feat. Christopher Reeve, Vanessa Redgrave, Jessica Tandy…; Set in post–Civil War Boston, this slow, though beautifully shot drama is a sturdy version of Henry James' famous novel. Concerning the…
Breakdance - The Movie (Breakin’) (1984): Dir. Joel Silberg
Feat. Lucinda Dickey, Adolfo Quinones, Michael Chambers; The excellent, highly athletic breakdance performances will be the prime value to hiphop enthusiasts in this FLASHDANCE–clone, which now has a…
Breakdance 2 - Electric Boogaloo (Breakin' 2) (1984): Dir. Sam Firstenberg
Feat. Lucinda Dickey, Adolfo Quinones, Michael Chambers; Less–hokey sequel to BREAKDANCE, with a storyline centred on a group of teens and dancers who try to save a community rec–centre from a…
Cal (1984): Dir. Pat O'Connor
Feat. Helen Mirren, John Lynch; A forbidden love develops between a 19–year–old IRA member and the wife of a protestant policemen whom he helped murder. An intelligent…
Camille (1984): Dir. Desmond Davis
Feat. Greta Scacchi, Colin Firth, John Gielgud…; Greta Scacchi and a young Colin Firth play courtesan and lover respectively in this British revival of Alexander Dumas' novel.
Choose Me (1984): Dir. Alan Rudolph
Feat. Genevieve Bujold, Keith Carradine, Lesley-Anne Down; A sultry, out–of–the–ordinary comedy/drama centred around a luminous late–night L.A. bar, this cemented Robert Altman protege…
Comfort 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…
Coolangatta Gold, The (1984): Dir. Igor Auzins
Feat. Joss McWilliam, Nick Tate, Colin Friels…; Fair dinkum sports drama in which a father pushes his son to become a champion of the nascent Iron Man competition on the southern Queensland…
Cotton Club, The (1984): Dir. Francis Ford Coppola
Feat. Richard Gere, Diane Lane, Gregory Hines…; Richard Gere heads the ensemble for Coppola's glossy musical melodrama set in the thick of New York's glitzy gangster culture of the 1930s.
Country (1984): Dir. Richard Pearce
Feat. Jessica Lange, Sam Shepard, Wilford Brimley; Drama following a Midwestern American family during the economic hardship of the 1980's, as they struggle to hold onto their way of life.…
Dim 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.
Element of Crime, The (1984): Dir. Lars Von Trier
Feat. Michael Elphick; A detective’s unconventional methods qualify him for the investigation of child murders in a dark, decaying, post–apocalyptic Germany.…
Falling in Love (1984): Dir. Ulu Grosbard
Feat. Robert De Niro, Meryl Streep; Star–combination of Robert De Niro and Meryl Streep, as train–commuters having an affair which puts a wee glow back into their fairly…
Far Pavilions, The (TV Mini-series) (1984): Dir. Peter Duffell
Feat. Ben Cross, Amy Irving, Christopher Lee…; Lavish period drama based on the epic book by novelist M.M. Kaye, centered around the romance between a young English officer and a beautiful Indian…
Fast Talking (1984): Dir. Ken Cameron
Feat. Rod Zuanic, Steve Bisley; A teenage drug dealer meets an ex–convict junkyard owner who helps him rebuild an old motorbike. Dir. Ken Cameron takes inspiration from…
Footloose (1984): Dir. Herbert Ross
Feat. Kevin Bacon, John Lithgow, Christopher Penn…; Rock'n'roll city kid Kevin Bacon fights for his right to party in the face of small town conservatism in this infectious, under–rated musical…
Four Days in July (1984): Dir. Mike Leigh
Feat. Brid Brennan, Desmond McAleer; A largely apolitical, if not humanist take on Northern Ireland strife, from the viewpoint of two couples and their respective Catholic and Protestant…
Full Moon in Paris (1984): Dir. Eric Rohmer
Feat. Pascale Ogier, Fabrice Luchini, Christian Vadim…; From Rohmer's 'Comedies and Proverbs' series, wit and subtlety is derived from the simplest of plots. This time a headstrong woman's plans backfire…
Garbo Talks (1984): Dir. Sidney Lumet
Feat. Ron Silver, Greta Garbo, Anne Bancroft…; This enchanting film sees Ron Silver attempting to fulfil his dying mother's last request; to meet Greta Garbo. Fine supporting cast.
Give My Regards to Broad Street (1984): Dir. Peter Webb
Feat. Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, Bryan Brown…; A mostly–forgotten oddity in the oeuvre of Beatle–related films. Paul McCartney stars as himself, as over the course of one day he…
Grasp Of Wind, A (1984): Dir. Robert Franken, Russell Campbell
Feat. Neal Gunn; Dutch born New Zealand visual artist Robert Franken's one–and–only directorial effort is a quietly surreal, wordless fable in which a…
Harry and Son (1984): Dir. Paul Newman
Feat. Paul Newman, Robby Benson, Ellen Barkin…; Earnest drama concerning cantankerous working stiff Newman and his struggling author son. Those allergic to overt symbolism may want to give this one…
Heart of the Stag (1984): Dir. Michael Firth
Feat. Terence Cooper, Bruno Lawrence; A harrowing drama that deals frankly yet sensitively with the subject of incest. Terence Cooper plays a brutish farmer whose dreadful secret is soon…
Highway to Heaven (TV Series) (1984): Feat. Michael Landon, Victor French; Feelgood, down–to–earth fantasy series for the whole family, starring Michael Landon (Little House on the Prairie) as a "probational"…
Holy Innocents, The (1984): Dir. Mario Camus
Feat. Alfredo Landa, Terele Pavez, Belen Ballesteros; A soldier returns to his rural croft and recalls his impoverished family's struggle with daily life and unscrupulous landlords. The bitter climate of…
Hotel New Hampshire (1984): Dir. Tony Richardson
Feat. Jodie Foster, Rob Lowe, Nastassja Kinski; Jodie Foster falls in love with brother Rob Lowe. From the John Irving novel.
Iceman (1984): Dir. Fred Schepisi
Feat. Timothy Hutton, Lindsay Crouse, Josef Sommer…; Arctic explorers discover the body of a prehistoric man who is still alive in this enjoyable piece of sci–fi hokum, with John Lone giving a…
Jewel in the Crown, The (TV Mini series) (1984): Dir. Christopher Morahan
Feat. Peggy Ashcroft, Charles Dance, Art Malik…; One of the supreme TV events of the 1980s, this epic adaptation of Paul Scott's novels 'The Raj Quartet' is set in 1930–40s India: the 'jewel…
Kaos (1984): Dir. Paolo Taviani, Vittorio Taviani; Marvellous but rarely seen compendium of four tales (and an epilogue) by Luigi Pirandello set in the parched landscape of Sicily. 'The Other Son'…
Killing Fields, The (1984): Dir. Roland Joffe
Feat. Sam Waterston, Haing S. Ngor, John Malkovich…; Devastating and award–winning account of Pol Pot's regime in Cambodia.
King Lear (1984): Dir. Michael Elliot
Feat. Laurence Olivier; Made for Granada television, this magnificent version stars Laurence Olivier who, in the twilight of his career, gives a riveting performance as the…
King Pin (1984): Dir. Mike Walker
Feat. Nicholas Rogers, Junior Amega, Mitchell Manuel; Polynesian juveniles experience bonding, rivalry and violence at a child welfare training facility. Though budget constraints are evident, it's…
Last Bastion, The (1984): Dir. Chris Thomson
Feat. Bill Hunter, Ray Barrett, Robert Vaughn…; Australia's involvement in World War II is explored from behind closed doors in this dramatisation of the decisions made by politicians and generals…
Legend of the Suram Fortress (1984): Dir. Sergei Paradjanov; Soviet dir. Sergei Paradjanov resumed his filmmaking career after years of exile with this visually rapturous, obscure folk tale. More opaque in…
Love Streams (1984): Dir. John Cassavetes
Feat. John Cassavetes, Gena Rowlands, Seymour Cassel; Rarely–seen film by indie iconoclast John Cassavetes, described by some as he at his self–indugent worst, but praised in other quarters…
Love Unto Death (L'amour à Mort) (1984): Dir. Alain Resnais
Feat. Sabine Azema, Fanny Ardant, Pierre Arditi; Alain Resnais (HIROSHIMA, MON AMOUR) pursues his themes of love and death with this symbolic tale of lovers Simon (Arditi) and Elizabeth (Azema)…
Man of Flowers (1984): Dir. Paul Cox
Feat. Norman Kaye, Alyson Best, Chris Haywood; A wealthy middle–aged bachelor pays a young woman to disrobe for him on call. A sombre, handsomely shot study of an odd character, with touches…
Maria's Lovers (1984): Dir. Andrei Konchalovsky
Feat. Nastassja Kinski, John Savage, Robert Mitchum…; An embittered war veteran (Savage) experiences girl trouble upon returning from Vietnam. With a steamy Nastassja Kinski as the film's obscure object…
Mistral's Daughter (Mini-series) (1984): Feat. Stefanie Powers, Robert Urich, Lee Remick…; Blubbery, melodramatic saga of three generations of women by way of artist Julien Mistral. Based on a novel by Judith Krantz.
Mrs. Soffel (1984): Dir. Gillian Armstrong
Feat. Diane Keaton, Mel Gibson, Matthew Modine…; Sombre though interesting drama set in 1901 Pittsburgh about a woman who helps one of the inmates of her prison warden husband.
Murder, She Wrote (TV Series) (1984-1990): Feat. Angela Lansbury; The archetypal amateur sleuth series, this long–running show starred the indomitable Angela Lansbury as a mystery…
My First Wife (1984): Dir. Paul Cox
Feat. John Hargreaves, Wendy Hughes; A man is devastated when his wife of ten years walks out on him. His experience is achingly realised through an incisive screenplay and virtuoso…
Natural, The (1984): Dir. Barry Levinson
Feat. Robert Redford, Glenn Close, Kim Basinger; The classic novel by Bernard Malamud gets a typical Hollywood going over, with Robert Redford playing a young dreamer who aspires to baseball…
Nineteen Nineteen (1984): Dir. Hugh Brody
Feat. Paul Scofield, Maria Schell; Paul Scofield and Maria Schell are two former patients of Sigmund Freud are brought together 50 years later to assemble fragments of their forgotten…
Other Halves (1984): Dir. John Laing
Feat. Lisa Harrow, Mark Pilisi; An unlikely relationship blossoms between a 32–year–old white woman and a polynesian street–kid half her age.
Paris, Texas (1984): Dir. Wim Wenders
Feat. Harry Dean Stanton, Nastassja Kinski; The German director takes his enigmatic, dilatory style Stateside for this intoxicating work about a mysterious mute loner in search of his missing…
Passage to India, A (1984): Dir. David Lean
Feat. Judy Davis, Victor Banerjee, Peggy Ashcroft…; Judy Davis leads a troupe of perenial British actors in this, the legendary director's final film – an immaculate production of E.M. Forster's…
Places in the Heart (1984): Dir. Robert Benton
Feat. Sally Field, Danny Glover, John Malkovich; Moving period drama with Sally Field's Oscar–winning performance as a widowed cotton–farmer in Depression era Texas.
Pope of Greenwich Village, The (1984): Dir. Stuart Rosenberg
Feat. Eric Roberts, Mickey Rourke; Perennial no–hoper Eric Roberts cons pal Mickey Rourke into a final heist, but stealing from the Mob proves to be a bad idea.…
Puccini (Tony Palmer's Film about Puccini) (1984): Dir. Tony Palmer
Feat. Robert Stephens, Virginia McKenna; TV MOVIE intercuts the story of Puccini's affair with Tony Palmer's real life attempts to stage Puccini's final opera.
Purple Hearts (1984): Dir. Sidney J Furie
Feat. Ken Wahl, Cheryl Ladd, R. Lee Ermey…; Vietnam War set romance with Wahl and Ladd as love struck medics.
Racing with the Moon (1984): Dir. Richard Benjamin
Feat. Sean Penn, Elizabeth McGovern, Nicolas Cage…; A well–observed and resonant drama, about the last few days of boyhood for a couple of inductees into the US Marines in 1942. The cast all…
Razor's Edge, The (1984): Dir. John Byrum
Feat. Bill Murray, Theresa Russell, Denholm Elliott; Bill Murray is in early dramatic mode as a despondent WWI vet. embarking on a spiritual walkabout through India and the Himalayas. Written by…
River, The (1984): Dir. Mark Rydell
Feat. Sissy Spacek, Mel Gibson, Scott Glenn; A handsomely–shot epic set around a struggling Midwest farming couple who must battle the elements and local land barons to survive on their…
Rolf 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…
Runner, The (1984): Dir. Amir Naderi
Feat. Abbas Nazeri, Majid Niroumand, Musa Torkizadeh; On a coastline strewn with the flotsam of the Arabian Gulf, an Iranian orphan boy scrapes a living together scavenging and selling ice before it…
Samson and Delilah (1984): Dir. Lee Philips
Feat. Antony Hamilton, Belinda Bauer, Max von Sydow…; Made–for–TV Old Testament epic centred on the classic Biblical tale of power, persuasion, and love between a Hebrew strongman and a…
Secret Honor (1984): 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 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…
Shooting Party, The (1984): Dir. Alan Bridges
Feat. James Mason, Edward Fox, John Gielgud; A weekend hunt in 1913 paints a disquieting portrait of British class exploitation and chauvinism.
Starman (1984): Dir. John Carpenter
Feat. Jeff Bridges, Karen Allen, Charles Martin Smith…; Jeff Bridges plays an alien trying to recover his spaceship on Earth with the help of young widow Karen Allen. Entertaining fantasy–drama.
Stranger than Paradise (1984): Dir. Jim Jarmusch
Feat. John Lurie; Jarmusch's breakthrough and best film is the shaggy dog tale of three deadbeats, a slavic grandmother and one endless trip to Florida. The style is…
Sunday in the Country, A (1984): Dir. Bertrand Tavernier
Feat. Louis Ducreux, Sabine Azema, Michel Aumont…; An elderly painter invites his family to his country villa; in a single day their happinesses and sorrows come to be expressed. Subtle, intelligent…
Swann in Love (1984): Dir. Volker Schlondorff
Feat. Jeremy Irons, Ornella Muti, Alain Delon…; Lavish filming of Proust's novel 'Remembrance of Things Past' which centres around a high class man who risks everything for his erotic obsessions.…
Tail of a Tiger (1984): Dir. Rolf De Heer
Feat. Grant Navin, Gordon Poole; Australian treasure Rolf De Heer's thoughtful debut about a young boy who's fascination with aeronautics reaches grand heights when he befriends a…
Threads (1984): Dir. Mick Jackson
Feat. Karen Meagher, Reece Dinsdale; A disturbing vision of a nuclear attack on Sheffield, which comes across as an English THE DAY AFTER, with more focus on the grim details of such a…
Three of Us, The (Noi Tre) (1984): Dir. Pupi Avati
Feat. Christopher Davidson, Ida De Benedetto, Gianni Cavina…; Charming, though slender, portrayal of Mozart’s teenage life as the 14–year old musical prodigy spends a summer in Italy and starts to…
Under the Volcano (1984): Dir. John Huston
Feat. Albert Finney, Jacqueline Bisset, Anthony Andrews…; Solid dramatisation of Malcolm Lowry's 'unfilmable' novel about the sordid death of an alcoholic diplomat in 30s Mexico. Distinguished by intense,…
Vigil (Incl. In Spring One Plants Alone & A State Of Seige) (1984): Dir. Vincent Ward
Feat. Penelope Stewart, Frank Whitten, Bill Kerr…; A young girl's world is transformed when her father dies and a enigmatic stranger arrives in his wake. Our unique landscape provides a magnificent…
Where the Green Ants Dream (1984): Dir. Werner Herzog
Feat. Bruce Spence, Ray Barrett; Dir. Herzog’s usually compelling obsessions – myths, nature, primitive experience – come a cropper in this uneven depiction of a land rights…
Widows (TV Series) (1984): Feat. Ann Mitchell, Ann Mitchell; Gritty crime TV from the writer of PRIME SUSPECT, Lynda La Plante, about the widows of three armed robbers who take over their husbands' crime busines
Yellow Earth (1984): Dir. Chen Kaige
Feat. Quiang Liu, Tuo Tan, Xueyin Wang…; This spearheaded the wave of modern Chinese cinema to be seen outside the People's Republic. A communist soldier visits a backwards village in 1939…
À Nos Amours (To Our Loves) (1983): Dir. Maurice Pialat
Feat. Sandrine Bonnaire, Maurice Pialat, Cyril Collard; One of dir. Pialat's most satisfying dramas, this concerns a journey of a teenage girl (Bonnaire, in a stunning debut) when her family life turns…
Agatha Christie: Partners in Crime (TV Series) (1983): Feat. Francesca Annis, James Warwick, Reece Dinsdale; Crisp adaptation of some of Dame Agatha's lesser known short mysteries. The protagonists here are husband and wife sleuths Tommy and Prudence…
Alice 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…
All The Right Moves (1983): Dir. Michael Chapman
Feat. Tom Cruise, Craig T. Nelson, Lea Thompson…; Stirring though conventional sports drama has a talented high–school football player (Cruise), weigh up his life priorities in the face of a…
Anthony and Cleopatra (1983): Dir. Lawrence Carra
Feat. Timothy Dalton, Lynn Redgrave, John Carradine…; Above–par version of Shakespeare's Egyptian tragedy with the two leads giving particularly strong performances. Filmed in a…
Baby, It's You (1983): Dir. John Sayles
Feat. Rosanna Arquette, Vincent Spano; High–school sweethearts Rosanna Arquette and Vincent Spano undergo the trials of the late 60s counter–culture America. Characters and…
Ballad of Narayama (1983): Dir. Shohei Imamura
Feat. Ken Ogata, Sumiko Sakamoto, Tonpei Hidari; Austere beauty characterises this second retelling of a Japanese legend, originally filmed in stylised, Kabuki–inspired vignettes. Ken…
Betrayal (1983): Dir. David Jones
Feat. Ben Kingsley, Patricia Hodge, Jeremy Irons; Amorality tale of a publisher, his wife and her lover, adapted from Harold Pinter's powerhouse play, effectively told in reverse chronology. Ben…
Big Chill, The (1983): Dir. Lawrence Kasdan
Feat. Kevin Kline, Glenn Close, William Hurt…; Old college friends gather together for a weekend after the funeral of one of their peers, where they reconcile their current lives in the 1980's…
By the Sword Divided (TV Series) (1983): Feat. Sharon Maughan, Andrew MacLachlan , Lucy Aston; Classic BBC period drama following the aristocratic Lacey family, whose lives are thrown into turmoil as their political allegiances split during the…
Can She Bake a Cherry Pie? (1983): Dir. Henry Jaglom
Feat. Karen Black; Uniquely kooky concoction set around the unpredictable neuroses of a newly single woman (Black), who enters a world of whimsy, crazed encounters and…
Careful, He Might Hear You (1983): Dir. Carl Schultz
Feat. Wendy Hughes, Robyn Nevin; Rewarding period drama about a young orphan who becomes the object of a bitter dispute between his late mother's sisters.
Chiefs (TV Mini Series) (1983): Dir. Jerry London
Feat. Charlton Heston, Keith Carradine, Brad Davis…; A well–regarded television series stretching across three generations of policemen in a small city in the American South, beset by changing…
Constance (1983): Dir. Bruce Morrison
Feat. Donogh Rees; Donogh Rees gives a restrained performance in this post–war period drama as a school–teacher whose fanciful dreams are realised and then…
Dangerous Corner (1983): Dir. James Ormerod
Feat. Daniel Day-Lewis, Susan Fleetwood, Anthony Valentine; A dated, though juicy BBC potboiler with Daniel Day–Lewis amongst a circle of friends hiding illicit affairs and other unsavory secrets.…
Day After, The (1983): Dir. Nicholas Meyer
Feat. Jason Robards Jr., JoBeth Williams, Steve Guttenberg…; Emmy award–winning cautionary tale of the Reagan era chillingly dramatises the day after (and less successfully – the day 'before') a…
Dresser, The (1983): Dir. Peter Yates
Feat. Albert Finney, Tom Courtenay; Classic backstage tale of the theatre, with an imperious actor–manager (Finney) being pampered and supported by his loyal dresser (Courtenay).…
Eddie and the Cruisers (1983): Dir. Martin Davidson
Feat. Michael Pare, Ellen Barkin, Joe Pantoliano…; Unusual drama, only partially realised, based around a legendary presumed–dead 60s rock’n’roller (Michael Pare) whose life is investigated…
El Norte (The North) (1983): Dir. Gregory Nava
Feat. Zaide Silvia Gutierrez, David Villalpando; The journey northward of a Guatemalan brother and sister (Zaide Silvia Gutierrez and David Villalpando) on the run is an epic saga of the modern…
Experience 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.
Exposed (1983): Dir. James Toback
Feat. Nastassja Kinski, Harvey Keitel, Rudolph Nureyev…; Typically unrestrained effort from cult director Toback has Nastassja Kinski in fine form as a midwestern girl seeking fame in New York CIty. If…
Fanny and Alexander (1983): Dir. Ingmar Bergman
Feat. Kristina Adolphson, Borje Ahlstedt, Pernilla Allwin; Dir. Bergman's last film is his least typical, yet one of his finest. It tells a semi–autobiographical family saga through the eyes of two…
First Name: Carmen (Prenom Carmen) (1983): Dir. Jean-Luc Godard
Feat. Maruschka Detmers, Jacques Bonnaffe; Late Godard standout is a markedly nostalgic throwback to his New Wavy years, combining an ad hoc terrorist, ill–fated romance, a…
Flashdance (1983): Dir. Adrian Lyne
Feat. Jennifer Beals; Glossy mid 80s musical has Jennifer Beals holding down the day–job as a welder, so as to realise her dreams dancing to hits like Flashdance and…
Heart Like a Wheel (1983): Dir. Jonathan Kaplan
Feat. Jesse Aragon, Bonnie Bedelia; Well–rated biopic of woman racing–car driver, Shirley Muldowney.
Hong Kong 1941 (Dang doi lai ming) (1983): Dir. Po-Chi Leong
Feat. Chow Yun-Fat, Alex Man, Kien Shih…; One of Chow Yun–Fat's early classics, this portrays the disturbing invasion of Hong Kong by the Japanese in 1941, which disrupts the dreams and…
Hotel (TV Series) (1983): Feat. James Brolin, Connie Sellecca, Anne Baxter…; A 'Love Boat' for the seasick traveller, this glitzy Aaron Spelling production relocates the guest star formula of the maritime hit to the heart of a…
Hound of the Baskervilles, The (1983): Dir. Douglas Hickox
Feat. Ian Richardson, Martin Shaw, Denholm Elliott…; Ian Richardson (HOUSE OF CARDS) plays Sherlock Holmes in this crafted version of Conan Doyle’s most famous mystery, in which a monstrous…
Independence Day (1983): Dir. Robert Mandel
Feat. Kathleen Quinlan; Kathleen Quinlan yearns to leave her hometown and fulfil her dreams as a photographer, but is unable to come unstuck from her boyfriend.
Issues Facing Women (1983-1987): Dir. Patricia Robins, Diana Rowan, Melanie Read
Feat. Judy McIntosh, Elizabeth McRae, Bridgette Allen…; Three short films from New Zealand made by and about women. Instincts (1987) 20 mins The story of a woman in a communal relationship in the 70's…
Jamaica Inn (Mini Series) (1983): Dir. Lawrence Gordon Clark
Feat. Jane Seymour, Patrick McGoohan, Trevor Eve
Jane Eyre (TV Series) (1983): Dir. Julian Amyes
Feat. Zelah Clarke, Timothy Dalton; Charlotte Bronte's ever–popular story, of orphan Jane's marriage to the enigmatic Mr Rochester (Timothy Dalton), is here adapted to its…
Kennedy (TV Mini-Series) (1983): Dir. Jim Goddard
Feat. Martin Sheen, Blair Brown, John Shea…; Absorbing, detailed biography of the doomed president covering the key events of his brief reign and providing subtle insights into his private life.
King Lear (1983): Dir. Alan Cooke
Feat. Mike Kellen, Darryl Hickman, Charles Aidman; An American television version of Shakespeare's powerful tragedy, filmed in a pseudo–theatrical style.
L'Argent (1983): Dir. Robert Bresson
Feat. Christian Patey; This bleak, enigmatic crime study depicts the tragic chain of events which emanate from a counterfeit bank note being passed through a photo shop.…
Lianna (1983): Dir. John Sayles
Feat. Linda Griffiths, Jane Hallaren, Jon DeVries; A mother–of–two breaks out of her cold marriage by way of an affair with a senior lecturer in this defining lesbian film of the 1980s,…
Life Is A Bed Of Roses (1983): Dir. Alain Resnais
Feat. Ruggero Raimondi, Fanny Ardant, Geraldine Chaplin; Ambitious fantastical oddity from dir. Resnais was made as a tribute to era–defining French directors Melies, L'Herbier and Rohmer, weaving…
Local Hero (1983): 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…
Macbeth (1983): Dir. Jack Gold
Feat. Nicol Williamson, Jane Lapotaire; One of the BBC's celebrated series of Shakespeare adaptations, with Nicol Williamson putting in a strong showing as the tortured Scottish usurper.…
Made in Britain (1983): Dir. Alan Clarke
Feat. Tim Roth, Sean Chapman; Probably the finest skinhead movie ever made – Tim Roth giving an electrifying debut performance as a glaring malcontent who takes out his rage…
Makioka Sisters, The (Sasame-yuki) (1983): Dir. Kon Ichikawa
Feat. Keiko Kishi, Yoshiko Sakuma, Sayuri Yoshinaga; Lyrical Japanese drama set in the 1930's, following the lives of four siblings who have taken on their father's kimono manufacturing business. Based…
Mansfield Park (1983): Dir. David Giles
Feat. Sylvestra Le Touzel; BBC drama based on Jane Austen's classic about life at an upper class family estate in Eighteenth century rural England.
Meantime (1983): Dir. Mike Leigh
Feat. Tim Roth, Gary Oldman, Pam Ferris…; Mike Leigh's skewed sense of humour takes on the doledrums of Thatcher's London. Tim Roth and Gary Oldman are unrecognisably awkward in a…
Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence (1983): Dir. Nagisa Oshima
Feat. David Bowie, Ryuichi Sakamoto, Takeshi Kitano; David Bowie endures the hardships of a Japanese POW camp in WWII. Stylish melodrama, memorably scored by Ryuichi Sakamoto.
Murder In Coweta County (1983): Dir. Gary Nelson
Feat. Johnny Cash, Andy Griffith, June Carter-Cash; A gritty fact–based policier about a cold–blooded land baron in 1940s rural Georgia (Griffiths) who murders a black tenant farmer and…
My Brother's Wedding (1983): Dir. Charles Burnett
Feat. Everett Silas; Crude but affecting follow–up to KILLER OF SHEEP concerns a South Central LA resident torn between attending the funeral of his best friend, or…
Nostalgia (Nostalghia) (1983): Dir. Andrei Tarkovsky
Feat. Oleg Jankovsky; A lingering essay on the angst of living in exile, with Oleg Jankovsky as a beleaguered Russian academic subsisting in Italy (like Tarkovsky…
Outsiders, The (1983): Dir. Francis Ford Coppola
Feat. Matt Dillon, C. Thomas Howell, Ralph Macchio…; Based on the gritty novel by S. E. Hinton (THAT WAS THEN THIS IS NOW), this ‘realistic’ depiction of teenage outsiders in 50s America is…
Pauline a La Plage (Pauline at the Beach) (1983): Dir. Eric Rohmer
Feat. Amanda Langlet, Arielle Dombasle; Teenage Pauline visits her older cousin plagued with boy trouble. Rohmer again demonstrates his knack for eliciting candid performances from…
Phar Lap (1983): Dir. Simon Wincer
Feat. Tom Burlinson; Legendary racehorse reared in New Zealand (though Australian makes claims), who died under mysterious circumstances in America. Good period piece,…
Ploughman's Lunch, The (1983): Dir. Richard Eyre
Feat. Jonathan Pryce, Tim Curry; Complex dissection of British motives during the Falklands War.
Princess Daisy (1983): Dir. Waris Hussein
Feat. Lindsay Wagner, Paul Michael Glaser, Robert Urich…; The orphan of a Russian prince and an American movie star rises to the top of the modeling profession, but her happiness is threatened when her…
Reilly Ace Of Spies (TV Mini-series) (1983): Dir. Martin Campbell, Jim Goddard
Feat. Sam Neill, Peter Egan, Ian Charleson…; Quintessential 1980s mini–series follows the adventures of a real life British superspy Sidney Reilly in the turbulent Russia, Europe and Asia…
Rembetiko (1983): Dir. Costas Ferris
Feat. Sotiria Leonardou, Nikos Kalogeropoulos, Michalis Maniatis; Stirring fictionalized biopic of Marika Ninou, a Greek Rebetiko (urban Greek folk music) singer who lived through some of the most dramatic…
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…
Richard III (The Tragedy of Richard III) (1983): Dir. Jane Howell
Feat. Peter Benson, Antony Brown, David Burke; BBC adaptation of Shakespeare's brilliantly dark play, completely unabridged and loyal to the original text.
Rumble Fish (1983): Dir. Francis Ford Coppola
Feat. Matt Dillon, Mickey Rourke, Dennis Hopper…; Coppola's cult fave is a highly stylised treatment of a teen delinquency drama may not be entirely appropriate, but it sure looks impressive. Equally…
Saigon - Year of the Cat (1983): Dir. Stephen Frears
Feat. Judi Dench, Frederic Forrest, E.G. Marshall…; Potent romantic drama set during the South Vietnam collapse with Dench as a depressed loan officer who falls into the arms of CIA interrogator…
Scales of Justice (TV Mini-series) (1983): Dir. Michael Jenkins
Feat. John Hargreaves, Bill Hunter, Isabelle Anderson…; A three–part crime drama which links tales of drug–dealing, organised crime, police corruption and political conspiracy in 1980s…
Sheer Madness (Heller Wahn) (1983): Dir. Margarethe von Trotta
Feat. Hanna Schygulla, Angela Winkler; Two women, one a withdrawn painter and the other a confident professor, start to rely upon their friendship as an alternative to their unhappy…
Signal 7 (1983): Dir. Rob Nilsson
Feat. Bill Ackridge, Dan Leegant; Dedicated to John Cassavetes, this 12–hr slice of the night–world of various New York taxi–drivers, shot on videotape, is similarly…
Silkwood (1983): Dir. Mike Nichols
Feat. Meryl Streep, Cher, Kurt Russell; Fact–based account of a Southern nuclear factory–worker who died mysteriously before exposing unsound trade secrets. Meryl Streep is on a…
Sins of Dorian Gray, The (1983): Dir. Tony Maylam
Feat. Anthony Perkins, Joseph Bottoms, Belinda Bauer; Unusually trashy TV–movie that riffs on Oscar Wilde's famous adult fairytale. Here, a woman's celluloid screen–test carries the burden of…
Skin Deep (1983): Dir. Mark Joffe
Feat. Briony Behets, Nicole Kidman; Big shoulder pads and even bigger hairdos compete in this trash 80s soap opera set in the world of Australian fashion. Nicole Kidman, in an early…
Star 80 (1983): Dir. Bob Fosse
Feat. Mariel Hemingway, Eric Roberts, Cliff Robertson…; Dir. Bob Fosse's razzle–dazzle cynicism is a perfect match for this loose chronicle of true events that led to the murder of penthouse pet…
Staying Alive (1983): Dir. Sylvester Stallone
Feat. John Travolta, Cynthia Rhodes; Engagingly tacky sequel to SATURDAY NIGHT FEVER, fashioned by dir. Sylvester Stallone as a ROCKY–style vehicle for John Travolta, who juggles…
Streamers (1983): Dir. Robert Altman
Feat. Matthew Modine, David Alan Grier, George Dzundza…; Four young army recruits await in close quarters their call–up to Vietnam. Brilliantly acted by the novice cast (including Matthew Modine), it…
Svengali (1983): Dir. Anthony Harvey
Feat. Peter O'Toole, Jodie Foster, Holly Hunter; Has been vocalist turned singing instructor O'Toole takes young rocker Foster under his wings. By all accounts a complete misfire. Though if you can…
Tempest, The (1983): Dir. William Woodman
Feat. Efrem Zimbalist Jr., William Hootkins, Nicholas Hammond; An American television version of Shakespeare's much filmed late 'romance', here presented in a pseudo–theatrical style.
Terms of Endearment (1983): Dir. James L. Brooks
Feat. Shirley Maclaine, Jack Nicholson, Debra Winger…; Classic family saga of loss and reconciliation with Shirley Maclaine and Jack Nicholson, who both won Oscars, as did the film.
Under Capricorn (TV Mini-Series) (1983): Dir. Rod Hardy
Feat. Peter Cousens, Lisa Harrow, John Hallam…; Tumultuous drama with Cousens seeking his fortune in 19th century Australia, but his friendship with a convict threatens to scupper his plans.
Utu - Redux (1983-2013): Dir. Geoff Murphy
Feat. Anzac Wallace, Bruno Lawrence, Wi Kuki Kaa…; With lavish technical enhancement and narrative streamlining, this 'Redux' version of the 1983 epic restores its rightful place in the canon of great…
Variety (1983): Dir. Bette Gordon
Feat. Sandy McLeod, Will Patton; A woman takes a job at a porn theatre and finds herself fascinated by the clientele. Raw, downbeat drama provides an unusual perspective on the…
Voyage Round My Father, A (1983): Dir. Alvin Rakoff
Feat. Laurence Olivier, Alan Bates; Laurence Olivier gives another special performance as Alan Bates' eccentric father who steadfastly refuses to accept compromises on account of his…
Wagner (1983): Dir. Tony Palmer
Feat. Richard Burton, Laurence Olivier, John Gielgud…; Epic tele–production with Richard Burton as the manic German composer. Includes the Tony Palmer documentaries "In From the Cold? A Portrait of…
Waterfront (Mini-series) (1983): Dir. Chris Thompson
Feat. Jack Thompson, Greta Scacchi; Intense mini–series depiction of labour relations hotting–up on the Melbourne waterfront in post–WWII Australia. Jack Thompson…
We of the Never Never (1983): Dir. Igor Auzins
Feat. Tony Barry, Tommy Lewis; Polished period drama that relays the memoirs of Mrs Aeneas Gunn, the first white woman to travel to the interior of Australia. While the storyline…
Winds of War, The (Mini-series) (1983): Dir. Dan Curtis
Feat. Robert Mitchum, Ali MacGraw, Jan-Michael Vincent…; Thorough and imposing wartime miniseries chronicling the width and breadth of events in the years leading up to Japan’s attack on Pearl Harbour in…
Year of Living Dangerously, The (1983): Dir. Peter Weir
Feat. Mel Gibson, Sigourney Weaver, Linda Hunt…; Multi–layered, vivid yarn posits Mel Gibson and Sigourney Weaver as foreign officials in 1965 Indonesia at the time of the communist coup.…
Yentl (1983): Dir. Barbra Streisand
Feat. Barbra Streisand; Barbra Streisand directs herself in this musical/drama as an Eastern European woman at the turn of the century who masquerades as a boy in order to…
1915 (TV Mini-series) (1982): Feat. Scott Burgess, Scott McGregor, Lorraine Bayly…; A solid recreation of the Great War era, this TV mini–series charts the experiences of several young men leaving the home–front in…
A 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…
An Officer and a Gentleman (1982): Dir. Taylor Hackford
Feat. Richard Gere, Debra Winger, Louis Jr. Gossett; Irresistible formula romance between prospective army officer Richard Gere and Debra Winger.
Angel (1982): Dir. Neil Jordan
Feat. Stephen Rea, Marie Kean, Ray McAnally; The gritty feature debut of Irish director Neil Jordan stars Stephen Rea as a saxophonist who witnesses the gangland murder of the band's manager and…
Anthony Trollope Collection, The (The Barchester Chronicles, The Way We Live Now, He Knew He Was Right) (1982-2004): Three BBC mini–series masterpieces from the pen of novelist Anthony Trollope.
Barchester Chronicles, The (TV Mini-series) (1982): Dir. David Giles
Feat. Alan Rickman, Donald Pleasence, Nigel Hawthorne…; Scandal inflames the once placid town of Barchester, in this typically astute BBC production of Anthony Trollope's novel. A young Alan Rickman holds…
BBC Shakespeare Collection: Series 5 (Richard III, King Lear, Henry VI Part 1, Henry VI Part 2, Henry VI Part 3, The Merry Wives of Windsor) (1982-1983): Feat. Alan Bennett, Ben Kingsley, Judy Davis…; The fifth in a series of boxed–sets compiling the BBC's comprehensive Shakespeare adaptations for television. This set includes: Richard III,…
BBC Shakespeare Collection: Series 6 (Cymbeline, The Comedy of Errors, Two Gentlemen of Verona, Coriolanus, Macbeth) (1982-1984): Feat. Helen Mirren, Jane Lapotaire, John Hudson…; The sixth in a series of boxed–sets compiling the BBC's comprehensive Shakespeare adaptations for television. This set includes: Cymbeline…
Blue and the Gray, The (TV Mini-Series) (1982): Dir. Andrew V. McLaglen
Feat. Stacy Keach, Colleen Dewhurst, Lloyd Bridges…; Handsomely staged mini–series views the Civil War throught the eyes of a Southern war correspondent bearing witness to the war's key events.
Danton (1982): Dir. Andrzej Wajda
Feat. Gerard Depardieu; A gripping depiction of the political struggle faced by charismatic revolutionary Danton (Gerard Depardieu), whose campaign for peace and tolerance…
Diner (1982): 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…
Draughtsman's Contract, The (1982): Dir. Peter Greenaway
Feat. Anthony Higgins, Janet Suzman; A 17th Century painter is commissioned to draw the estate of a rich mistress, who in return endows him with certain liberties. A bizarre and…
Fame (TV Series) (1982-1987): Feat. Lori Singer, Debbie Allen; Based on the 1980 hit movie, this series charts the ambitions, joys and heartbreaks of assorted dance and music students and teachers at New York's…
Fitzcarraldo (1982): Dir. Werner Herzog
Feat. Klaus Kinski, Claudia Cardinale; Colonialist visionary Klaus Kinski attempts to haul a huge riverboat over a hill in 19th century S. America with the help of Indian…
For the Term of His Natural Life (TV Mini-series) (1982): Dir. Rob Stewart
Feat. Colin Friels, Anthony Perkins, Patrick Macnee…; Solid dramatisation of the Marcus Clarke novel concerning an Englishman unjustly transported to the harsh penal colony of Tasmania in the 1830s. Good…
Frances (1982): Dir. Graeme Clifford
Feat. Jessica Lange, Sam Shepard, Kim Stanley; Minor classic, this depicts the unusual and finally tragic life of Frances Farmer, a Hollywood starlet of the 1930s. Drifting into radical…
Freedom (1982): Dir. Scott Hicks
Feat. Jon Blake, Mare Winningham, Jad Capelja…; Low–budget Aussie coming–of–age drama centred on a rebellious teen who runs away from home to join a travelling carnival, only to…
Gandhi (1982): Dir. Richard Attenborough
Feat. Ben Kingsley, Candice Bergen, Edward Fox…; Epic retelling of the life of the inspirational Indian leader with Ben Kingsley as 'The Mahatma'. Won eight Academy Awards including Best Picture.
Heat and Dust (1982): Dir. James Ivory
Feat. Julie Christie, Greta Scacchi; Sophisticated soap opera follows the escapades of two Englishwomen, two generations apart, who both succumb to the seductive mysticism of India.
Heatwave (1982): Dir. Phillip Noyce
Feat. Judy Davis, Chris Haywood, Bill Hunter; Phillip Noyce followed NEWSFRONT with this arresting political thriller about an architect embroiled in Sydney’s corrupt inner city housing…
Home 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…
Honkytonk Man (1982): Dir. Clint Eastwood
Feat. Clint Eastwood, John McIntire, Verna Bloom; One of director–star Eastwood's more unusual efforts, playing a TB–stricken country singer in the Great Depression, who tries to make one…
Hound of the Baskervilles, The (1982): Dir. Peter Duguid
Feat. Tom Baker; Former Doctor Who Tom Baker plays Inspector Holmes in this serviceable adaptation of Sir Arthur Conan's most famous Sherlock mystery.
How Many Miles to Babylon? (1982): Dir. Moira Armstrong
Feat. Daniel Day-Lewis, Sian Phillips; Daniel Day–Lewis plays a Protestant whose friendship with a fellow Catholic solider is severely tested during the harsh realities of WWI in…
I Remember Nelson (TV Mini-series) (1982): Dir. Simon Langton
Feat. Kenneth Colley, Geraldine James; Soap–opera–tinged four–part miniseries taking a look at Naval Officer Lord Horatio Nelson, from the viewpoint of four who knew him…
King Lear (1982): Dir. Jonathan Miller
Feat. Sir Michael Hordern, John Shrapnel, Norman Rodway…; BBC adaptation of Shakespeare's powerful tragedy, with Michael Hordern in the lead role as the troubled King.
King of Comedy, The (1982): Dir. Martin Scorsese
Feat. Jerry Lewis, Robert De Niro; Deliciously creepy story of a loser/nerd, who acts out his life ambition; to appear on a TV comedy show with Jerry Lewis. Lewis plays it straight,…
Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby, The (1982): Dir. James Goddard, Trevor Nunn
Feat. Roger Rees, David Threlfall; The legendary, nine–hour stage adaptation of Charles Dickens' "Nicholas Nickleby", performed by members of The Royal Shakespeare…
Little Eyolf (1982): Feat. Diana Rigg, Anthony Hopkins; Solid BBC teleplay of Henrik Ibsen's stage–piece about a writer trapped in a loveless, unfulfilled marriage to a wealthy woman.
Losing 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…
Making Love (1982): Dir. Arthur Hiller
Feat. Kate Jackson, Harry Hamlin, Michael Ontkean; A glossy but under–rated love triangle drama starring former "Charlie's Angel" Kate Jackson that was the first mainstream Hollywood film to…
Marco Polo (1982): Dir. Giuliano Montaldo
Feat. Kenneth Marshall, Denholm Elliott, F. Murray Abraham; TV miniseries about the 13th–century Venetian merchant and explorer who sought to link Asia and Europe through trade.
Merry Wives of Windsor, The (1982): Feat. Alan Bennett, Richard Griffiths, Judy Davis…; Part of the BBC's excellent series of Shakespeare productions, filmed in a 'theatrical' TV environment utilising the best of English acting talent.
Missing (1982): Dir. Costa-Gavras
Feat. Jack Lemmon, Sissy Spacek, Melanie Mayron…; Jack Lemmon goes in search of his missing son in volatile Latin America (based on Chile), where even the American representives seem to be concealing…
Monkey Grip (1982): Dir. Ken Cameron
Feat. Colin Friels, Noni Hazlehurst, Alice Garner…; Serious–minded drama set in the bohemian environs of 1980s Melbourne. Focused chiefly on a struggles of a divorcee to free herself from the…
Moonlighting (1982): Dir. Jerzy Skolimowski
Feat. Jeremy Irons; Jeremy Irons plays a Polish building supervisor who is stranded in London with his workers, when a brutal clampdown occurs in their homeland.…
Nancy Astor (TV Mini-series) (1982): Dir. Richard Stroud
Feat. Lisa Harrow, Pierce Brosnan; Rags–to–riches biography of the life of Nancy Astor, the first woman to hold a seat in the house of commons.
Night of the Shooting Stars, The (Night of San Lorenzo, The) (1982): Dir. Paolo Taviani, Vittorio Taviani
Feat. Omero Antonutti, Margarita Lozano, Claudio Bigagli; Set during the German retreat from Italy in 1944, this tragicomedy of War carries a magical nostalgia by being told through the memories of woman who…
Oliver Twist (1982): Dir. Clive Donner
Feat. Tim Curry, George C. Scott, Sir Michael Hordern; Tim Curry is creepiness itself in this decent adaptation of Dickens' tale of an orphan boy escaping the horrors of the orphanage only to be taken in…
One from the Heart (1982): Dir. Francis Ford Coppola
Feat. Frederic Forrest, Teri Garr, Raul Julia; A lavishly mounted curiosity loosely following the romantic plight of an estranged couple, set against an impressively stylised backdrop of Las…
P'Tang Yang Kipperbang (1982): Dir. Michael Apted
Feat. John Albasiny, Abigail Cruttenden; A cricket–obsessed 14–year–old courts the girl of his dreams, only for painful shyness and the terror of playing opposite her in…
Passion (1982): Dir. Jean-Luc Godard
Feat. Isabelle Huppert, Hanna Schygulla, Michel Piccoli; 'Film within a film' from France's thorniest director, sowing narrative confusion in his story of director Michel Piccoli trying to make a arthouse…
Personal Best (1982): Dir. Robert Towne
Feat. Mariel Hemingway, Glenn Close; Excellent directorial debut for scriptwriter Towne (of CHINATOWN fame), that uses slow–motion photography to dynamise its story of two lesbian…
Peter Greenaway Box Set (1982-1999): Seven of iconoclastic British director Peter Greenaway's visionary films are collected in this box set. Films included: The Draughtsman's…
Peter Greenaway Collection (1982-1985): Dir. Peter Greenaway; Feature box–set of visionary dir. Greenaway's early work, including his first feature 'The Draughtsman's Contract', his 1985 murder mystery 'A…
Portrait Of A Showgirl (1982): Dir. Steven Hilliard Stern
Feat. Lesley Ann Warren, Tony Curtis, Rita Moreno…; Chintz melodrama concerning three Las Vegas showgirls involved in a Caesar's Palace revue. Possibly the drabbest portrait of Sin City imaginable…
Querelle (1982): Dir. Rainer Werner Fassbinder
Feat. Brad Davis, Jeanne Moreau; Fassbinder's parting shot is a fittingly bleak, ultra–stylised adaptation of Jean Genet's writings about the (bi)sexual escapades of a…
Return of Martin Guerre (1982): Dir. Daniel Vigne
Feat. Gerard Depardieu, Nathalie Baye; A legendary French tale with Gerard Depardieu as the 16th century peasant who returns to his family after an eight year absense but is suspected of…
Return of the Solider, The (1982): Dir. Alan Bridges
Feat. Julie Christie, Glenda Jackson, Ann-Margret…; Alan Bates stars as a returning WWI soldier rendered catatonic by the horrors of the battlefield, with no memory of his wife. Somewhat overwrought…
Romeo and Juliet (1982): Dir. William Woodman
Feat. Alex Hyde-White, Blanche Baker, Esther Rolle; An American television version of Shakespeare's familiar play, filmed in a pseudo–theatrical style. Features a cast of sturdy American an stage…
Scarlet Pimpernel, The (TV Mini-Series) (1982): Dir. Clive Donner
Feat. Anthony Andrews, Jane Seymour, Ian McKellen; Top–notch mini–series version of the classic tale of The Scarlet Pimpernel – an English nobleman who lived a double–life…
Scrubbers (1982): Dir. Mai Zetterling
Feat. Imogen Bain, Honey Bane, Debby Bishop; A women–behind–bars movie that sidesteps exploitative trappings to deliver a grimly realistic reminder of tragic and frustrated lives.…
Smiley's People (1982): Dir. Simon Langton
Feat. Alec Guinness, Bernard Hepton, Barry Foster…; Alec Guinness is John Le Carre's Smiley, a retired agent called back to investigate a collegue's assasination which leads him on a treacherous…
Smithereens (1982): Dir. Susan Seidelman
Feat. Richard Hell; Hanging out on the lower rung of the gritty New York music scene in the early 80s, a flaky adolescent girl struggles to make her mark or find…
Sophie's Choice (1982): Dir. Alan J. Pakula
Feat. Meryl Streep, Kevin Kline; Master of many accents Meryl Streep won an Oscar for her role as a European refugee of the Nazi death–camps whose uneasy relationship with…
Starstruck (1982): 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…
State of Things, The (1982): Dir. Wim Wenders
Feat. Patrick Bauchau, Samuel Fuller, Roger Corman; Reliving the personal turmoil of his first American production (HAMMETT), Wenders fashions a scathing yet oddly comedic…
Stories on Film (1982-1986): Dir. Larry Parr, Costa Botes, Lynton Butler
Feat. Bruno Lawrence, Annie Whittle; Three short films from New Zealand. The Makutu On Mrs. Jones (1986) 25 mins Based on a story by Witi Ihimaera, this short film is about a boys'…
Strata (1982): Dir. Geoff Steven
Feat. Nigel Davenport; Bold but failed attempt to emulate the arthouse cinema of European directors like Bergman, Tarkovsky and Antonioni in a New Zealand setting. Staged…
Tempest (1982): Dir. Paul Mazursky
Feat. John Cassavetes, Gena Rowlands, Susan Sarandon; Paradise is found and then lost for John Cassavetes who escapes mid–life crisis and flees to the Greek Isles with his daughter. Loosely based…
Tender Mercies (1982): Dir. Bruce Beresford
Feat. Robert Duvall; Robert Duvall gives an Oscar winning performance as a down–out–his–luck country singer who paves the slow road back to sobriety.…
Tess (1982): Dir. Roman Polanski
Feat. Nastassja Kinski; Though beautifully shot, Thomas Hardy's classic novel gets a surprisingly mild treatment from dir. Roman Polanski. Wessex farmgirl Nastassja Kinski…
Tex (1982): Dir. Tim Hunter
Feat. Matt Dillon, Jim Metzler, Meg Tilly…; Arguably the best adaptation of S.E. Hinton’s teen fictions (THE OUTSIDERS etc.), with Matt Dillon giving an early, heartbreaking performance as a…
That Night in Varennes (1982): Dir. Etore Scolla
Feat. Marcello Mastroianni, Jean-Louis Barrault, Harvey Keitel; An enthralling, vivid historical drama set during the last days of Louis XVI's reign during the 1791 revolution, but focusing largely on a band of…
Verdict, The (1982): Dir. Sidney Lumet
Feat. Paul Newman, Charlotte Rampling, James Mason…; Sombre dramatic death–march, with Paul Newman playing a convincingly booze–soaked lawyer, whose last chance in the courtroom sees him…
Veronika Voss (1982): Dir. Rainer Werner Fassbinder
Feat. Rosel Zech, Hilmar Thate, Cornelia Froboess; Fictionalised biography of a once famous actress whose career surrendered to drug–addiction, neurosis and the dubious motives of a medical…
Walter / Walter & June (Loving Walter) (1982-1983): Dir. Stephen Frears
Feat. Ian McKellen, Barbara Jefford, Keith Allen…; A pair of grim television movies based on the novels by David Cook, starring Ian McKellen as a man with a learning disability who is condemned by…
White Dog (1982): Dir. Samuel Fuller
Feat. Kristy McNichol, Paul Winfield, Burl Ives…; A little–seen but widely heralded drama from cult director Samuel Fuller about the struggle of an African–American dog trainer to retrain…
Wild Style (1982): Dir. Charles Ahearn; The Hip–hop movement had it first wide impact via this documentary–drama shot on the streets of The Bronx in 1982. With its close…
Woman Called Golda, A (1982): Dir. Alan Gibson
Feat. Ingrid Bergman, Ned Beatty, Judy Davis…; Much–praised biopic in which Ingrid Bergman gives her final performance as Israeli Prime Minister and so–called "mother of Israel', Golda…
World According to Garp, The (1982): Dir. George Roy Hill
Feat. Robin Williams, Glenn Close, John Lithgow…; Dazzling adaptation of John Irving's novel about an eccentric's often ill–fated journey through life. Robin Williams is brilliant as Garp, with…
World Cup, The (A Captain's Tale) (1982): Dir. Tom Clegg
Feat. Dennis Waterman, Nigel Hawthorne, Tim Healy; Intriguing true–story of how a minor–league English soccer–team from West Auckland (not New Zealand) got all the way to the first…
36 Chowringhee Lane (1981): Dir. Aparna Sen
Feat. Jennifer Kendal, Dhritiman Chatterjee, Debashree Roy…; An English spinster living out her twilight years teaching in India befriends a young couple whose motives might not be what she suspects. Tender…
All'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…
Americana (1981): Dir. David Carradine
Feat. David Carradine, Barbara Hershey, Michael Greene; Oddball tale of America in which a Vietnam vet becomes involved in the reconstruction of a smalltown merry–go–round. David Carradine's…
Antony and Cleopatra (1981): Dir. Jonathan Miller
Feat. Jane Lapotaire, Colin Blakely, Ian Charleson; Part of the BBC's excellent series of Shakespeare productions, filmed in a 'theatrical' TV environment utilising the best of English acting talent.
Atlantic City, USA (1981): Dir. Louis Malle
Feat. Burt Lancaster, Susan Sarandon; An ageing petty crook finds a new self–respect with a struggling casino worker. Subtly drawn yet satisfying character study, expertly played by…
Aviator'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…
Bill (1981): Dir. Anthony Page
Feat. Mickey Rooney, Dennis Quaid; Top–end telemovie with Mickey Rooney as a mentally retarded man struggling to find his place in the world after spending much of his life…
Brideshead Revisited (Mini-series) (1981): Feat. Jeremy Irons, Anthony Andrews, Diana Quick…; Famous adaptation of Evelyn Waugh's novel chronicles one Charles Ryder and his relationship with the Marchmain family in England between the wars.…
Bunker, The (1981): Dir. George Schaefer
Feat. Anthony Hopkins, Richard Jordan, Cliff Gorman…; Absorbing account of Hitler's last days spent hiding under Berlin with Hopkins giving one of his finest performances. Somber adaptation of James P.…
Chariots of Fire (1981): Dir. Hugh Hudson
Feat. Nigel Havers, Ben Cross; Despite all the Oscar glory, this tale of athletic derring–do in Edwardian England is a mostly lame–footed attempt to dramatise the…
Cherry Orchard, The (1981): Dir. Richard Eyre
Feat. Judi Dench, Bill Paterson, Timothy Spall…; BBC television drama based on the classic 1904 play by Anton Chekhov about the decline of the Russian aristocracy in general and one high–born…
Choix Des Armes, Le (Choice of Arms) (1981): Dir. Alain Corneau
Feat. Yves Montand, Catherine Deneuve, Gerard Depardieu; Two disparate ex–convicts face difficulties settling into normal society. Boasts France's greatest acting talents.
Christiane F. (1981): Dir. Ulrich Edel
Feat. David Bowie; Absorbing account of the decline and fall into the Berlin's degrading drug and prostitution scene of two young heroin addicts. Features the music and…
City of Women (1981): Dir. Federico Fellini
Feat. Marcello Mastroianni; Dir. Fellini pushes his fantasies to their zenith (or nadir), again with Marcello Mastroianni as the surrogate male. Falling asleep on a train, he…
Coup de Torchon (Clean Slate) (1981): Dir. Bertrand Tavernier
Feat. Philippe Noiret, Isabelle Huppert, Jean-Pierre Marielle…; Mordantly humourous suspense set in dusty French Senegal, with Noiret playing a much–abused police chief who begins to have dreams of…
Cutter's Way (1981): Dir. Ivan Passer
Feat. John Heard, Jeff Bridges, Lisa Eichhorn; Low–key mystery set in the hazy South Californian boondocks, that gets under your skin in its own moody, mordant way. Story concerns lippy…
Duet for Four (1981): Dir. Tim Burstall
Feat. Michael Pate, Wendy Hughes, Diane Cilento…; Wry Aussie dramatic comedy centres on wealthy toy manufacturer in the midst of a mid–life crisis, both his and his wife's infidelities and his…
Dynasty (TV Series) (1981-1989): Feat. John Forsythe, Joan Collins, Linda Evans…; Producer Aaron Spelling's lavish prime–time soap, conceived to capitalize on the huge success of rival, "Dallas", can't hide its status as a…
Endless Love (1981): Dir. Franco Zeffirelli
Feat. Brooke Shields; Brooke Shields is the saving grace of this fiasco made of Scott Spencer's acclaimed novel about an obsessive teenage romance.
Eureka (1981): Dir. Nicolas Roeg
Feat. Gene Hackman, Rutger Hauer, Nicolas Roeg…; Irishman Gene Hackman strikes it rich in Alaska, and retires to his own Carribean island for family fights with flaky son–in–law Rutger…
Evil Under the Sun (1981): Dir. Guy Hamilton
Feat. Peter Ustinov, Jane Birkin, Colin Blakely…; Murder at a resort hotel, with Peter Ustinov as Agatha Christie's Hercule Poirot. An all–star cast and top production values, with sun and sea…
Flame Trees of Thika, The (TV Mini Series) (1981): Dir. Roy Ward Baker
Feat. Hayley Mills, Ben Cross; A nostalgic and wonderfully–photographed adaptation of Elspeth Huxley's memoir of growing up in Kenya in the 1910s, where her well–off…
Four 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,…
French Lieutenant's Woman, The (1981): Dir. Karel Reisz
Feat. Meryl Streep, Jeremy Irons; Meryl Streep and Jeremy Irons star in an elegant portrayal of secretive affairs and social strictures. Screenplay by Harold Pinter.
Gallipoli (1981): Dir. Peter Weir
Feat. Mel Gibson, Mark Lee; Well–crafted, intoxicating depiction of the Gallipoli landings in WWI with a boyish Mel Gibson and Mark Lee as youthful idealists who enlist as…
Going Gently (1981): Dir. Stephen Frears
Feat. Judi Dench, Norman Wisdom, Fulton MacKay; Quality BBC television drama about a group of terminally ill patients on a cancer ward.
Gregory's Girl (1981): Dir. Bill Forsyth
Feat. John Gordon Sinclair, Dee Hepburn; An affectionate and entertaining Scottish comedy about a shy and awkward school footballer's infatuation with a female team–member.
Henry VI (Henry the Sixth) (1981-1983): Dir. Jane Howell
Feat. John Benfield, Peter Benson, Brenda Blethyn; BBC adaptation of Shakespeare's three–part play across three discs.
Hill Street Blues (TV Series) (1981): Feat. Daniel J. Travanti, Michael Conrad, Veronica Hamel…; Steven Bochco's progressive eighties policier found dramatic substance and acclaim in its realistic and ethnically diverse portrayal of the lives of…
Kessler (TV Mini-series) (1981): Feat. Clifford Rose, Alan Dobie; Six–part sequel to the terrific WW2 series SECRET ARMY sees former SS member Ludwig Kessler (Rose) living in 'present day' and on the run from…
Killing of Angel Street, The (1981): Dir. Donald Crombie
Feat. Elizabeth Alexander, John Hargreaves, Reg Lye; Provocative tale of unscrupulous real estate developers who, in collusion with local government, threaten to dismantle a seaside community.
Knowledge, The (1981): Dir. Bob Brooks
Feat. Michael Elphick, Nigel Hawthorne, Jonathan Lynn; Well–regarded TV drama that follows the trials of three aspiring London taxi–drivers to learn the 'knowledge' necessary to…
Lady Chatterley's Lover (1981): Dir. Just Jaeckin
Feat. Sylvia Kristel; Soft–porn queen Sylvia Kristel vies for mainstream acceptance with D.H. Lawrence's account of a woman's search for sexual fulfilment. The stuff…
Les Uns et Les Autres (Bolero) (1981): Dir. Claude Lelouch
Feat. James Caan, Geraldine Chaplin, Robert Hossein…; Sprawling extravaganza of questionable taste is not without its devotees. It charts the impact that music has made on the lives of four…
Lola (1981): Dir. Rainer Werner Fassbinder
Feat. Barbara Sukowa, Armin Mueller-Stahl, Mario Adorf; Shattering Fassbinder drama depicting an exotic singer searching for true happiness and survival in post–war Germany. Fassbinder again excels…
Lonely Hearts (1981): Dir. Paul Cox
Feat. Wendy Hughes, Norman Kaye, Jon Finlayson; An off–beat gem about an awkward agency–linked romance between a middle–aged piano tuner and a shy office clerk.
Man of Iron (1981): Dir. Andrzej Wajda
Feat. Jerzy Radziwilowicz, Krystyna Janda, Marian Opania; Angry sequel to MAN OF MARBLE covers much the same ground with an alcoholic journalist sent to cover the Polish Solidarity strike and to discredit…
Masada (TV Mini-series) (1981): Dir. Boris Sagal
Feat. Peter O'Toole, Peter Strauss, Barbara Carrera…; Epic mini–series set in the first century AD, where commander Flavius Silva (O'Toole) leads his army into combat against the remaining Jewish…
Memoirs of a Survivor (1981): Dir. David Gladwell
Feat. Julie Christie; Julie Christie portrays the diarist of Doris Lessing's cult novel, aimlessly existing in a crippled, post–apocalyptic future Britain. Genuinely…
Mephisto (1981): Dir. Istvan Szabo
Feat. Klaus Maria Brandauer; An astonishing portrait of the seductive allure of pre–war fascism, faced by a talented actor, aptly played by fine thesp, Klaus Maria…
Mommie Dearest (1981): Dir. Frank Perry
Feat. Faye Dunaway; The eyebrow–raising private life of Joan Crawford makes for a gaudy compulsive shocker, in which Faye Dunaway puts on her most ferocious…
My Dinner with Andre (1981): 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, 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…
Nanny (TV Series) (1981): Feat. Wendy Craig, John Quayle, Natalie Forbes; Lovely period 30's BBC series following Barbara Gray (Craig) a childless, lonely woman who decides to turn her life around and become a nanny for…
No Time for Tears (1981): Dir. Hark Bohm
Feat. Marie Colbin, Michael Gwisdek; True story of Marianne Bachmeier who shot the murderer of her child during his trial. Subtle yet disturbing film concentrates on the background to…
On Golden Pond (1981): Dir. Mark Rydell
Feat. Henry Fonda, Jane Fonda, Katharine Hepburn; A warm–fuzzy Oscar winner, a fitting swansong for Henry Fonda, filled with poignant moments with his daughter Jane and Katharine Hepburn.
Othello (1981): Dir. Jonathan Miller
Feat. Anthony Hopkins, Bob Hoskins; Part of the BBC's excellent series of Shakespeare productions, filmed in a 'theatrical' TV environment utilising the best of English acting talent.
Pennies from Heaven (1981): Dir. Herbert Ross
Feat. Steve Martin, Bernadette Peters, Christopher Walken…; Dennis Potter’s provocative, 1930s–set melding of drama and musical is spot–on in this US version of the BBC TV–series, which…
Pictures (1981): Dir. Michael Black
Feat. Kevin J. Wilson, Peter Vere-Jones, Helen Moulder; Two rival photographer brothers clash ethics over their respective portraits of the native Maori. Colonialist parable explores the value of art and…
Pippin: His Life and Times (1981): Dir. David Sheehan
Feat. Ben Vereen, William Katt, Leslie Denniston; TV movie adapted from the 1972 musical, itself an adaptation of the Bob Fosse Broadway production. Music and lyrics are by Stephen Schwartz and book…
Pixote (1981): Dir. Hector Babenco
Feat. Marilia Pera, Ramos Da Silva; Inspired by the plight of his country's homeless children, dir. Babenco created this semi–improvised odyssey of three boys in the slums of…
Postman Always Rings Twice, The (1981): Dir. Bob Rafelson
Feat. Jack Nicholson, Jessica Lange; Highly–charged remake of the steamy film–noir classic based on the 1934 novel by James M. Cain. Written by David Mamet (in his…
Pride of Jesse Hallam, The (1981): Dir. Gary Nelson
Feat. Johnny Cash, Eli Wallach, Brenda Vaccaro; Johnny Cash plays a poor and illiterate coal miner who moves from the Kentucky countryside to Cincinnati so that his daughter can have spinal…
Priest Of Love (1981): Dir. Christopher Miles
Feat. Ian McKellen, Janet Suzman, Ava Gardner…; Ian McKellen stars as D.H Lawrence in this biopic, chronicling the author's tempestuous relationship with his wife Frieda (Suzman), and his battle…
Puberty Blues (1981): Dir. Bruce Beresford
Feat. Nell Schofield, Jad Capelja; Affecting teenage odyssey with Nell Schofield and Jad Capelja as surfing–groupies, learning to fit into a sex’n’drugs beach–scene.
Quartet (1981): Dir. James Ivory
Feat. Isabelle Adjani, Alan Bates, Maggie Smith…; Merchant–Ivory period drama, starring Isabelle Adjani as a young Parisian who moves in with an older couple following the arrest of her husband.
Raggedy Man (1981): Dir. Jack Fisk
Feat. Sissy Spacek, Eric Roberts, Sam Shepard…; Texas–set drama led by Spacek (fresh from her Oscar winning performance in COAL MINER'S DAUGHTER) portraying a perturbed divorcee mother who…
Ragtime (1981): Dir. Milos Forman
Feat. James Cagney, Brad Dourif, Moses Gunn…; 8–time Oscar nominated adaptation of E. L. Doctorow's novel which recreates a real–life murder mystery in ragtime–era America…
Reds (1981): Dir. Warren Beatty
Feat. Warren Beatty, Diane Keaton, Jack Nicholson; A provocative political saga about an American journalist's involvement with communism, the Russian revolution and the love of a like–minded…
Rich and Famous (1981): Dir. George Cukor
Feat. Jacqueline Bisset, Candice Bergen, Meg Ryan; Seasoned 'women's' director George Cukor remakes OLD ACQUAINTANCES in his final film, about two close friends turned literary rivals. A far cry from…
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…
Sense and Sensibility (1981): Dir. Rodney Bennett
Feat. Irene Richards, Tracey Childs, Diana Fairfax…; Two sisters search for love, happiness and a way out of financial strife. From Jane Austen's novel, this was filmed by the BBC on location in Dorset…
Shoot the Moon (1981): Dir. Alan Parker
Feat. Diane Keaton, Albert Finney, Peter Weller…; A devastating account of a marital breakdown between Diane Keaton and Albert Finney and the impact it has on their four daughters.
Smash Palace (1981): Dir. Roger Donaldson
Feat. Bruno Lawrence, Grier Robson; One of local cinema's finest hours is this rural tale of a brusque auto–mechanic (Bruno Lawrence) whose estrangement from his family leads him…
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…
Tales of Ordinary Madness (1981): Dir. Marco Ferreri
Feat. Ben Gazzara; A whiskey–swilling, anarchist poet (Ben Gazzara) searches in vain for redemptive power and inspiration through his self–destructive…
Taps (1981): Dir. Harold Becker
Feat. Sean Penn, Timothy Hutton, George C. Scott…; A surprise box–office smash about a group of cadets who take over their military college, which is on the brink of being closed down. Inspired…
Tenko (TV Series) (1981-1984): Feat. Stephanie Cole, Jean Anderson; Memorable British drama in which a group of English women, shipwrecked while fleeing the invasion of Singapore in 1941, are captured by the Japanese…
Time After Time (1981): Dir. Nicholas Meyer
Feat. Malcolm McDowell, Mary Steenburgen; Intriguing time–travel fantasy sees a young H G Wells (Malcolm McDowell), tracking Jack the Ripper from 1890s England to 1970s San Fransisco…
Timon of Athens (1981): Dir. Jonathan Miller
Feat. John Fortune, Tony Jay, John Bird; Adaptation of the Shakespeare play about the overly generous citizen of Athens whose friends abandon him when he falls into debt. Forms part of the…
True Confessions (1981): Dir. Ulu Grosbard
Feat. Robert De Niro, Robert Duvall; Roberts' De Niro and Duvall act their socks off as cop and priest who happen to be brothers. Conflicting loyalties come to a head through a…
Wave, The (1981): Dir. Alexander Grasshof
Feat. Bruce Davison, John Putch; A powerful "after school special" that dramatizes a real experiment conducted in an American High School where students learn how easy it is to be…
Winston Churchill: The Wilderness Years (1981): Dir. Ferninand Fairfax
Feat. Robert Hardy, Sian Phillips, Nigel Havers…; 8–part drama series about the future British Prime Minister, during his years in political exile in the 1920s and 1930s. Robert Hardy plays…
Winter of Our Dreams (1981): Dir. John Duigan
Feat. Judy Davis, Bryan Brown, Baz Luhrmann; A fiercely acted Australian drama, with Judy David as a drug–addicted prostitute looking for solace in a former 60s radical (Bryan Brown).
Winter's Tale, The (1981): Dir. Jane Howell
Feat. Jeremy Kemp, Anna Calder-Marshall; Part of the BBC's excellent series of Shakespeare productions, filmed in a 'theatrical' TV environment utilising the best of English acting talent.
Woman Next Door, The (1981): Dir. Francois Truffaut
Feat. Gerard Depardieu, Fanny Ardant; Emotional chaos ensues for a happily married man when his old flame, now also married, becomes his immediate neighbour. Taut, intimate melodrama…
A 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,…
A Christmas Without Snow (1980): Dir. John Korty
Feat. Michael Learned, John Houseman, James Cromwell…; A divorced mother moves to San Francisco and joins the choir of a local church, lead by a curmudgeonly old gentleman who will accept nothing but…
American Gigolo (1980): Dir. Paul Schrader
Feat. Richard Gere, Lauren Hutton, Hector Elizondo; Low–key but effective drama. Richard Gere is suspected in a Hollywood murder.
Bad Timing (1980): Dir. Nicolas Roeg
Feat. Art Garfunkel, Harvey Keitel, Nicolas Roeg…; After his wife attempts suicide, a guilt–ridden Art Garfunkel engages in a tense battle of wits with investigator Harvey Keitel. Nic Roeg goes…
Being There (1980): 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…
Berlin Alexanderplatz (TV Series) (1980): Dir. Rainer Werner Fassbinder
Feat. Gunter Lamprecht, Hanna Schygulla, Elisabeth Trissenaar…; This monolithic tome set in Weimar–era Germany represented the peak of dir. Fassbinder's filmmaking career. Across 15 hours, it details the…
Beulah Land (TV Mini-series) (1980): Feat. Lesley Ann Warren, Michael Sarrazin, Eddie Albert…; There are plenty of well–known faces in the support cast of this old–fashioned, three–part mini–series dramatizing the lives…
Blue Lagoon, The (1980): Dir. Randal Kleiser
Feat. Brooke Shields, Christopher Atkins; Pubescent curiosity in which a young Brooke Shields and Christopher Atkins take biology lessons from Mother Nature after they are stranded on a…
Breaking Glass (1980): Dir. Brian Gibson
Feat. Hazel O'Connor, Phil Daniels, Jon Finch…; Grievously under–rated and singular rock music drama from the post–punk era offers more than just nostalgic interest, with an impassioned…
Bronco Billy (1980): Dir. Clint Eastwood
Feat. Clint Eastwood, Sondra Locke; Amiable drama has Clint play the sharp–shooting proprieter of a travelling 'cowboy' show which is on a losing streak. Eastwood himself…
Brubaker (1980): Dir. Stuart Rosenberg
Feat. Robert Redford, Yaphet Kotto, Jane Alexander…; Straight–edged prison drama based around the true story of a warden who disguised himself as a convict in order to expose the corruptions of…
Club, The (1980): Dir. Bruce Beresford
Feat. Jack Thompson, Graham Kennedy, Frank Wilson; Doing for Australian Rules football what DON'S PARTY did for Australian politics, this examines in brawling, bawdy detail the behind–scenes…
Coal Miner's Daughter (1980): Dir. Michael Apted
Feat. Sissy Spacek, Tommy Lee Jones; Biopic of country legend Loretta Lynn.
Deathwatch (1980): Dir. Bertrand Tavernier
Feat. Harvey Keitel, Harry Dean Stanton; Cerebral drama set in the future about a media group who attempt to film the deaths of the terminally ill for public consumption.
Elephant Man, The (1980): Dir. David Lynch
Feat. Anthony Hopkins, John Hurt; The heart–wrenching true story of a grossly deformed pauper, dramatised to perfection by director David Lynch. A compassionate doctor rescues…
Essential Almodovar: Volume One (Pepi Luci Bom, Dark Habits, What Have I Done to Deserve This, Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown) (1980-1988): Dir. Pedro Almodovar; Four early Pedro Almodovar films presented in a Collector's Edition box set.
Essential John Sayles (Return of the Secaucus 7, Lianna, Brother From Another Planet) (1980-1984): Dir. John Sayles; Three seminal films from John Sayles' formative years as a spearhead of the American independent cinema movement.
Falls, The (1980): Dir. Peter Greenaway
Feat. Peter Westley, Aad Wirtz, Michael Murray; One of dir. Greenaway's more trenchantly avant–garde works (think 'A Walk Though H' crossed with DROWNING BY NUMBERS), expanding his riddling…
Fame (1980): Dir. Alan Parker
Feat. Irene Cara; Young wannabees get ready for their big break at a New York performing arts college. Funny how none of the cast have since achieved it.
First Deadly Sin, The (1980): Dir. Brian G. Hutton
Feat. Frank Sinatra, Faye Dunaway, Bruce Willis…; Probably Ol' Blue Eyes' last decent film, giving an understated, effective performance as a pressured NYC detective hunting a serial killer and…
Flickers (TV Series) (1980): Feat. Bob Hoskins, Frances de la Tour, Sheila Reid; An amiable Cockney rogue seeking investors in the silent–film industry finds that building a business out of make believe isn't as easy as he…
Formula, The (1980): Dir. John G. Avildsen
Feat. Marlon Brando, George C. Scott, Marthe Keller…; Muddled thriller with Scott as a detective caught up in a conspiracy to manipulate world fuel prices. Brando –only in three scenes– does…
Foxes (1980): Dir. Adrian Lyne
Feat. Jodie Foster, Scott Baio, Sally Kellerman…; Four teenage loose cannons speed towards self–destruction in this frank, impressionistic portrait of L.A. teen culture. A young Jodie Foster…
From the Life of the Marionettes (1980): Dir. Ingmar Bergman
Feat. Robert Atzom, Heinz Bennent, Martin Benrath; A dark themed and intricately plotted drama from dir. Bergman's later period, concerning a businessman who commits the sex–murder of a…
Germany, Pale Mother (Deutschland bleiche Mutter) (1980): Dir. Helma Sanders-Brahms
Feat. Eva Mattes, Ernst Jacobi; Bleak WWII drama that follows the tragic fate of a couple who marry the day before the war breaks out when he is drafted to the Eastern front only to…
Grown-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'…
Hamlet (1980): Dir. Rodney Bennett
Feat. Derek Jacobi, Claire Bloom, Patrick Stewart…; Part of the BBC's excellent series of Shakespeare productions, filmed in a 'theatrical' TV environment utilising the best of English acting talent.
Hussy (1980): Dir. Michael Chapman
Feat. Helen Mirren, John Shea, Paul Angelis; A prostitute working in a posh London nightclub begins an affair with a mysterious American and is pulled further into the criminal underworld she is…
Jane Austen in Manhattan (1980): Dir. James Ivory
Feat. Anne Baxter, Robert Powell, MIchael Wager…; Delightful Merchant Ivory production has two rival theatre companies dueling over the right to produce a recently discovered Jane Austen manuscript.…
Jayne Mansfield Story, The (1980): Dir. Dick Lowry
Feat. Loni Anderson, Arnold Schwarzenegger; Loni Anderson plays the titular blonde bombshell in this tacky biopic of one of the Hollywood's most likeable sex kittens. Arnie co–stars as…
Jazz Singer, The (1980): Dir. Richard Fleischer
Feat. Neil Diamond, Laurence Olivier; Tepid updating of the 1927 Al Jolson film, this has singer–songwriter Neil Diamond debut as a... er, songwriter, who must choose between…
Juliet Bravo (TV Series) (1980): Feat. Stephanie Turner, David Ellison, Noel Collins; Massively popular – although rather dated – UK police series focused on a female police officer who takes charge of a fictional…
Last Metro, The (1980): Dir. Francois Truffaut
Feat. Catherine Deneuve, Gerard Depardieu; Elegant war story in occupied France, Catherine Deneuve struggles to keep her Jewish husband's theatre operating while concealing his whereabouts.
Lili Marleen (1980): Dir. Rainer Werner Fassbinder
Feat. Hanna Schygulla, Giancarlo Giannini, Mel Ferrer; Fassbinder's fact–based account of the recording of the Nazi anthem, sung by a jaded cabaret singer with a Jewish love interest.
Look Back in Anger (1980): Dir. Lindsay Anderson
Feat. Malcolm McDowell; Malcolm McDowell stars in this updated version of the groundbreaking John Osborne play from the 1950s.
Loulou (1980): Dir. Maurice Pialat
Feat. Gerard Depardieu, Isabelle Huppert, Guy Marchand; Charismatic street rogue Gerard Depardieu lures an impetuous Isabelle Huppert out her stale, bourgeois partnership with Guy Marchand. Star chemistry…
Lucinda Brayford (TV Mini Series) (1980): Dir. John Gauci
Feat. Wendy Hughes, Sam Neill; Australian mini–series based on the novel by Martin Boyd, and depicting the span of generations of a family of English emigrees in the late…
Merchant of Venice, The (1980): Dir. Jack Gold
Feat. John Rhys-Davies, Warren Mitchell, Gemma Jones; Sturdy BBC adaptation of the Bard's famous 'problem play', with Warren Mitchell putting in an unparalleled performance as the Jewish usurer Shylock,…
Mon Oncle D'Amerique (My American Uncle) (1980): Dir. Alain Resnais
Feat. Gerard Depardieu, Marie Dubois, Jean Daste; The dir. of LAST YEAR IN MARIENBAD experiments with notions of human behaviour in this unusual drama, centred around the theories of a French…
Ninth 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…
One Trick Pony (1980): Dir. Robert M Young
Feat. Paul Simon, Blair Brown, Rip Torn…; Interesting tale of rock–star, played by Paul Simon, undergoing personal crises.
Oppenheimer (TV Mini-series) (1980): Dir. Barry Davis
Feat. Sam Waterston, Shane Rimmer, David Suchet; Excellent mini–series starring Waterson as nuclear physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer, who helped build the atomic bomb for the 'Manhattan…
Ordinary People (1980): Dir. Robert Redford
Feat. Donald Sutherland, Mary Tyler Moore, Judd Hirsch…; Mary Tyler Moore contends with familial troubles of the well–heeled in Robert Redford's directing debut.
Permanent Vacation (1980): Dir. Jim Jarmusch
Feat. Chris Parker, John Lurie; Directorial debut feature for future icon Jim Jarmusch, who made this on the cusp of graduating from film school. Set around the wanderings of a…
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,…
Raging Bull (1980): Dir. Martin Scorsese
Feat. Robert De Niro; Robert De Niro gives new meaning to 'method acting' in his portrayal of hot–blooded boxer, Jake La Motta. The film chronicles his violent world…
Return of the Secaucus 7 (1980): 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’…
Roadie (1980): Dir. Alan Rudolph
Feat. Meatloaf, Art Carney, Alice Cooper; A rock’n’roll satire starring Meat Loaf as a roadie on the road to nowhere, this had a rather mixed reception on release. Trying to…
Rude Boy (1980): Dir. Hazan, Mingay
Feat. Jimmy Pursey, Johnny Green; Semi–doco in which a teenage punk is forced to choose political allegiances while scamming a roadie job with the Clash. Features nine Clash…
Scruples (Mini-series) (1980): Dir. Robert Day
Feat. Lindsay Wagner, Barry Bostwick, Kim Cattrall…; Trashy, high–society soap opera, with Lindsay Wagner overcoming privilege and class to rise beyond the upper echelons of the L.A. fashion…
Scum (1980): Dir. Alan Clarke
Feat. Ray Winstone, Phil Daniels; Life in a British borstal painted in unflinchingly realistic hues. Clark's deeply affecting indictment of the penal system plays out barbaric rituals…
Somewhere in Time (1980): Dir. Jeannot Szwarc
Feat. Christopher Reeve, Jane Seymour, Christopher Plummer…; Fantastical love story stars Reeve as a successful playwright who becomes obsessed with a woman he believes he is destined to be with, even if it…
Spoils of War, The (TV Series) (1980): Feat. Alan Hunter, William Lucas, Emily Moore; British drama series examining the effects of World War II on two families.
Stardust Memories (1980): Dir. Woody Allen
Feat. Woody Allen, Charlotte Rampling, Jessica Harper; Serio–comic look at the fame and 'successes' of a Woody Allen–ish filmmaker.
Staying On (1980): Dir. Silvio Narizzano
Feat. Celia Johnson, Trevor Howard, Saeed Jaffrey; Drama based on the award–winning novel by Paul Scott (The Jewel in the Crown), and reuniting BRIEF ENCOUNTER actors Celia Johnson and Trevor…
Strumpet City (Mini-Series) (1980): Feat. Peter O'Toole, Peter Ustinov; Broad, sweeping Irish history of Dubliners in the early 20th century. Based on James Plunkett’s popular novel.
Stunt Man, The (1980): Dir. Richard Rush
Feat. Peter O'Toole, Steve Railsback, Barbara Hershey; A fugitive stumbles upon a movie set, where he is embraced and hired as a stuntman by the fervant director. A bizarre,…
Tempest, The (1980): Dir. John Gorrie
Feat. Sir Michael Hordern, Nigel Hawthorne; Part of the BBC's excellent series of Shakespeare productions, filmed in a 'theatrical' TV environment utilising the best of English acting talent.
Times Square (1980): Dir. Allan Moyle
Feat. Robin Johnson, Trini Alvarado, Tim Curry; An NYC youth drama inspired by the "new wave" music and fashions of the time that follows the mildly anarchic wanderings of a pair of runaway…
Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy (1980): Dir. John Irvin
Feat. Alec Guinness, Ian Richardson, Michael Jayston; Alec Guinness returns as John Le Carre's retired agent George Smiley, this time lured back to trace an infiltrator at his old stomping ground.
To Serve Them All My Days (TV Series) (1980): Feat. John Duttine; A shell–shocked WWI vet retreats to a teaching post in Devon, England, where he inspires students through unconventional and empowering means.…
Un Mauvais Fils (A Bad Son) (1980): Dir. Claude Sautet
Feat. Patrick Dewaere, Brigitte Fossey, Yves Robert; Affecting working–class drama about a young man returning to France after a jail term in the US for narcotics, where his attempt to restart his…
Union City (1980): Dir. Mark Reichart
Feat. Debbie Harry, Dennis Lipscomb; Underrated low–budget film noir starkly depicts urban neurosis in a seedy apartment. Grungy lead performances from Debbie Harry and Dennis…
Urban Cowboy (1980): Dir. James Bridges
Feat. John Travolta, Debra Winger, Scott Glenn…; An early role for John Travolta, as an oil–worker trying to 'make it' riding mechanical bulls in the roadhouses of Houston. The grimy, downbeat…
Water Under the Bridge (TV Mini-series) (1980): Dir. Igor Auzins
Feat. Judy Davis, Robyn Nevin, David Cameron; Unsentimental drama set between the two World Wars observes an aspiring actor and the three women who shape his life.
Wim Wenders on Film (Lightning over Water, The State of Things, A Trick of the Light) (1980-1995): Dir. Wim Wenders; Boxset of three underseen Wim Wenders classics, each concerning the agony and ectasy of filmmaking.
Xanadu (1980): Feat. Olivia Newton-John, Gene Kelly; Diabolical disco–kitsch with a plot as thin as a plastic–wrapper. Designer Michael Beck is visited by ethereal muse Olivia…
Agatha (1979): Dir. Michael Apted
Feat. Vanessa Redgrave, Dustin Hoffman, Timothy Dalton…; Speculating over the 11 days in 1926 when detective–writer Agatha Christie (Vanessa Redgrave) went missing, this gently–toned drama sees…
Alexandria... Why? (1979): Dir. Youssef Chahine; An autobiographical film about the early life of director Youssef Chahine, set in Alexandria. Winner of the Silver Bear at the 29th Berlin…
All That Jazz (1979): Dir. Bob Fosse
Feat. Roy Scheider; Audacious, some would say self–indulgent, musical–comedy – a semi–autobiography of celebrated New York choreographer and…
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…
And Justice for All (1979): Dir. Norman Jewison
Feat. Al Pacino, Jack Warden, Craig T. Nelson…; Intense, if uneven courtroom–drama in which hot–shot lawyer Al Pacino defends a judge on a rape charge. Even a top supporting cast and a…
Angel Mine (1979): Dir. David Blyth
Feat. Derek Ward, Jennifer Redford, Myra De Groot; A punk, Bunuel–esque social satire in which a married couple escape their material lives through anarchic fantasies, staged as dream–like…
Bitch, The (1979): Dir. Gerry O'Hara
Feat. Joan Collins, Antonio Cantafora, Kenneth Haigh…; Joan Collins returns in trashy sequel to THE STUD.
Blue Remembered Hills (1979): Dir. Brian Gibson
Feat. Colin Welland, Michael Elphick, Robin Ellis…; Acutely observed teleplay from the genius of Dennis Potter: viewed through the prism of adolescence, Potter crafts a dark, elegiac, if always…
Breaker Morant (1979): Dir. Bruce Beresford
Feat. Edward Woodward, Jack Thompson, Bryan Brown; An unjust court–martial in the Boer War provides much tension in one of the great Oz dramas.
Breaking Away (1979): Dir. Peter Yates
Feat. Dennis Christopher, Dennis Quaid; Deftly scripted, immensely enjoyable tale of a group of college friends in small town America who have yet to decide what they'll do after graduating…
Caligula (1979): Dir. Tinto Brass
Feat. Malcolm McDowell, Peter O'Toole, John Gielgud…; Penthouse magnate Bob Guccione's notorious 'legitimate' porno–drama stars Malcolm MacDowell as the ruthless and randy Roman Emperor. This…
Camera Buff (Amator) (1979): Dir. Krzysztof Kieslowski; Pointed, if slightly familiar satire of Communist life, has a smalltown clerk in Poland buy a Super8 film camera and begin to film life around him,…
Champ, The (1979): Dir. Franco Zeffirelli
Feat. Jon Voight, Faye Dunaway, Rick Schroder…; Franco Zeffirelli's sentimental remake of the 1931 Academy Award–winning film stars Jon Voight as a debt–ridden Florida…
Chapter Two (1979): Dir. Robert Moore
Feat. James Caan, Marsha Mason, Valerie Harper; Neil SImon's hit play is competently adapted for the big screen. James Caan in a rare romantic role plays a man recently widowed who falls for a…
Children of Fire Mountain (TV Mini-Series) (1979): Dir. Peter Sharp
Feat. Terence Cooper, Mark Hadlow; Fondly–remembered Kiwi period drama set in 1900 New Zealand, depicting the conflict between Maori and British settlers from the point of view…
Chilly Scenes of Winter (Head Over Heels) (1979): Dir. Joan Micklin Silver
Feat. John Heard, Mary Beth Hurt, Peter Riegert…; A celebrated early rom–com from writer–director Joan Micklin Silver (CROSSING DELANCEY) with a likable John Heard playing a hopeless…
Christ Stopped at Eboli (1979): Dir. Francesco Rosi
Feat. Gian Maria Volente, Paolo Bonacelli, Alain Cuny; A writer is exiled to the remote South in the mid 1930s. Based on the autobiography of Carlos Levi, this film in four parts contrasts his political…
Days of Heaven (1979): Dir. Terrence Malick
Feat. Sam Shepard, Richard Gere, Brooke Adams…; The mid–western wheat–fields provide a magnificent backdrop for this poignant tale of two disparate bachelors who vie for the same woman.…
Design 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…
Dick Turpin (TV Series) (1979): Feat. Richard O'Sullivan, Alfie Bass; Historical adventure series about the real–life 18th century highwayman Dick Turpin and his "Robin Hood" thieving of the rich to give to the…
Elvis (1979): Dir. John Carpenter
Feat. Kurt Russell, Shelley Winters, Bing Russell…; Made just two years after Elvis's death, the king of rock 'n' roll's life is traced from dirt poor beginnings to becoming the most loved entertainer…
Europeans, The (1979): Dir. James Ivory
Feat. Lee Remick, Wesley Addy, Lisa Eichhorn; Possibly the best of the early Merchant–Ivory productions develops Henry James' novel of 19th century New England into a subtle study of family…
Great Santini, The (1979): Dir. Lewis John Carlino
Feat. Robert Duvall, Blythe Danner, Michael O'Keefe; Exploring the internal contradictions of ex–fighter pilot Robert Duvall, stranded in post WWll peacetime with his long–suffering family,…
Hardcore (1979): Dir. Paul Schrader
Feat. George C. Scott, Peter Boyle; Paul Schrader, rehashing his script of TAXI DRIVER, pits a Catholic mid–westerner against the seedy, amoral underworld of California's adult…
Heartbeat (1979): Dir. John Byrum
Feat. Nick Nolte, Sissy Spacek; From the bomb to the pill as seen through the eyes of beatnik poet Jack Kerouac with Neal and Carolyn Cassady.
Henry IV - Part 1 and 2 (1979): Dir. David Giles
Feat. Jon Finch, Anthony Quayle, 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.
Henry V (1979): Dir. David Giles
Feat. David Gwillim, Alec McCowen, David Buck; Part of the BBC's excellent series of Shakespeare productions, filmed in a 'theatrical' TV environment utilising the best of English acting talent.
Henry VIII (1979): Dir. Kevin Billington
Feat. Timothy West, Claire Bloom, Ronald Pickup…; Part of the BBC's excellent series of Shakespeare productions, filmed in a 'theatrical' TV environment utilising the best of English acting talent.
Ike (TV Mini-series) (1979): Dir. Boris Sagal, Melville Shavelson
Feat. Robert Duvall, Lee Remick, Dana Andrews…; Robert Duvall is expectedly good in this three–part miniseries detailing the life of Dwight D. Eisenhower, who commanded American forces during…
Julius Caesar (1979): Dir. Herbert Wise
Feat. Keith Michell, Richard Pasco, Charles Gray…; Part of the BBC's excellent series of Shakespeare productions, filmed in a 'theatrical' TV environment utilising the best of English acting talent.
Junoon (1979): Dir. Shyam Benegal
Feat. Shashi Kapoor, Shabana Azmi, Naseeruddin Shah…; Indian drama set during the 1857 War of Independence, where a feudal chieftain falls for an Anglo–Indian woman and encounters bitter opposition…
Just a Gigolo (1979): Dir. David Hemmings
Feat. David Bowie; Unusual tragicomedy with David Bowie drifting through post–WWI Berlin.
Knots Landing (TV Series) (1979): Feat. Joan Van Ark, Michele Lee, Ted Shackelford…; Bold and beautiful couples stake out their territory in a suburban Californian cul–de–sac. An addictive primetime soap of…
Kramer vs. Kramer (1979): Dir. Robert Benton
Feat. Dustin Hoffman, Meryl Streep; Well–acted, gripping portrayal of a bitter divorce and custody battle, for which Dustin Hoffman and Meryl Streep both won Oscars. Also garnered…
La Luna (1979): Dir. Bernardo Bertolucci
Feat. Jill Clayburgh, Matthew Barry, Alida Valli…; A wayward young junkie cuddles up to his Opera–singing mother (Jill Clayburgh) in this peculiar incest drama, shot in lush Bertolucci overtones.
Lady Oscar (1979): Dir. Jacques Demy
Feat. Catriona MacColl, Barry Stokes; Jacques Demy's English–language romantic period drama based on the Japanese manga 'The Rose of Versailles' that tells the story of Lady Oscar,…
Laura (Laura, Shadows of a Summer) (1979): Dir. David Hamilton
Feat. Maud Adams, Dawn Dunlap, James Mitchell…; One of the dreamy, soft focus movies of fashion photographer Hamilton, featuring his characteristic themes: the coming of age of a young girl in an…
Legend of the Mountain (Shan zhong zhuan qi) (1979): Dir. King Hu
Feat. Shih Chun, Hsu Feng, Sylvia Chang; A scholar translating Buddhist sutras visits a monastery filled with various mysterious characters, in this soothing spiritual drama with elements of…
Little 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.…
Littlest Hobo, The (TV Series) (1979-1985): Winning family serial follows a wandering German shepherd who who travels from place to place befriending and helping the struggling.
Macbeth (1979): Dir. Philip Casson
Feat. Ian McKellen, Judi Dench; Excellent version of the 'Scottish play' that translates Trevor Nunn's RSC stage version to television complete with minimalistic staging and some…
Manhattan (1979): 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 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 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.
My Brilliant Career (1979): Dir. Gillian Armstrong
Feat. Judy Davis, Sam Neill; Landmark Australian film, with Judy Davis as a determinedly independent femme in the late 19th century. From the novel by Miles Franklin.
Norma Rae (1979): Dir. Martin Ritt
Feat. Sally Field, Ron Leibman, Beau Bridges; Sally Field won the 1979 Best Actress Oscar for her portrait of a feisty textile factory worker in North Carolina who becomes involved in the labour…
North Dallas Forty (1979): Dir. Ted Kotcheff
Feat. Nick Nolte, Bo Svenson, Steve Forrest; A sports film set in late 1970s Texas, following American Football player Phil Elliott (Nolte), whose independent attitude and lifestyle of…
Onion Field, The (1979): Dir. Harold Becker
Feat. James Woods, John Savage; Sporadically intense drama based on a real–life cop–killing in 1960s California, notable for James Woods' creepy debut as, you guessed…
Over the Edge (1979): Dir. Jonathan Kaplan
Feat. Matt Dillon, Harry Northrup; One of the best portraits of delinquency yet committed to the screen, Matt Dillon, in his acting debut, is just one of the aimless youths who erupt…
Passe ton Bac d'abord (Graduate First) (1979): Dir. Maurice Pialat
Feat. Sabine Haudepin, Philippe Marlaud, Bernard Tronczak…; Dir. Pialat’s matter–of–fact realism and blasé cast of young actors conveys all the aimlessness and uncertainty of youth in this…
Perfect Couple, A (1979): Dir. Robert Altman
Feat. Paul Dooley, Marta Heflin; A low–key romantic comedy for Robert Altman that revels in its delightfully mismatched pair: Helfin, a wannabe rock star, and Dooley, a…
Prisoner (TV Series) (Prisoner Cell Block H) (1979-1986): Feat. Sheila Florance; The classic Australian women's prison series, which still sets the standard for its tough–as–nails cast, pithy dialogue and unglamorous…
Quadrophenia (1979): Dir. Franc Roddam
Feat. Phil Daniels, Michael Elphick, Ray Winstone…; Brilliant portrait of alienated youth, inspired by The Who's concept album, focuses on a young Mod's personal crises and his gang's violent agenda…
Rose, The (1979): Dir. Mark Rydell
Feat. Bette Midler; Bette Midler's acting debut was this raunchy rock biopic based loosely on the antics of Janis Joplin. She is given plenty of room here to display her…
Running (1979): Dir. Steven Hilliard Stern
Feat. Michael Douglas, Susan Anspach, Eugene Levy; Michael Douglas stars in this sports drama about a fictional American marathon runner's struggle to compete in the 1976 Olympic Games in Montreal.
S.O.S. Titanic (1979): Dir. William Hale
Feat. Helen Mirren, Ian Holm, David Janssen…; Solid telemovie depiction of the notorious sinking of the Big Ship in 1912, with an approach that distinguishes it from the other versions. Involving…
Saint Jack (1979): Dir. Peter Bogdanovich
Feat. Ben Gazzara, Denholm Elliott; Enjoyably amoral later gem from dir. Bogdanovich, about an American hustler who fulfils his dubious dream of opening a whorehouse in Singapore during…
Sisters or the Balance of Happiness (Schwestern oder Die Balance des Glücks) (1979): Dir. Margarethe von Trotta; 1970s West German drama about two sisters whose unusually close relationship negatively impacts their individual personal lives.
Skin Deep (1979): Dir. Geoff Steven
Feat. Ken Blackburn, Alan Jervis, Deryn Cooper; When an urban masseuse sets up at a legitimate health bar in a small South Island town she attracts as much demand for special services as…
Sons for the Return Home (1979): Dir. Paul Maunder
Feat. Uelese Pataia; Compassionate screen adaptation of Albert Wendt's autobiographical novel, the first published by a Samoan. Uelese Pataia plays the shy young academic…
Testament of Youth (Mini-series) (1979): Dir. Moira Armstrong
Feat. Cheryl Campbell, Peter Woodward, Emrys James…; Sterling adaptation of Vera Brittain's memoir recounts her early years and lost loves admidst the turmoil of the first world war.
That Sinking Feeling (1979): 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…
Third Generation, The (Die Dritte Generation) (1979): Dir. Rainer Werner Fassbinder
Feat. Hanna Schygulla, Margit Carstensen, Eddie Constantine…; A scathing black comedy about terrorism, one of the final films of German provocateur Rainer Werner Fassbinder. A hilariously indiscriminate plot…
Thomas and Sarah (TV Series) (1979): Feat. John Alderton, Pauline Collins; Spinoff to UPSTAIRS, DOWNSTAIRS, this features John Alderton and Pauline Collins reprising their roles as Thomas, the chauffeur, and Sarah, the…
Tim (1979): Dir. Michael Pate
Feat. Mel Gibson, Piper Laurie; Mel Gibson and Piper Laurie are the young simpleton and older woman drawn together in this adaptation of Colleen McCullough's first novel.
Tin Drum, The (1979): Dir. Volker Schlondorff
Feat. David Bennett; One the best films ever made with a child protagonist, David Bennett is unforgettable as a 12–year–old who refuses to grow up and…
To Forget Venice (1979): Dir. Franco Brusati
Feat. Mariangela Melato, Eleonora Giorgi, Erland Josephson; Brooding melodrama about an extended family reunion in the house of an Operatic matriach.
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…
Two Worlds of Jennie Logan, The (1979): Dir. Frank De Felitta
Feat. Lindsay Wagner, Marc Singer, Linda Gray…; An enchanting made–for–television drama starring Lindsay Wagner as Jennie Logan, a woman finds an antique dress in her attic that…
When You Comin' Back, Red Ryder? (1979): Dir. Milton Katselas
Feat. Candy Clark, Marjoe Gortner; A confrontational yet riveting psychodrama centering on a Vietnam vet–turned–drug dealer who terrorizes the patrons of a diner in a small…
A Wedding (1978): 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…
Alan Bennett at the BBC (1978-1992): Dir. Stuart Burge, John Schlesinger, Richard Eyre
Feat. James Fox, Alan Bates, Prunella Scales…; An exceptional anthology of previously unreleased BBC productions from revered playwright Alan Bennett. Collection includes: – A Day Out…
Alan Clarke at the BBC, Volume 2: Disruption (1978-1989): Dir. Alan Clarke
Feat. Gary Oldman, David Bowie, Sean Chapman; A 5–DVD box set bringing together long–unavailable productions which Alan Clarke directed for the BBC between 1978 and 1987. All these…
All Creatures Great and Small (TV Series) (1978): Feat. Christopher Timothy, Peter Davison, Robert Hardy; A timelessly charming BBC series set around the misadventures of a vet in Yorkshire in the 1940s. Tending to various farm animals of the region…
An Englishman's Castle (TV Mini-series) (1978): Dir. Paul Ciappessoni
Feat. Kenneth More, Isla Blair, Kathleen Byron…; TV miniseries set in an alternative history where Germany won WWII and England is ruled by a fascist government. Kenneth More plays a writer for a…
An Unmarried Woman (1978): Dir. Paul Mazursky
Feat. Jill Clayburgh, Alan Bates, Michael Murphy…; Jill Clayburgh endeared herself to a generation of women with this well–loved character study of a divorced New Yorker navigating the single…
Anna Karenina (1978): Dir. Basil Coleman
Feat. Victoria Allum, Nicola Pagett, Stuart Wilson; Leo Tolstoy's classic novel of the love–lives of Russian high–society, is here adapted by the BBC. Shot on location in Hungary.
Autumn Sonata (1978): Dir. Ingmar Bergman
Feat. Ingrid Bergman, Liv Ullmann, Lena Nyman; The resumes of director Bergman and actress Bergman intersect for the first and only time in this, ahem, Bergmanesque (sombre, brutally honest,…
BBC 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): 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 2 (Henry IV Part 1, Henry IV Part 2, Henry V, Twelfth Night, The Tempest, Hamlet Prince of Denmark) (1978): The second in a series of boxed–sets compiling the BBC's comprehensive Shakespeare adaptations for television. This set includes: The First…
BBC 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 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:…
Blood Feud (Fatto di sangue fra due uomini per causa di una vedova - si sospettano moventi politici) (1978): Dir. Lina Wertmuller
Feat. Sophia Loren, Marcello Mastroianni, Giancarlo Giannini; Convoluted romantic drama set against the rise of Mussolini has recently widowed Loren torn between an attorney and petty thief. Overheated (and…
Buddy Holly Story, The (1978): Dir. Steve Rash
Feat. Gary Busey; An exceptional Hollywood biography of the seminal rock 'n'roll star, with an uncanny lead performance from Gary Busey.
Chant of Jimmie Blacksmith, The (1978): Dir. Fred Schepisi
Feat. Tommy Lewis, Freddy Reynolds, Jack Charles; Powerful adaptation of Thomas Keneally's fact–based novel about an exploited half–caste Aborigine who eventually erupts in tragic…
Classic Bronte Collection, The (TV Series) (1978-1996): Dir. Julian Amyes, Mike Barker
Feat. Timothy Dalton, Zelah Clarke, Tara Fitzgerald…; Five–disc box–set containing three BBC television drama productions from the pen of the Bronte sisters. – Jane Eyre (83')…
Coming Home (1978): Dir. Hal Ashby
Feat. Jane Fonda, Jon Voight, Bruce Dern; A provocative weepie about the effects of the Vietnam war on the relatives at home. Jane Fonda involves herself with paraplegic veteran Jon Voight.
Deer Hunter, The (1978): Dir. Michael Cimino
Feat. Robert De Niro, Christopher Walken, Meryl Streep; A grimly realistic portrait of how the atrocities of the Vietnam war have an effect on a group of friends. Robert De Niro heads a virtuoso cast in…
Disraeli (TV Mini-series) (1978): Dir. Claude Whatham
Feat. Ian McShane, Rosemary Leach, Mary Peach…; Detailed biopic of the remarkable life of the author turned British Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli. Talky and visually limited this is more than a…
Edward and Mrs. Simpson (TV Mini-series) (1978): Dir. Waris Hussein
Feat. Edward Fox, Cynthia Harris, Peggy Ashcroft…; Tasteful, but perceptive television series follows the scandalous romance between British monarch Edward VIII and American socialite (and divorcee)…
Empire of the Passions (ai no borei) (1978): Dir. Nagisa Oshima
Feat. Tatsuya Fuji, Kazuko Yoshiyuki; Searing, underrated crime of passion from the dir. of IN THE REALM OF THE SENSES focuses less on explicit sex, unfolding as a ghost…
End, 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…
F.I.S.T. (Fist) (1978): Dir. Norman Jewison
Feat. Sylvester Stallone, Rod Steiger, Peter Boyle…; Earnest union drama with Stallone as a Jimmy Hoffa type union leader whose idealism is gradually corrupted. Curious misfire is worth a watch with a…
Fedora (1978): Dir. Billy Wilder
Feat. William Holden, Marthe Keller, Jose Ferrer…; Fascinating later work from dir. Wilder, in which an impoverished film producer travels to the Greek islands to track down an elusive European star…
Fingers (1978): Dir. James Toback
Feat. Harvey Keitel, Tisa Farrow, Jim Brown…; Harvey Keitel conjures up the required intensity for this portrait of a frustrated concert pianist with a violent temper. The nerve–shredding…
FM (1978): Dir. John A Alonzo
Feat. Michael Brandon; No static at all, and no commercials either (well, not too many) if the liberal, music–dedicated broadcasters get their way over the interests…
Four Feathers, The (1978): Dir. Don Sharp
Feat. Jane Seymour, Beau Bridges, Robert Powell; Fine costume drama, based on A E W Mason's classic tale of a British officer charged with cowardice, who regains his honour and his love, during an…
George Eliot Boxset (The Mill on the Floss, Silas Marner, Adam Bede, Middlemarch, Daniel Deronda) (1978-2002): Five BBC classics from the pen of George Eliot. Collection includes: The Mill on the Floss (1978), Silas Marner: The Weaver of Raveloe (1985),…
Hitler - A Film From Germany (1978): Dir. Hans-Jurgen Syberberg; An epic and highly original exploration of the sources of German fascism, in which experimentalist dir. Syberberg weaves a tapestry of surreal…
Holocaust (TV Mini-series) (1978): Dir. Marvin J. Chomsky
Feat. Meryl Streep, James Woods, Michael Moriaty…; Captivating saga of a Jewish family shattered by the rise of the Nazis. One of the top–rating and best quality mini–series of the 1970s.
Hullabaloo over Georgie and Bonnie's Pictures (1978): Dir. James Ivory
Feat. Peggy Ashcroft, Saeed Jaffrey, Victor Banerjee; Television film from Merchant Ivory productions, about an attempted theft of valuable paintings from an Indian palace. The thieves include a museum…
Ice Castles (1978): Dir. Donald Wrye
Feat. Lynn-Holly Johnson, Tom Skerritt; 'Affliction' drama that charts the rise of an Iowa farm–girl to Olympic success as a free–skater, but befalls a crippling accident.…
In a Year of 13 Moons (1978): Dir. Rainer Werner Fassbinder
Feat. Volker Spengler, Ingrid Caven, Gottfried John…; Volker Spengler plays a hopelessly insecure trans–sexual cast adrift amid imposing cityscapes of modern Berlin. Fassbinder trawls out the…
Interiors (1978): Dir. Woody Allen
Feat. Mary Beth Hurt, Richard Jordan, Diane Keaton; Three daughters are shaken when their father leaves his refined, unstable wife for a lively but vulgar divorcee. Allen's first serious film.
Irishman, The (1978): Dir. Donald Crombie
Feat. Michael Craig, Robyn Nevin, Simon Burke…; Rousing tale of hard living Irish teamster Paddy Doolan whose refusal to acquiesce to fashionable new technology pushes his family close to ruin in…
Kent Chronicles, The (The Bastard, The Rebels, The Seekers) (1978-1979): Dir. Lee H. Katzin, Russ Mayberry, Sidney Hayers
Feat. Andrew Stevens, William Shatner, Tom Bosley…; A trilogy of mini–series adaptations based on the bestselling novels by John Jakes (North and South), also known as the American Bicentennial…
King of the Gypsies (1978): Dir. Frank Pierson
Feat. Susan Sarandon, Brooke Shields, Sterling Hayden…; A credible and fascinating depiction of Gypsy culture through the smog of modern day America. Eric Roberts makes his screen debut as a New Yorker who…
Langrishe, Go Down (1978): Dir. David Jones
Feat. Judi Dench, Jeremy Irons, Harold Pinter; Teledrama about a steamy affair in 1930s Dublin between a lonely spinster (Dench) and a parasitic intellectual (Irons), on her family's…
Law And Order (TV Mini-Series) (1978): Dir. Les Blair
Feat. Peter Dean, Derek Martin; Discerning Brit crime series focusing on three men involved in a bungled armed robbery – the Criminal, the Inspector and the Lawyer and played…
Les Miserables (1978): Dir. Glenn Jordan
Feat. Anthony Perkins, Richard Jordan, John Gielgud…; Well–regarded adaptation of Hugo's seminal novel. Perkins excels as the obsessive Javert, and director Jordan does an admirable job compressing…
Les Rendez-vous D'anna (Anna's Meetings) (1978): Dir. Chantal Akerman
Feat. Aurore Clement, Helmut Griem, Magali Noel; Dir. Akerman channels her nomadic existence in this semi–autobiographical account of a female filmmaker's tour of Europe to promote her latest…
Lillie (TV Mini-Series) (1978): Dir. Tony Wharmby, Christopher Hodson, John Gorrie
Feat. Francesca Annis, Catherine Feller, Anton Rodgers…; Fascinating costume drama about the life and loves of scandalous British actress Lillie Langtry, who's numerous admirers included the Prince Of Wales…
Little Women (TV Mini-series) (1978): Dir. David Lowell Rich
Feat. Susan Dey, Meredith Baxter-Birney, Ann Dusenberry…; Emmy Award–winning two part miniseries adapting Louisa May Alcott's autobiographical novel. Mostly unsurprising except for the casting of…
Marriage of Maria Braun (1978): Dir. Rainer Werner Fassbinder
Feat. Hanna Schygulla; During the reconstruction of post–war Germany, a woman emerges from the ruins of war and marriage to build an empire. Hanna Schygulla oozes…
Mayor of Casterbridge, The (1978): Dir. David Giles
Feat. Alan Bates, Anna Massey, Anne Stallybrass…; Dennis Potter–scribed Victorian saga sees Alan Bates, battling alcoholism, sell his wife and daughter under the influence, before resolving to…
Meetings with Remarkable Men (1978): Dir. Peter Brook
Feat. Gregoire Aslan, Martin Benson, Colin Blakely; Peter Brook's adaptation of the writings of inspirational Russian cult leader G.I Gurdjieff, who embarked on a philosophical quest through the far…
Midnight Express (1978): Dir. Alan Parker
Feat. Brad Davis, Randy Quaid; Brad Davis stars in this riveting fact–based story as a young American facing a 30–year sentence in a brutal Turkish prison for a minor…
Mill on the Floss, The (1978): Dir. Ronald Wilson
Feat. Pippa Guard, Christopher Blake, Anton Lessor; Loosely based on George Eliot's own childhood, this bleak tale of fueding families and thwarted love is adequately told in this eight part BBC…
Mouth to Mouth (1978): Dir. John Duigan
Feat. Kim Krejus, Sonia Peat, Ian Gilmour…; This early film from director John Duigan (THE YEAR MY VOICE BROKE) is a raw urban drama set in Melbourne, depicting with honest and unpretentious…
Newsfront (1978): Dir. Phillip Noyce
Feat. Bill Hunter, Wendy Hughes, Chris Haywood…; Picture perfect if conservative account of the newsreel professionals who became obsolete by the advent of television in the late 1950s. The episodic…
Nighthawks (1978): Dir. Ron Peck; Hailed on release as the first British gay feature , this groundbreaking drama focuses on the double life of a school–teacher who remains in…
Oliver's Story (1978): Dir. John Korty
Feat. Ryan O'Neal, Candice Bergen, Nicola Pagett…; Ryan O'Neal returns as Oliver Barrett IV in this tender sequel to LOVE STORY.
Orchestra Rehearsal, The (1978): Dir. Federico Fellini
Feat. Baldwin Baas, Clara Colosimo, Elizabeth Labi; A comedy of the absurd about a group of orchestra musicians who stage a revolt against the conductor after the building collapses. Allegory may be…
Paradise Alley (1978): Dir. Sylvester Stallone
Feat. Armand Assante, Anne Archer, Tom Waits; Sly’s directorial debut replays the ROCKY plotline, as a Hell’s Kitchen Italian–American trying to wrestle his way out of tenements of the…
Pennies From Heaven (Mini Series) (1978): Dir. Piers Haggard
Feat. Bob Hoskins, Cheryl Campbell, Gemma Craven…; The original television version of Dennis Potter's acclaimed and much–remembered musical drama, set around philandering sheet–music…
Pretty Baby (1978): Dir. Louis Malle
Feat. Keith Carradine, Brooke Shields; One of dir. Malle's finest American films, this period piece uses the soft, boyish charms of Keith Carradine to humanise its slowly–told tale…
Richard II (1978): Dir. David Giles
Feat. Derek Jacobi, John Gielgud, Jon Finch…; Part of the BBC's excellent series of Shakespeare productions, filmed in a 'theatrical' TV environment utilising the best of English acting talent.
Romeo and Juliet (1978): Dir. Alvin Rakoff
Feat. Patrick Ryecart, Rebecca Saire, Sir Michael Hordern…; Part of the BBC's excellent series of Shakespeare productions, filmed in a 'theatrical' TV environment utilising the best of English acting talent.
Rumpole of the Bailey (TV Series) (1978-1992): Dir. Herbert Wise
Feat. Leo McKern, Peter Bowles, Patricia Hodge; The much–loved series in which Leo McKern portrayed the rumpled lawyer – created by playwright Sir John Mortimer – who attacks his…
Same Time Next Year (1978): 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…
Sandbaggers, The (TV Series) (1978): Feat. Roy Marsden, Alan MacNaughtan; The Sandbaggers is a nickname for the Special Section of the British SIS – a team of special agents deployed undercover in hostile situations…
Second Awakening of Christina Klages, The (Das zweite Erwachen der Christa Klages) (1978): Dir. Margarethe von Trotta; A young woman robs a bank to pay for her daughter’s day–care. On the run, she is pursued by the police along with the cashier she has taken…
Shout, The (1978): Dir. Jerzy Skolimowski
Feat. Alan Bates, John Hurt, Susannah York…; An intelligent, enigmatic chiller about an asylum inmate with mystical powers who upsets the lives of an avant garde music composer and his wife in…
Six Plays by Alan Bennett (1978-1979): Dir. Stephen Frears, Lindsay Anderson, Giles Foster
Feat. Thora Hird, Prunella Scales, Patricia Routledge…; Six classic plays by Oscar nominated playwright Alan Bennett, produced by Stephen Frears, who also directs four of the six. ME! I'M AFRAID OF…
Straight Time (1978): Dir. Ulu Grosbard
Feat. Dustin Hoffman, M. Emmet Walsh, Harry Dean Stanton…; Dustin Hoffman is brilliantly convincing as a convicted felon fighting a losing battle to go straight after a six year jail term, as are most aspects…
Stud, The (1978): Dir. Quentin Masters
Feat. Joan Collins; Joan Collins stars in this appropriately ludicrous dramatisation of sister Jackie's trash novel about the rise and fall of a…
Tree of Wooden Clogs, The (1978): Dir. Ermanno Olmi
Feat. Luigi Ornaghi, Francesca Moriggi; Portrayal of early 20th century peasantry in Lombardy, this un–melodramatic alternative to Bertolucci’s NOVACENTO, examines with quiet…
Who's Who (1978): Dir. Mike Leigh
Feat. Adam Norton, Simon Chandler, Philip Davis; The slobbish and the snobbish are unflatteringly portrayed in this early Mike Leigh ensemble piece, a little on the heavy side with its somewhat…
Will Shakespeare (TV Mini-series) (1978): Dir. Mark Cullingham, Robert Knights
Feat. Tim Curry, Ian McShane, Nicholas Clay…; 6 Part Mini Series dramatising the life of Shakespeare, portrayed by Tim Curry. Each episode centres around the creation of a different play.
Wise Blood (1978): Dir. John Huston
Feat. Brad Dourif; Brad Dourif plays the obsessed leader of the 'Church Without Christ' in this marvellous satire on contemporary evangelism in the American South. From…
Wuthering Heights (TV Mini-series) (1978): Dir. Peter Hammond
Feat. Ken Hutchison, Kay Adshead, Pat Heywood…; Lengthy BBC adaptation of the classic story of doomed lovers Cathy (Adshead) and Heathcliff (Hutchinson) is also considered the most accurate,…
3 Women (Three Women) (1977): Dir. Robert Altman
Feat. Sissy Spacek, Shelley Duvall, Janice Rule; Inspired by a dream, dir. Robert Altman shapes a memorably ethereal drama around the idiosyncratic qualities of actresses Shelley Duvall and Sissy…
A Special Day (1977): Dir. Ettore Scola
Feat. Sophia Loren, Marcello Mastroianni, John Vernon; Quietly subversive drama set entirely in a working–class apartment building in Rome, on the fateful day in 1938 that Mussolini welcomed Hitler…
Amazing Howard Hughes, The (1977): Dir. William A. Graham
Feat. Tommy Lee Jones, Ed Flanders, James Hampton…; Produced for television, this biopic of the reclusive millionaire is suprisingly large–scale, but a little safe in its treatment of Hughes'…
An Enemy of the People (1977): Dir. George Shaefer
Feat. Steve McQueen, Charles Durning; Seldom–seen version of the Henrik Ibsen play (adapted by Arthur Miller), was a labour of love for Steve McQueen, who plays a scientist…
Annie Hall (1977): 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…
Another Bouquet (TV Mini-Series) (1977): Dir. John Frankau
Feat. Frank Finlay, James Aubrey, Deborah Grant…; So–so follow up to Andrea Newman's painful chronicle of incestual desire is set six months later, and the repercussions are still being felt.
Ascent, The (Voskhozhdeniye) (1977): Dir. Larisa Shepitko
Feat. Boris Plotnikov, Vladimir Gostyukhin, Anatoli Solonitsyn; A Soviet WWII classic shot in appalling winter conditions in which two partisans on a mission to gather food contend with the winter cold, the…
Backroads (1977): Dir. Phillip Noyce
Feat. Bill Hunter; This short road–movie was a moody debut for dir. Noyce, laying out the tale of two drifters (one black, one white) who steal a car for an…
Bilitis (1977): Dir. David Hamilton
Feat. Patti D'Arbanville; Tissue–thin sex drama from famed 1970s photographer Hamilton (he of those misty images of nude or lace–clad women), going into dreamy…
Blue Collar (1977): Dir. Paul Schrader
Feat. Harvey Keitel, Yaphet Kotto, Richard Pryor; As one might expect from the writer of TAXI DRIVER, dir. Schrader's debut is a gritty, tough–minded drama of macho ethics, set in the grinding…
Bobby Deerfield (1977): Dir. Sydney Pollack
Feat. Al Pacino, Marthe Keller, Anny Duperey…; Solid, if overlong and overly sincere, drama about an American racing car driver (Pacino) who falls in love with a dying heiress. Not exactly…
Chess Players, The (1977): Dir. Satyajit Ray
Feat. Richard Attenborough; India's first internationally renowned film–maker draws upon the ancient game of chess as a metaphor for Anglo–Indian political relations…
Citizen 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…
Despair (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…
Diana Rigg at the BBC (Three Piece Suite, Little Eyolf, Unexplained Laughter, Genghis Cohn, Mrs. Bradley Mysteries) (1977-2000): Feat. Diana Rigg; Celebratory collection of the former Avengers sexbomb's subsequent career at the BBC. Includes the rarely seen sketch show 'Three Piece Suite', the…
Duellists, The (1977): Dir. Ridley Scott
Feat. Harvey Keitel, Keith Carradine, Albert Finney…; Napoleonic officers Harvey Keitel and Keith Carradine have a lengthy, stylish series of face–offs in this esteemed Ridley Scott–directed…
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…
Equus (1977): Dir. Sidney Lumet
Feat. Peter Firth, Richard Burton, Joan Plowright…; Straightforward adaptation of Peter Shaffer’s play concerning a disturbed stablehand (Peter Firth) with an equine fixation who has blinded some…
FJ Holden, The (1977): Dir. Michael Thornhill
Feat. Paul Couzens, Carl Stever, Sigrid Thornton; Low–budget youth drama that follows the travails of two smalltime Holden–driving hoons in the West Sydney suburb of Bankstown. Both…
Islands in the Stream (1977): Dir. Franklin J. Schaffner
Feat. George C. Scott, David Hemmings, Gilbert Roland…; Solid, well–constructed adaptation of one of the more thoughtful Hemingway novels, with Scott as the sculptor who chooses to live in exile on a…
Jesus of Nazareth (Mini Series) (1977): Dir. Franco Zeffirelli
Feat. Robert Powell, Laurence Olivier, Anne Bancroft…; Touched by the hand of Franco Zeffirelli and a who's–who of famous thesps, this is the most respectfully detailed and complete retelling of the…
Joseph Andrews (1977): Dir. Tony Richardson
Feat. Ann-Margret, Peter Firth, Beryl Reid…; Bawdy picaresque revolves around the romantic misadventures of switched–at–birth servant. Chief amongst his concerns are the unwelcome…
Julia (1977): Dir. Fred Zinnemann
Feat. Jane Fonda, Vanessa Redgrave, Jason Robards Jr.…; Dramatising the 1930s memories of playwright Lillian Hellman (THE LITTLE FOXES), this Oscar–winning classic centres on the relationship between…
Killer of Sheep (1977): Dir. Charles Burnett
Feat. Henry Sanders; A recently exhumed landmark of African–American cinema, dir. Burnett’s long–lost thesis film observes the daily hardships of an…
Kiss of Death, The (1977): Dir. Mike Leigh
Feat. David Threlfall; Something of a forerunner to Leigh's masterpiece NAKED, with David Threlfall playing an undertaker's assistant with a macabre, unpredictable streak.…
Last Wave, The (1977): Dir. Peter Weir
Feat. Richard Chamberlain, David Gulpilil; A provocative and eerie tale of prophecy and doom sees attorney Richard Chamberlain plagued by horrific visions when assigned to defend a group of…
Looking for Mr. Goodbar (1977): Dir. Richard Brooks
Feat. Diane Keaton, Richard Gere, Tuesday Weld…; Repressed schoolteacher Diane Keaton cruises the singles bars of New York for action, and has mixed results in a series of dispiriting encounters. An…
Love For Lydia (TV Series) (1977): Dir. Tony Wharmby, Christopher Hodson
Feat. Mel Martin, Jeremy Irons, Christopher Blake…; Adapted from the H.E. Bates' book, this scrumptious Masterpiece Theatre series details the exploits of the beautiful but vapid Lydia and the four men…
Man 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…
Mango Tree, The (1977): Dir. Kevin Dobson
Feat. Geraldine Fitzgerald, Sir Robert Helpmann, Christopher Pate; Good–looking, if rather pedestrian coming–of–age tale set in Bundaberg, where a young man leaves his comfortable rural life for the…
Message, The (Al-risalah Aka Mohammad, Messenger Of God) (1977): Dir. Moustapha Akkad
Feat. Anthony Quinn, Irene Papas, Michael Ansara; An Islamic alternative to Hollywood epics such as GREATEST STORY EVER TOLD and BEN HUR, dealing with the rise of an initially persecuted…
Murder Most English (TV Series) (The Flaxborough Chronicles) (1977): Feat. Anton Rodgers, Christopher Timothy, Brenda Bruce…; Based on the Colin Watson mysteries, this Ever–so–English detective series follows two English detectives as they solve particularly…
New York, New York (1977): Dir. Martin Scorsese
Feat. Robert De Niro, Liza Minnelli; This imaginative yet famously abrasive tribute to the Hollywood musicals of the 1940s focuses on the tumultuous relationship between a saxophonist…
Opening Night (1977): Dir. John Cassavetes
Feat. John Cassavetes, Gena Rowlands, Ben Gazzara; Intermittently fascinating, semi–improvised opus from Cassavetes (who also stars), about an aging actress (Gena Rowlands) who suffers a…
Other Side of Midnight, The (1977): Dir. Charles Jarrott
Feat. Marie-France Pisier, John Beck, Susan Sarandon…; Soapy Sidney Sheldon drama follows the exploits of a young French woman who vows revenge on a ne'er do well Canadian pilot for leaving her pregnant,…
Padre Padrone (1977): Dir. Paolo Taviani, Vittorio Taviani
Feat. Omero Antonutti, Saverio Marconi, Marcella Michelangeli…; An affecting true story about a Shepherd's son who escapes the shackles of family expectations and returns mature and educated to confront his…
Picture Show Man, The (1977): Dir. John Power
Feat. Rod Taylor, John Meillon, Patrick Cargill; A light–hearted depiction of the rivalry between two Australian cinema operators (Meillon and Taylor) of the silent film era, who travel…
Portrait of an Artist As a Young Man (1977): Dir. Joseph Strick
Feat. Bosco Hogan, T.P. McKenna, John Gielgud; Reverent adaptation of the classic James Joyce novel, which charts the spiritual and artistic growth of the author. Adeptly reveals the…
Providence (1977): Dir. Alain Resnais
Feat. John Gielgud, Dirk Bogarde, Ellen Burstyn…; John Gielgud plays a dying writer struggling to complete his final novel. Unusual film juxtaposes his imagined thoughts with events from his…
Roger Donaldson Collection, The (Sleeping Dogs, Smash Palace) (1977-1981): Dir. Roger Donaldson; Roger Donaldson's first two features – both Kiwi classics – in a 2–disc set, including substantial retrospective featurettes and…
Roots (TV Mini-series) (1977): Dir. Marvin J. Chomsky et al
Feat. Maya Angelou, Ji-Tu Cumbuka, Moses Gunn; Engrossing TV mini–series traces the misfortunes of an African family forcibly transported to America as slaves. The lives of subsequent…
Roseland (1977): Dir. James Ivory
Feat. Teresa Wright, Lou Jacobi, Geraldine Chaplin…; Three separate but interlocking stories set in New York's famed dance palace, about people trying to essentially, 'find the right dance partner'.…
Saturday Night Fever (1977): Dir. John Badham
Feat. John Travolta; John Travolta's instant star–quality invests this chronicle of the disco era with an infectious bravado. Great soundtrack, classic dance moves…
Secret Army (TV Series) (1977): Feat. Bernard Hepton; This gripping – and unlike its comedy spoof successor ALLO' ALLO!, deadly serious – BBC dramatic series focused on the exploits of a…
Serpent's Egg, The (1977): Dir. Ingmar Bergman
Feat. Isolde Barth, Heinz Bennent, Toni Berger; Jewish trapeze–artist Keith Carradine endures the depravities and anti–semitism of 1920's Berlin. Out of the director's most grotesque…
Slap Shot (1977): Dir. George Roy Hill
Feat. Paul Newman, Strother Martin, Michael Ontkean…; Violent ice–hockey scenes jostle with profane humour in this ironic sports–flick based around a failing minor–league team, coached…
Sleeping Dogs (1977): Dir. Roger Donaldson
Feat. Sam Neill, Warren Oates; Roger Donaldson's nihilistic action–thriller in which Sam Neill finds himself alone between two opposing extremist groups. A trail–blazer…
Solo (1977): Dir. Tony Williams
Feat. Vincent Gil, Lisa Peers, Martyn Sanderson; Emotional isolation is the theme of this moody drama in which a lonely fire patrol pilot balances his life with that of his introverted son and a…
Summer City (1977): Dir. Christopher Fraser
Feat. Mel Gibson, Steve Bisley, John Jarratt; The exploits of four boys who leave Sydney and head out for a weekend of surfing and adventure. Unfortunately the fun takes a serious turn when they…
Summerfield (1977): Dir. Ken Hannam
Feat. John Waters, Charles Tingwell, Nick Tate; A low–key but atmospheric mystery from the Australian New Wave of the 1970s, in which a well–meaning replacement teacher (Tate) arrives…
The Devil, Probably (Le diable probablement) (1977): Dir. Robert Bresson
Feat. Antoine Monnier, Tina Irissari, Henri de Maublanc…; Distinctive late–period inclusion into the incredible canon of films from director Robert Bresson (DIARY OF A COUNTRY PRIEST), following a…
Turning Point, The (1977): Dir. Herbert Ross
Feat. Shirley Maclaine, Anne Bancroft, Mikhail Baryshnikov…; Rarely are ballet films quite so dramatically satisfying – if still laden with a few cliches – than this tale of two friends reuniting,…
Valentino (1977): Dir. Ken Russell
Feat. Rudolph Nureyev, Leslie Caron, Michelle Phillips…; Rudolph Nureyev portrays his promiscous namesake for Ken Russell's typically irreverent screen biography of the silent movie star.
Washington: Behind Closed Doors (Mini-Series) (1977): Feat. Cliff Robertson, Jason Robards Jr., Stefanie Powers…; Sharply written mini–series inspired by the Nixon administration tells the story of a power–hungry U.S. President, and the men he…
Who Pays the Ferryman? (TV Series) (1977): Dir. William Slater
Feat. Jack Hedley; A penchant for Greek music and the murky vendettas of yesteryear combine in this engrossing BBC drama series. Jack Hedley is a former fighter with…
1900 (Novecento) (1976): Dir. Bernardo Bertolucci
Feat. Gerard Depardieu, Robert De Niro; Spectacular saga spans the first half of 20th Century Italy, and follows two men, one a peasant (Gerard Depardieu), the other a nobleman (Robert de…
A Star Is Born (1976): Dir. Frank Pierson
Feat. Barbra Streisand, Kris Kristofferson, Paul Mazursky…; The third screen version of an eminently watchable story, this time set in the fickle rock music scene with Barbra Streisand and Kris Kristofferson…
Aces High (1976): Dir. Jack Gold
Feat. Malcolm McDowell, Christopher Plummer, John Gielgud…; WW1 drama based on the play 'Journey's End' following a green young pilot sent off to fight the Germans in the air. Noted for its accurate portrayal…
Alfie 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…
All the President's Men (1976): Dir. Alan J. Pakula
Feat. Dustin Hoffman, Robert Redford; Chilling account of events that led to the publicising of the Watergate scandal, as uncovered by two reporters. A key film of the 1970s. Bluray…
American Film Theatre - Butley (1976): Dir. Harold Pinter
Feat. Alan Bates, Jessica Tandy, Richard O'Callaghan…; Another in the excellent American Film Theatre series, playwright Harold Pinter directs his first film, based on the Simon Gray play. An…
Bound for Glory (1976): Dir. Hal Ashby
Feat. David Carradine, Ronny Cox, Melinda Dillon…; Superbly made biopic of folksinger Woody Guthrie, set during the tail–end of the Great Depression as Guthrie makes his way across dustbowl…
Bouquet of Barbed Wire (TV Mini-Series) (1976): Dir. Tony Wharmby
Feat. Frank Finlay, Susan Penhaligon, James Aubrey…; Quease–inducing drama of a middle–class family being torn apart by a father's obsessive love for his manipulative daughter. Shocking for…
Boy in the Plastic Bubble, The (1976): Dir. Randal Kleiser
Feat. John Travolta, Glynnis O'Connor, Robert Reed; A cult telemovie starring John Travolta as an immune–deficient youngster with potentially fatal allergies, who has to exist in a sealed…
Break Of Day (1976): Dir. Ken Hannam
Feat. Andrew MacFarlane; Quiet Australian drama focused on a young soldier's struggle to adjust to his previous life after returning home post–WW1, and his pursuit of…
Brute, The (1976): Dir. Gerry O'Hara
Feat. Sarah Douglas, Julian Glover, Bruce Robinson; A strange combination of social realism and luridity turns this tale of a battered wife into a strange horror film indeed.
Caddie (1976): Dir. Donald Crombie
Feat. Helen Morse, Drew Forsythe, Jack Thompson…; Key film of the Australian cinema renaissance with Helen Morse exceptional as a young solo mother struggling to get by in a male dominated…
Captains and the Kings (TV Mini-Series) (1976): Feat. Patty Duke, Jane Seymour, Perry King…; Rich inter–generational saga chronicling the life of an Irish immigrant who arrives penniless in America in the mid–19th century.…
Cria Cuervos (1976): Dir. Carlos Saura
Feat. Ana Torrent, Geraldine Chaplin; The remarkable Ana Torrent (SPIRIT OF THE BEEHIVE) turns in another mesmerizing performance as the middle child of recently deceased parents. A…
Desert of the Tartars, The (1976): Dir. Valerio Zurlini
Feat. Vittorio Gassman, Jacques Perrin, Helmut Griem…; Italian drama set in a hostile East Asian desert, where a isolated Lieutenant defends an old, unmaintained border fortress while awaiting an attack…
Devil's Playground, The (1976): Dir. Fred Schepisi
Feat. Simon Burke, Nick Tate, Arthur Dignam…; The film that put Australian director Fred Schepisi on the silver screen radar, tells the semi–autobiographical story of a young teenager…
Dickens of London (TV Series) (1976): Dir. Michael Ferguson, Marc Miller
Feat. Roy Dotrice, Diane Coupland, Simon Bell; Dramatic biography of Charles Dickens and his rise from obscure origins to blacking factory worker to political reporter and author.
Face to Face (1976): Dir. Ingmar Bergman
Feat. Liv Ullmann; A harrowing insight into a nervous breakdown suffered by a woman psychiatrist. Bleak yet compulsive through stylised photography and Liv Ullmanns…
Fellini's Casanova (1976): Dir. Federico Fellini
Feat. Donald Sutherland; Fellini indulges himself just short of self–parody for a gorgeously stylised, absurdist revision of the life of the 18th Century lover. Donald…
Front, The (1976): Dir. Martin Ritt
Feat. Woody Allen; Woody Allen in a rare pure acting role plays a young cashier asked to 'front' for a blacklisted writer during the McCarthy era. Satire at its most…
Gable and Lombard (1976): Dir. Sidney J. Furie
Feat. James Brolin, Jill Clayburgh, Allen Garfield…; A speculative and superficial biopic based on the scandalous romance and tumultuous marriage of 1930's screen stars Clark Gable and Carole Lombard,…
Glittering Prizes, The (TV Mini-series) (1976): Feat. Tom Conti, Mark Wing-Davey, Nigel Havers; Bittersweet Mini–series following a group of Cambridge University pals from days of 50's style college shenanigans into their muddled adult…
Heart of Glass (1976): Dir. Werner Herzog
Feat. Clemens Scheitz; Werner Herzog committed his cast to six months of hypnosis, before embarking on a spellbinding tale of an 18th Century Bavarian glassblower whose…
Hunter's Gold (TV Series) (1976): Feat. Ken Blackburn, Andrew Hawthorn, Ian Mune…; Classic kidult series follows young Scott Hunter as he searches for his father amidst the Otago Gold Rush in thismagnificent recreation of early New…
I, Claudius (TV Series) (1976): Dir. Herbert Wise
Feat. Brian Blessed, John Hurt, Derek Jacobi…; Superlative televison epic spans the juicy analogues of Roman history with Augustus (Brian Blessed), Caligula (John Hurt), Claudius (Derek Jacobi)…
In the Realm of the Senses (Ai No Corrida) (1976): Dir. Nagisa Oshima
Feat. Tatsuya Fuji, Eiko Matsuda; Hailed as an erotic masterpiece in some quarters and condemned as mere sexually explicit exploitation in others, Oshima’s indisputably elegant…
Killing of a Chinese Bookie, The (1976): Dir. John Cassavetes
Feat. Ben Gazzara; Cassavetes' most personal film concerns a strip–club owner (Ben Gazzara) who becomes indebted to the mob. An acquired taste for this one as…
Kings of the Road (1976): Dir. Wim Wenders
Feat. Rudiger Vogler, Hanns Zischler, Lisa Kreuzer; Two men embark on an odyssey of discovery along Germany's East/West border. A thoughtful, illuminating road movie that will ultimately reward…
L'Innocente (1976): Dir. Luchino Visconti
Feat. Giancarlo Giannini, Laura Antonelli, Jennifer O'Neill; Visconti's swan–song is an exquisite noble period drama in which a faithless husband in driven to extremes when his wife bears a child to…
Last Tycoon, The (1976): Dir. Elia Kazan
Feat. Robert De Niro, Jack Nicholson, Tony Curtis…; Star–studded attempt to adapt F. Scott Fitzgerald's unfinished last novel, itself based on the life of early Hollywood mogul Irving Thalberg.…
Lindbergh Kidnapping Case, The (1976): Dir. Buzz Kulik
Feat. Anthony Hopkins, Martin Balsam, Cliff DeYoung…; A TV film dramatising the events of the Lindbergh kidnapping, in which the son of aviators Charles Lindbergh and Anne Morrow Lindbergh was abducted…
Maitresse (1976): Dir. Barbet Schroeder
Feat. Gerard Depardieu, Bulle Ogier; An eye–watering, willfully transgressive tale of a petty crook (Depardieu) who enters into a seemingly conventional romance with a…
Man of Marble (1976): Dir. Andrzej Wajda; One of dir. Wadja's later masterpieces is a strong attack on the tactics and hypocrisy of the Communist government of the day. A film student…
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…
Mikey and Nicky (1976): Dir. Elaine May
Feat. Peter Falk, John Cassavetes, Ned Beatty…; Loosely improvised drama, with a wild–eyed John Cassavetes calling on old pal Peter Falk to help escape the Mob. Turns out he may not be such a…
Moneychangers, The (TV Series) (1976): Feat. Kirk Douglas, Christopher Plummer, Anne Baxter…; Kirk Douglas and Christopher Plummer play executives battling to claim the presidency of one of America's largest banks in this meaty financial…
Mr. Klein (1976): Dir. Joseph Losey
Feat. Alain Delon, Jeanne Moreau; A dark, dread–inducing moral tale, with Delon fleecing vulnerable Jews under German–occupied–France, only to be mistaken by…
Network (1976): Dir. Sidney Lumet
Feat. Peter Finch, William Holden, Faye Dunaway…; Explosive drama about an ailing TV station desperate to improve their ratings. Peter Finch won the Best Actor Oscar post–humously as the…
News From Home (La Chambre, Hotel Monterey) (1976): Dir. Chantal Akerman
Feat. Chantal Akerman; A beautifully composed tableaux of New York in the seventies, cut to a reading of letters from dir. Akerman's mother. Also includes the…
Next 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…
Our Mutual Friend (Mini-Series) (1976): Dir. Peter Hammond
Feat. Leo McKern, Kathleen Harrison, John McEnery…; Faultless performances bring vigour to this brooding, Dickensian tale of love triangles, plots within plots, and above all “money, money, money,…
Picture of Dorian Gray, The (1976): Dir. John Gorrie
Feat. John Gielgud, Jeremy Brett, Peter Firth; His self–portrait taking all the consequences, artist Jeremy Brett leads a debauched lifestyle that ultimately takes its toll, leading to…
Quincy, M.E (TV Series) (1976-1983): Feat. Jack Klugman; The genuine precursor to the CSI 'forensic crime' television genre, this groundbreaking series has Jack Klugman (of TV's 'The Odd Couple') playing a…
Rich Man, Poor Man (Mini-series) (1976): Feat. Peter Strauss, Nick Nolte, Susan Blakely…; Popular TV Mini–Series with a superb ensemble cast based on the best–selling Irwin Shaw novel following the fate of two immigrant…
Robin and Marian (1976): Dir. Richard Lester
Feat. Sean Connery, Audrey Hepburn, Robert Shaw…; Hearty adventurism envisions Robin Hood as an aging 40–something, who upon returning from the Crusades, rekindles his rivalry with the Sheriff…
Rocky (1976): Dir. John G. Avildsen
Feat. Sylvester Stallone, Talia Shire, Burt Young…; The simple yet effective story of a two–bit boxer's quest for self–respect and fame was a feat paralleled by the film's writer and star,…
Rocky Boxset (Rocky, Rocky II, Rocky III, Rocky IV, Rocky V, Rocky Balboa) (1976-2006): Feat. Sylvester Stallone; The complete Rocky legacy in one box–set, including Stallone's final recent swansong in the career–defining role.
Romeo and Juliet (1976): Dir. Joan Kemp-Welch
Feat. Christopher Neame, Ann Hasson, Peter Jeffrey…; Creditable British TV version of the most famous romantic tragedy of all time, with Neame and Hassan playing the fate–crossed lovers.
Scar, The (Blizna) (1976): Dir. Krzysztof Kieslowski
Feat. Franciszek Pieczka; Dir. Kieslowski's debut theatrical feature follows on from his earlier documentary work in dramatising what happens when a large chemical plant is…
Sebastiane (1976): Dir. Derek Jarman
Feat. Barney James, Neil Kennedy, Leonardo Treviglio; A Roman soldier is banished to an outpost because of his Christian sympathies where he is eventually immortalised as a martyred saint. Jarman doesn't…
Seven Percent Solution, The (1976): Dir. Nicholas Meyer
Feat. Alan Arkin, Vanessa Redgrave, Robert Duvall…; Intriguing re–imagining of the Sherlock Holmes legend has the master sleuth fighting his own drug addiction under the guidance of Sigmund…
Small Change (L'argent de Poche) (1976): Dir. Francois Truffaut
Feat. Nicole Felix, Chantal Mercier; Childhood in a small French village is portrayed as a series of witty poetic moments in a comedy that’s sunny, tender and finally serious in…
Stay Hungry (1976): Dir. Bob Rafelson
Feat. Arnold Schwarzenegger, Jeff Bridges, Sally Field…; This boasts the first dramatic role for Arnold Schwarzenegger but it serves as more than a curiosity, it's an intriguing portrait of a social…
Stroszek (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…
Sullivans, The (TV Series) (1976-1983): Feat. Mel Gibson; Long–running Australian series set during WW2 Melbourne that became an iconic, antipodean version of THE WALTONS, eventually running to 1114…
Sybil (1976): Dir. Daniel Petrie
Feat. Sally Field; Sally Field gives a tour–de–force performance in this profoundly disturbing dramatisation of the life of a woman who developed 17…
Taxi Driver (1976): Dir. Martin Scorsese
Feat. Robert De Niro, Cybill Shepherd, Albert Brooks…; Robert De Niro stalks the decaying streets of the Big Apple to Bernard Herrmann's haunting score before flipping his lid and enacting brutal revenge…
Terence Davies Trilogy, The (Children, Madonna and the Child, Death and Transfiguration) (1976-1983): Dir. Terence Davies
Feat. Wilfred Brambell; A striking – if not, overtly autobiographical – early trilogy of shorts from dir. Terence Davies, spanning the life of one man’s struggle with…
The Marquise of O (Die Marquise von O) (1976): Dir. Eric Rohmer
Feat. Edith Clever, Bruno Ganz; An Eric Rohmer period drama set in 1799 telling the story of the Marquise von O, a virtuous widow, who finds herself pregnant who protests her…
Victory at Entebbe (1976): Dir. Marvin J. Chomsky
Feat. Helmut Berger, Linda Blair, Burt Lancaster…; A made–for–television film first broadcast on ABC, depicting the raid on Entebbe Airport in Uganda and the freeing of Israeli hostages…
Welcome to L.A. (1976): Dir. Alan Rudolph
Feat. Keith Carradine; A discouraged rock composer finds solace in a number of one–night stands. An arresting, provocative tale of life at the mercy of the…
When The Boat Comes In (TV Series) (1976): Feat. James Bolam, James Garbutt, Jean Heywood; 'Northern' drama series set in a post–WW1 Britain, where Ex–Sergeant Jack Ford (Bolam) and his family must deal with the aftermath…
Woman at Her Window, A (Une femme à sa fenêtre) (1976): Dir. Pierre Granier-Deferre
Feat. Romy Schneider, Philippe Noiret; Romy Schneider plays a lovelorn aristocrat torn between a nobleman and a political activist in 1936 Greece.
Woyzeck (1976): Dir. Werner Herzog
Feat. Klaus Kinski; A version of Georg Buchner's play, matching Herzog to another gloomy Germanic visionary, with Klaus Kinski as the soldier tormented by visions and…
Young Doctors, The (TV Series) (1976-1983): Feat. Rebecca Gilling; One of Australia's most popular soap operas – and across the ditch too! – followed the appealing medical dramas and behind–scenes…
92 In the Shade (1975): Dir. Thomas McGuane
Feat. Peter Fonda, Warren Oates, Margot Kidder…; Drama based on director's novel of the same name, about a young man who opens a charter fishing business in the swampy rot of Key West, Florida,…
Absence of Malice (1975): Dir. Sydney Pollack
Feat. Sally Field, Paul Newman; Reporter Sally Feild smears innocent Paul Newman in this solid examination of ethics, power and corruption in the US media.
American Film Theatre - Galileo (1975): Dir. Joseph Losey
Feat. Topol, John Gielgud, Patrick Magee…; A generally satisfactory version of Bertolt Brecht's stageplay concerning the ethical dilemmas of the scientist Galileo, who among other things…
American Film Theatre - In Celebration (1975): Dir. Lindsay Anderson
Feat. Alan Bates, Brian Cox, Gabrielle Daye…; A tightly framed screen adaptation of David Storey's autobiographical play set around the reunion of a Nottinghamshire mining family, in which cast…
American Film Theatre - Philadelphia, Here I Come (1975): Dir. John Quested
Feat. Donal McCann, Des Cave, Siobhan McKenna; A young Irishman agonises over whether to leave his stifling Irish existence and join relatives in America, in one of the more subdued American Film…
American Film Theatre - The Man in the Glass Booth (1975): Dir. Arthur Hiller
Feat. Maximilian Schell, Lois Nettleton, Lawrence Pressman…; Another intense, performance based entrant in the American Film Theatre series, with Schell playing a wealthy Jewish industrialist who survived the…
Anne Of Avonlea (1975): Feat. Kim Braden, Barbara Hamilton, Nicholas Lyndhurst; Continues the story of Anne Shirley (the heroine of ANNE OF GREEN GABLES) as she begins her job as a schoolteacher and faces a whole new set of…
Ash Tree, The (1975): Dir. Lawrence Gordon Clark
Feat. Edward Petherbridge, Preston Lockwood; Short film adaptation of the ghost story by M R James. A man of leisure inherits the family estate after his uncle dies, and finds himself…
Autobiography of a Princess (1975): Dir. James Ivory
Feat. Madhur Jaffrey, James Mason; Merchant Ivory production about an Indian princess (Madhur Jaffrey) who has left her homeland and lives in contemporary London. On the anniversary of…
Barry Lyndon (1975): Dir. Stanley Kubrick
Feat. Ryan O'Neal, Patrick Magee, Marisa Berenson; Taking William Thackery's ironical novel as a starting point, dir. Kubrick's immaculate period piece sprawls across 18th century Europe and remains…
Conduct Unbecoming (1975): Dir. Michael Anderson
Feat. Michael York, Richard Attenborough, Trevor Howard; Well–made, though somewhat old–fashioned version of Barry England's play about misbehaviour among the British Army in India. The stars…
Dersu Uzala (1975): Dir. Akira Kurosawa
Feat. Maksim Munzuk, Yuri Solomin, Svetlana Danilchenko; Kurosawa ventured to Russia for this Oscar–winning epic detailing the experiences of a Russian military explorer in Siberia, and his friendship…
Edward VII (TV Series) (1975): Dir. John Gorrie
Feat. Timothy West, John Gielgud, Robert Hardy…; Superb period drama covers the complicated 'Royal' Edward VII, who was almost an old man by the time he finally became King of England in the early…
Emilienne (1975): Dir. Guy Cararil
Feat. Betty Mars, Pierre Oudry; French art house erotica based on a novel by Claude Des Olbes about a threesome between a young model, an artist and his wife. Straight faced and as…
Fear of Fear (Angst vor der Angst) (1975): Dir. Rainer Werner Fassbinder
Feat. Margit Carstensen, Brigitte Mira; Overlooked Fassbinder drama following an isolated young mother suffering from post–natal depression who turns to drugs to help her cope. A fine…
Fox and His Friends (1975): Dir. Rainer Werner Fassbinder
Feat. Peter Chatel, Rainer Werner Fassbinder, Adrian Hoven; Fassbinder himself stars in one of his best melodramas as a working class lottery–winner who is exploited by his middle–class lover. A…
Hiding Place, The (1975): Dir. James F. Collier
Feat. Julie Harris, Eileen Heckart; A Dutch family are sent to a concentration camp after turning their home into a shelter for Jews. Based on the autobiographical book by Corrie Ten…
Inserts (1975): Dir. John Byrum
Feat. Richard Dreyfuss, Jessica Harper, Bob Hoskins…; Talky, tawdry film–within–a–film about a washed–up director (Dreyfuss) who inserts SUSPIRIA's Jessica Harper as a body double…
Je tu il elle (I, You, He, She) (1975): Dir. Chantal Akerman
Feat. Chantal Akerman, Niels Arestrup, Claire Wauthion; Dir. Chantal Akerman stars in her debut feature as a lonely drifter whose road trip to nowhere detours via encounters with a male truck driver and a…
Jeanne Dielman, 23, quai du Commerce, 1080 Bruxelles (1975): Dir. Chantal Akerman
Feat. Delphine Seyrig, Jan Decorte; Delphine Seyrig plays a repressed housewife whose rigid domestic routine – with, secretly, the occasional trick turned on the side –…
Lost Honor of Katherina Blum, The (1975): Dir. Volker Schlondorff
Feat. Angela Winkler, Jurgen Prochnow; Taken from the novel by Heinrich Boll, this reproach to the powers–that–be in mid–70s West Germany portrays the hardheaded…
Lucky 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…
Mahogany (1975): Dir. Berry Gordy
Feat. Diana Ross, Anthony Perkins, Billy Dee Williams…; Deliciously overripe melodrama with Diana Ross as an aspiring designer falling under the spell of jet–setting Anthony Perkins. Ross and…
Man Who Would Be King, The (1975): Dir. John Huston
Feat. Sean Connery, Michael Caine; Conmen Sean Connery and Michael Caine have grand old–fashioned adventures in remote India.
Mother Kuesters Goes to Heaven (1975): Dir. Rainer Werner Fassbinder
Feat. Brigitte Mira, Ingrid Caven, Karlheinz Bohm…; A furiously witty political black comedy from New German Cinema iconoclast Rainer Werner Fassbinder, heavily inspired by the melodramas of Douglas…
Nashville (1975): 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…
One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975): Dir. Milos Forman
Feat. Jack Nicholson, Louise Fletcher, Brad Dourif…; Jack Nicholson gives a star–making performance in this courageous tragi–comedy about a misfit's influence on a group of oppressed asylum…
Other Side of the Mountain, The (1975): Dir. Larry Peerce
Feat. Marilyn Hassett, Beau Bridges, Belinda Montgomery…; A talented downhill skier must learn to live as a quadriplegic after a devastating mountain accident ends her promising Olympic career. Moving true…
Overlord (1975): Dir. Stuart Cooper
Feat. Brian Stirner; Remarkable one–off that seamlessly interweaves archival war footage and a fictional narrative, this accounts a twenty–year–old’s…
Passenger, The (1975): Dir. Michelangelo Antonioni
Feat. Jack Nicholson, Maria Schneider; Jack Nicholson stars in this slow but absorbing parable about a dissatisfied TV journalist on location in Africa, who exchanges his identity with a…
Picnic at Hanging Rock (1975): Dir. Peter Weir
Feat. Rachel Roberts, Vivean Gray, Helen Morse…; Simply one of the best Australian films ever, this elegant mystery, based on the novel by Joan Lindsay, centres around the disappearance of several…
Poldark (TV Series) (1975): Dir. Philip Dudley
Feat. Ralph Bates, Robin Ellis, Jill Townsend; Highly successful British TV series based on the series of novels by Winston Graham about the life of an 18th–century Cornish nobleman (Ellis)…
Raffles (TV Series) (1975-1977): Feat. Anthony Valentine, Christopher Strauli; Known by day as A.J. Raffles, gentleman of leisure and top–rate cricketer, at night Raffles becomes "the amateur Cracksman", an expert jewel…
Romantic Englishwoman, The (1975): Dir. Joseph Losey
Feat. Glenda Jackson, Michael Caine; The marriage of Glenda Jackson and Michael Caine becomes threatened by the presence of another man. Low–key cocktail of satire, intrigue and…
Seven Beauties (1975): 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…
Stepford Wives, The (1975): Dir. Bryan Forbes
Feat. Katharine Ross, Paula Prentiss, Peter Masterson…; Beautifully understated, bizarre satire on suburbia and the feminist movement in which the inhabitants of a small town seem curiously contented. …
Story Of Adele H.,The (1975): Dir. Francois Truffaut
Feat. Isabelle Adjani, Bruce Robinson, Sylvia Marriott; A towering performance by Isabelle Adjani anchors this moody, but somewhat turgid romance. Based on the diaries of Victor Hugo's daughter that…
Story of O, The (1975): Dir. Just Jaeckin
Feat. Corinne Clery, Udo Kier, Anthony Steel…; Lusty adaptation of the erotic French novel 'Story of O' set in a decadent chateau and centred around an eager young lady taught the wonders of…
Sunday Too Far Away (1975): Dir. Ken Hannam
Feat. Jack Thompson; One the hidden treasures of 70s Australian cinema, set around a desolate Outback shearing quarters, where Jack Thompson tries to organise the…
Survivors (TV Series) (1975-1977): Feat. Carolyn Seymour, Ian McCulloch, Lucy Fleming; Memorable post–apocalyptic drama serial following a small group of survivors after 99.9% of Earth’s population has been wiped out by a deadly…
Winstanley (1975): Dir. Kevin Brownlow, Andrew Mollo
Feat. Miles Halliwell, Jerome Willis, Terry Higgins; The dramatized history of a Reformation–era religious sect called the Diggers. A nonviolent aggregation, the Diggers are devoted to tilling the…
Wrong Move (1975): Dir. Wim Wenders
Feat. Rudiger Vogler, Nastassja Kinski; A young writer works through his artistic angst and laments the decline of German society in Wenders disquieting road movie. Downbeat, but compelling…
Xala (Impotence) (1975): Dir. Ousmane Sembene; When a government official (Thierno Leye) in newly–independent Senegal marries a third wife he finds himself struck down with impotence, in…
Affairs of the Heart (TV Series) (1974): Dir. Derek Bennett, Michael Ferguson
Feat. Diana Rigg, Ian Ogilvy, Anna Calder-Marshall…; Seven tales from the fiction of Henry James are adapted to television with varying degrees of success and a wide range of actors. Plenty of…
Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore (1974): Dir. Martin Scorsese
Feat. Ellen Burstyn, Kris Kristofferson, Harvey Keitel…; Resonant account of a young widow trying to secure self–assurance and financial stability for herself and her pre–teen son. Scorsese's…
Alice in the Cities (1974): Dir. Wim Wenders
Feat. Rudiger Vogler, Yella Rottlander, Lisa Kreuzer; A German journalist's homeward trek is diverted through various cities when he helps a young companion re–locate her family. Wenders'…
Amarcord (1974): Dir. Federico Fellini
Feat. Bruno Zanin, Pupella Maggio, Armendo Brancia; Fellini's last bonafide masterpiece – an inspired recreation of his memories of growing up in small–town Italy during the Fascist 1930s…
American Film Theatre - Lost in the Stars (1974): Dir. Daniel Mann
Feat. Brock Peters, Melba Moore, Raymond St. Jacques…; The innovative 1930s musical collaboration between Maxwell Anderson and Kurt Weill was ambitiously adapted in this American Film Theatre…
American Film Theatre - Rhinoceros (1974): Dir. Tom O'Horgan
Feat. Zero Mostel, Gene Wilder, Karen Black…; Possibly the least appreciated of the American Film Theatre adaptations, this version of Eugene Ionesco's fable of totalitarianism is in fact perhaps…
American Film Theatre - The Maids (1974): Dir. Christopher Miles
Feat. Glenda Jackson, Susannah York, Vivien Merchant…; Atmospheric, though slightly muted version of Jean Genet's notorious play, itself based on a notorious French murder case, where two maids immersed…
Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz (1974): Dir. Ted Kotcheff
Feat. Richard Dreyfuss; A baby–faced Richard Dreyfuss excels as a pushy Jewish con–artist / entrepreneur in this teeming, energetic coming–of–age…
Arabian Nights (Il Fiore Delle Mille e Una Notte) (1974): Dir. Pier Paolo Pasolini
Feat. Ninetto Davoli, Franco Citti, Tessa Bouche; For the final part of his “Trilogy of Life”, Pasolini interweaves several of the tales of the ‘Thousand and One Nights’,…
Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman, The (1974): Dir. John Korty
Feat. Cicely Tyson, Richard Dysart, Michael Murphy; Notable classic tele–drama based on the novel of the same name by Ernest J. Gaines, set in the early 1960's, where a woman born into slavery in…
Between Wars (1974): Dir. Michael Thornhill
Feat. Corin Redgrave, Judy Morris, Arthur Dignam…; Insightful portrait traces the career of famed Australian psychiatrist Dr Edward Trenbow, as he embarks on his groundbreaking research of…
Brief Encounter (1974): Dir. Alan Bridges
Feat. Richard Burton, Sophia Loren, Jack Hedley…; The BBC revisit David Lean's classic unrequited romance, with Richard Burton and Sophia Loren excellent as would–be lovers who meet on a train…
California Split (1974): 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…
Chinatown (1974): Dir. Roman Polanski
Feat. Jack Nicholson, Roman Polanski, John Huston…; Classic detective thriller in the Hammett–Chandler tradition, with Jack Nicholson as P.I. Jake Gittes, whose simple case leads to murder and…
Conrack (1974): Dir. Martin Ritt
Feat. Jon Voight, Paul Winfield, Hume Cronyn; Based on the true experiences of a teacher in a sunlit backwater of South Carolina, Jon Voight gives one of his best performances, trying to rouse…
Conversation Piece (1974): Dir. Luchino Visconti
Feat. Burt Lancaster, Helmut Berger, Silvana Mangano; A retired professor, who leads of solitary and ordered existence is disturbed by rich and overbearing new tenants in his Roman palazzo. Assembles…
Daisy Miller (1974): Dir. Peter Bogdanovich
Feat. Cybill Shepherd, Barry Brown, Mildred Natwick…; A thoughtful if slightly 'out of tune' version of Henry James' early novel, in which the titular American tours Europe in the late 1800s. Nicely…
Day of the Locust, The (1974): Dir. John Schlesinger
Feat. Donald Sutherland, Karen Black, Burgess Meredith…; A decadent, densely–detailed adaptation of Nathaniel West's scalding movie–biz novel of the 1930s that recreates Golden Age Hollywood…
Effi Briest (1974): Dir. Rainer Werner Fassbinder
Feat. Hanna Schygulla; Thoughtful drama, from provocative German Dir. Fassbinder, recounting the story of a stifled married woman whose long hidden affair reveals itself…
Electra, My Love (Szerelmem, Elektra) (1974): Dir. Miklos Jancso; This surreal re–imagining of a greek myth utilizes a striking anachronistic twist to draw parallels between the ages. Humiliated and filled…
French Screen Icons: Romy Schneider (Love in the Rain, A Woman at Her Window) (1974-1976): Feat. Romy Schneider; Two French films from the 1970's starring German–born screen icon, Romy Schneider.
Front 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…
Gambler, The (1974): Dir. Karel Reisz
Feat. James Caan, Paul Sorvino, Lauren Hutton…; A typically gritty 70s crime drama, adapted from a story by Dostoevsky, that boasts a fine performance by James Caan as a well–respected…
Godfather Part 2, The (1974): Dir. Francis Ford Coppola
Feat. Al Pacino, Robert Duvall, Diane Keaton…; The Corleone saga continues with the same passion and exacting standards, it both broadens the scope and bolsters the stature of the original. Hailed…
Great Gatsby, The (1974): Dir. Jack Clayton
Feat. Robert Redford, Mia Farrow, Karen Black…; Accomplished adaptation of the F. Scott Fitzgerald "Jazz Age" classic set among the upper classes of the roaring 20's, with a script by Francis Ford…
Harry & 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.
Helen Mirren at the BBC (1974-1982): Dir. Anthony Page, Claude Whatham, Stuart Burge
Feat. Helen Mirren, Sir Stanley Baker, Brian Cox…; Boxed set featuring nine BBC films starring one of the Grand Dames of the British stage and screen, Helen Mirren. Disc 1: 'The Changeling' (1974)…
Jennie: Lady Randolph Churchill (TV Mini-Series) (1974): Dir. James Cellan Jones
Feat. Lee Remick, Warren Clarke, Barbara Parkins…; Rightly acclaimed series that reveals the fascinating life of the Lady Randolph Churchill, and mother of Winston. Adroitly scripted and acted –…
King Lear (1974): Dir. Edwin Sherin
Feat. James Earl Jones, Raul Julia, Rosalind Cash…; Filmed version of a outdoors live performance of Lear, featuring a bravura performance by Jones. Part of the Broadway Theatre Archive series.
King Lear (1974): Feat. Patrick Magee; Solid TV version of the Bard's great tragedy with Patrick Magee giving a unique interpretation of the troubled monarch, double–crossed by his…
La Gueule Ouverte (The Mouth Agape) (1974): Dir. Maurice Pialat
Feat. Hubert Deschamps, Monique Mélinand, Philippe Leotard…; Devastating drama from dir. Pialat distills autobiographical material into an edifying portrait of terminal illness, and the emotional state of the…
La Maman Et La Putain (the Mother and the Whore) (1974): Dir. Jean Eustache
Feat. Bernadette Lafont, Jean-Pierre Leaud, Francoise Lebrun; At just over three and a half hours, this domestic chamber drama – probably the last great film of the French New Wave – is not for the…
Lacombe Lucien (1974): Dir. Louis Malle
Feat. Pierre Blaise, Aurore Clement; A subtle, probing study of the psychology of collaboration set in WW2 rural France, sees young peasant lad Pierre Blaise drawn into the local…
Lancelot Du Lac (1974): Dir. Robert Bresson
Feat. Luc Simon, Laura Duke Condominas, Humbert Balsan…; Bresson endows the legend of King Arthur with his unique style and vision, and exposes a density of ideas by stripping the story back to its base…
Lenny (1974): Dir. Bob Fosse
Feat. Dustin Hoffman; Dustin Hoffman exposes the self–destructive life of Lenny Bruce in this stark, explicit biopic of the maverick stand–up comic whose…
Longest Yard, The (1974): Dir. Robert Aldrich
Feat. Burt Reynolds, Eddie Albert; Long on black comedy and exciting action scenes, this prison–yard drama organises an American Football playoff between the prisoners (led by…
Lords of Flatbush, The (1974): Dir. Martin Davidson, Stephen Verona
Feat. Perry King, Sylvester Stallone, Henry Winkler…; Boasting early appearances for various stars–in–waiting, this is an affectionate view of the rites–of–passage for members of…
Love in the Rain (Un amour de pluie) (1974): Dir. Jean-Claude Brialy
Feat. Romy Schneider, Nino Castelnuovo, Suzanne Flon; More pomp and circumstance from Romy Schneider, here playing a well–to–do French woman indulging in various love affairs while holidaying…
Martha (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…
Melissa (TV Mini-series) (1974): Dir. Peter Moffatt
Feat. Peter Barkworth, Moira Redmond; Riveting BBC mystery thriller series adapted from the Francis Durbridge novel that tells the tale of a husband who begins to uncover the mysterious…
Mirror (Zerkalo) (1974): Dir. Andrei Tarkovsky
Feat. Margarita Terekhova, Ignat Daniltsev, Larisa Tarkovskaya; Appropriately titled autobiography of Tarkovsky's childhood, impressioned by the volatile cultural environment. Unique in both form and vision, this…
Napoleon and Love (TV Mini-Series) (1974): Feat. Ian Holm, Billie Whitelaw, Peter Bowles…; Plodding account of the famed emperor's conquests – in the bedroom. Holm and Whitelaw rise above some fairly pedestrian film–making.
Night Porter, The (1974): Dir. Liliana Cavani
Feat. Dirk Bogarde, Charlotte Rampling; Bizarre yet sensual melodrama about an ex–gestapo officer who resumes a sado–masochistic affair with his Jewish former–prisoner.…
Onedin Line, The (TV Series) (1974-1980): Feat. Peter Gilmore, Howard Lang, Brian Rawlinson…; A sterling soap–opera of the 1970s, this immensely popular TV saga followed the empire–building and family fortunes of gruff 19th Century…
Pallisers, The (TV Series) (1974): Dir. Hugh David
Feat. Phillip Latham, Barbara Murray, Susan Hampshire…; Substantial saga of wealth, passion, power, and scandal set in the palatial country houses and grand Mayfair salons of mid–Victorian England,…
Policewoman (TV Series) (1974): Feat. Angie Dickinson, Earl Holliman; Angie Dickinson stars in this classic police drama – the first cop show to feature a woman as the lead character– as Sergeant "Pepper"…
QB VII (TV Mini-Series) (1974): Dir. Tom Gries
Feat. Ben Gazzara, Anthony Hopkins, Leslie Caron…; A multiple Emmy–winning adaptation of the novel by Leon Uris (best known for "Exodus") detailing the gripping court battle between a…
Rockford Files, The (TV Series) (1974-1975): Feat. James Garner, Noah Jr. Beery, Joe Santos…; In the spirit of 'Cold Case' this detective thriller series stars James Garner as an easy going plaid jacket attired investigator pursuing unsolved…
Stardust (1974): Dir. Michael Apted
Feat. David Essex, Adam Faith, Larry Hagman…; Musical biopic of fictional 60s British popsters The Stray Cats (the name later adopted by 80s rockabillies) and their invasion of America. 70s pop…
Stavisky (1974): Dir. Alain Resnais
Feat. Jean-Paul Belmondo, Francois Perier, Anny Duperey…; Belmondo lends his shafty screen persona to the role of notorious financier, swindler, and raconteur Alexandre Stavisky, whose monetary exploits and…
Steppenwolf (1974): Feat. Max von Sydow, Dominique Sanda, Pierre Clementi; A strange yet spiritually faithful adaptation of Hermann Hesse's novel about a solitary intellectual in 1920's Germany who is a half–human,…
Treasure of Abbot Thomas, The (1974): Dir. Lawrence Gordon Clark
Feat. Frank Mills, Sheila Dunn, Anne Blake; Short TV movie based on the ghost story by M. R. James. Michael Bryant stars as a scholar of Medieval history who finds the clue to hidden treasure…
Voyage, The (Il Viaggio) (1974): Dir. Vittorio De Sica
Feat. Sophia Loren, Richard Burton, Ian Bannen; Melodrama from Italian master De Sica sees an incurably ill Sophia Loren torn between the love of two brothers (Richard Burton and Ian Bannen, both…
Wim Wenders Road Movies (Alice in the Cities, Wrong Move, Kings of the Road) (1974-1976): Dir. Wim Wenders; Boxset compilation of a further three Wim Wenders touchstones, each variations on the quintessential road movie.
Woman Under the Influence, A (1974): Dir. John Cassavetes
Feat. Peter Falk, Gena Rowlands; Peter Falk and Gena Rowlands pull out the stops as a dysfunctional working– class couple. Though the drama (and running time) are left…
A Doll's House (1973): Dir. Patrick Garland
Feat. Anthony Hopkins, Claire Bloom, Ralph Richardson…; A stagey, though strongly acted version of Henrik Ibsen's renowned proto–feminist stageplay set in a 19th century household beset by personal…
A Doll's House (1973): Dir. Joseph Losey
Feat. Jane Fonda; Jane Fonda plays the liberated 19th Century woman of Ibsen's play.
American Film Theatre - A Delicate Balance (1973): Dir. Tony Richardson
Feat. Katharine Hepburn, Paul Scofield, Lee Remick…; The American Film Theatre's adaptation of the Edward Albee stageplay set amongst a troubled, but well–to–do American family. When some…
American Film Theatre - Iceman Cometh, The (1973): Dir. John Frankenheimer
Feat. Lee Marvin, Robert Ryan, Fredric March…; Masterly filmic adaptation of Eugene O'Neill's late stageplay set among the various seedy denizens of an early 20th century barroom, awaiting the…
American Film Theatre - Luther (1973): Dir. Guy Green
Feat. Stacy Keach, Patrick Magee, Hugh Griffith…; Although receiving a somewhat muted reaction when originally released, this American Film Theatre production is a worthy adaptation of John Osborne's…
American Film Theatre - The Homecoming (1973): Dir. Peter Hall
Feat. Cyril Cusack, Ian Holm, Michael Jayston…; One of the very finest of the American Film Theatre stageplay adaptations, dir. Hall and his cast came off a two–year run of Harold Pinter's…
American Graffiti (1973): 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.
Bang the Drum Slowly (1973): Dir. John Hancock
Feat. Robert De Niro, Michael Moriarty, Vincent Gardenia; Robert De Niro plays a persecuted, simple–minded baseball player who contracts a terminal illness. The effect that it has on his fellow…
Blockhouse, The (1973): Dir. Clive Rees
Feat. Peter Sellers, Charles Aznavour, Jeremy Kemp; A crafted, though minor serious role for Sellers as one of a number of slave–labourers at work on the Nazi's Normandy defence bunkers. On…
Blume in Love (1973): Dir. Paul Mazursky
Feat. George Segal, Kris Kristofferson, Susan Anspach…; George Segal loves his wife dearly, but loses her because of an office fling. Controversial 70s exploration of mid–life angst.
Breezy (1973): Dir. Clint Eastwood
Feat. William Holden, Kay Lenz; Early, overlooked love affair from screen hard man Clint Eastwood, directing elder statesman William Holden as an aging recent divorcee who strikes…
Brontes of Haworth, The (Mini Series) (1973): Dir. Marc Miller
Feat. Barbara Leigh-Hunt, Alfred Burke; BBC period drama that delves into the lives of the mysterious Bronte sisters, from their literary achievements to the tragedies that beset both them…
Brother Sun, Sister Moon (1973): Dir. Franco Zeffirelli
Feat. Graham Faulkner, Judi Bowker; This flower–child rendition of the early years of St. Francis of Assisi draws a parallel to the hippy ethos. Songs by Donovan, script by Lena…
Burned Barns, The (Les granges brulées) (1973): Dir. Jean Chapot
Feat. Alain Delon, Simone Signoret; Moody provincial drama of death and betrayal reunites Delon and Signoret, this time on opposite sides of the law. More a character study than a…
Day For Night (La Nuit Americaine) (1973): Dir. Francois Truffaut
Feat. Jacqueline Bisset, Valentina Cortese, Jean-Pierre Leaud…; The blueprint film about film–making – made a few decades before it became fashionable – mirroring the first–hand experiences…
Fear Eats the Soul (1973): Dir. Rainer Werner Fassbinder
Feat. Brigitte Mira, El Hedi ben Salem; A sort of remake of Douglas Sirk's older woman–younger man melodrama "All That Heaven Allows", with added plot weirds countered by typical…
Girl 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…
Glass Menagerie, The (1973): Dir. Anthony Harvey
Feat. Katharine Hepburn, Sam Waterston, Joanna Miles…; Katharine Hepburn grows old and dominates her children in this fine stage version of the Tennessee Williams play. From the Broadway Theatre Archive…
Hard Labour (1973): Dir. Mike Leigh
Feat. Liz Smith, Clifford Kershaw, Polly Hemingway; Mike Leigh's first film for the BBC (beginning a series of televised stage plays) introduces some familiar preoccupations: unhappy families,…
Jesus Christ Superstar (1973): Dir. Norman Jewison
Feat. Ted Neeley, Carl Anderson; A screen adaptation of Lloyd–Webber's stage musical which retains the original score but adds an extra sheen of kitsch to the much maligned…
Jonathan Livingston Seagull (1973): Dir. Hall Bartlett
Feat. Philip Ahn, Richard Crenna; Unique attempt at adapting the seagulls–POV bestselling book. Music by Neil Diamond.
Last American Hero, The (1973): Dir. Lamont Johnson
Feat. Jeff Bridges, Valerie Perrine, Geraldine Fitzgerald…; Jeff Bridges' mix of redneck roughness and choirboy sweetness is just right for this 1973 true story of a country kid running moonshine and making…
Last Detail, The (1973): Dir. Hal Ashby
Feat. Jack Nicholson; Cleverly observed male–bonding yarn in which Jack Nicholson helps transport a fellow sailor to prison for a petty crime. He has three days to…
Libido (1973): Dir. Tim Burstall, Fred Schepisi, David Baker
Feat. Jack Thompson, Robyn Nevin, Judy Morris; A straight–faced portmanteau film, with each of four tales centring around themes of eroticism and emotional betrayal. Scripted by four…
Long Goodbye, The (1973): Dir. Robert Altman
Feat. Elliott Gould, Sterling Hayden, Nina Van Pallandt; Elliot Gould portrays a '70s Philip Marlowe, a wildly unkempt version of Chandler's legendary detective. Altman's film noir pastiche is equally…
Lost Hearts (1973): Dir. Lawrence Gordon Clark
Feat. Simon Gipps-Kent; A powerful drama based on the ghost story by M. R. James about an elderly and excitable black magician who preys sinisterly upon children.
Mean Streets (1973): Dir. Martin Scorsese
Feat. Harvey Keitel, Robert De Niro, David Proval…; Martin Scorsese made his name with this pungent rendition of NY Italian–Americana set among the teeming lowlife of his old neighbourhood. The…
Offence, The (1973): Dir. Sidney Lumet
Feat. Sean Connery, Trevor Howard, Vivien Merchant…; One of the better Lumet films. Sean Connery – in a rare impressive performance – as a British cop who loses control while interrogating a…
Paper Chase, The (1973): Dir. James Bridges
Feat. Timothy Bottoms, Lindsay Wagner, John Houseman…; Terrified Harvard Law students square off against the magnificent John Houseman (Oscar winner for his role as the professor from hell) in this well…
Paper Moon (1973): Dir. Peter Bogdanovich
Feat. Ryan O'Neal, Tatum O'Neal; An inventive and enjoyable pastiche of the films from the golden age. Ryan O'Neal stars as a con–man who befriends a 9–year–old…
Papillon (1973): Dir. Franklin J. Schaffner
Feat. Steve McQueen, Dustin Hoffman; Steve McQueen and Dustin Hoffman escape French prison colony Devil's Island. Memorable drama.
Picture Of Dorian Gray (1973): Dir. Glenn Jordan
Feat. Shane Briant, Nigel Davenport; Capable TV version of Oscar Wilde's classic novel in which young Dorian (Shane Briant) cashes in his soul, in a deal whereby his painted portrait…
Save the Tiger (1973): Dir. John G. Avildsen
Feat. Jack Lemmon, Jack Gilford, Harvey Jason…; Spotty meditation on moral conflict in 1970's America with Lemmon as a troubled business owner longing for the past. Wordy and overstuffed with…
Scarecrow (1973): Dir. Jerry Schatzberg
Feat. Gene Hackman, Al Pacino; Modest drama charts the therapeutic relationship between two drifters who seek redemption. Sombre moral tale about ordinary people is the kind rarely…
Scenes from a Marriage (Mini-Series) (1973): Dir. Ingmar Bergman
Feat. Liv Ullmann, Erland Josephson; Married couple Liv Ullmann and Erland Josephson undergo a lengthy emotional ordeal as their marriage disintegrates. Shot in a sparse functional…
That'll Be the Day (1973): Dir. Claude Whatham
Feat. David Essex, Ringo Starr, James Booth…; Popstar David Essex plays a British working–class youth who rejects the staid conformity of 50's Britain and eventually drifts into the…
Thieves Like Us (1973): Dir. Robert Altman
Feat. Keith Carradine, Shelley Duvall; One of dir. Altman's masterfully subversive genre–studies of the 70s, expands the 'gangster film' into a quirky, desperado version of…
Touki Bouki (1973): Dir. Djibril Diop Mambety
Feat. Magaye Niang, Mareme Niang; A Senegalese drama, recently restored, about a cowherd and a university student try to make money in order to go to Paris and leave their boring past…
Way We Were, The (1973): Dir. Sydney Pollack
Feat. Robert Redford, Barbra Streisand; A rich–kid aspiring novelist and a political activist go through the pleasure and pain of courtship and marriage through three decades.…
A 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…
Aguirre, Wrath of God (1972): Dir. Werner Herzog
Feat. Klaus Kinski; Stunningly shot on location in the Amazon, this spellbinding adventure details the decline and fall of a conquistador (Klaus Kinski) in his maniacal…
Bad Company (1972): Dir. Robert Benton
Feat. Jeff Bridges, Barry Brown, John Savage; A crafted, deliberately unromantic western which follows a young Jeff Bridges’ flight to escape from army recruiters into an 1863 West…
Bernard Shaw Collection, The (The Millionairess; Mrs. Warren's Profession; The Apple Cart ; Pygmalion; Heartbreak House; You Never Can Tell; The Man of Destiny; Androcles and the Lion; The Devil's Disciple; Arms and the Man) (1972-1989): Dir. David Jones
Feat. Maggie Smith, John Gielgud, Patrick Stewart…; Star–studded BBC adaptations of ten masterpieces of the stage by George Bernard Shaw. This set includes, over 8 discs the following…
Bitter Tears of Petra Von Kant, The (1972): Dir. Rainer Werner Fassbinder
Feat. Margit Carstensen, Hanna Schygulla; Lurid, feverish masterpiece from the incredibly prolific Fassbinder, chronicles a doomed lesbian relationship from the claustrophobic confines of…
Cabaret (1972): Dir. Bob Fosse
Feat. Liza Minnelli, Michael York; Scintillating musical with Liza Minnelli as the American showgirl caught up in the phony glitter of pre–war Berlin. Eight–time Oscar…
Candidate, The (1972): Dir. Michael Ritchie
Feat. Robert Redford; Incisive political satire sees idealist Robert Redford run for the Senate, but finds his good intentions usurped by the system and the needs of…
Canterbury Tales, The (I Racconti di Canterbury) (1972): Dir. Pier Paolo Pasolini
Feat. Hugh Griffith, Tom Baker, Pier Paolo Pasolini; Pasolini interprets four of Geoffrey Chaucer’s tales in the second of the director's medieval trilogy, set in a bawdy, perverse and dark vision of…
Cesar & 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…
Cries and Whispers (1972): Dir. Ingmar Bergman
Feat. Ingrid Thulin, Liv Ullmann, Harriet Andersson…; “It’s Monday morning and I’m in pain…” So begins one of Bergman’s most nerve–wrecking psychodramas, set in a 19th household of…
Crown Court (TV Series) (1972): "Water cooler" British courtroom drama that used fictional cases, but presented them before a jury comprised of members of the actual public. Cases…
Day in the Death of Joe Egg (1972): Dir. Peter Medak
Feat. Alan Bates, Janet Suzman; Rewarding black comedy stars Alan Bates and Janet Suzman as a couple with an autistic child whom they consider mercy–killing. Bizarre yet…
Deliverance (1972): Dir. John Boorman
Feat. Burt Reynolds, Jon Voight, Ned Beatty; Four businessmen encounter the dark side of both human and mother nature on their weekend canoe trip in the deep South. Aided by that unmistakable…
Discreet Charm of the Bourgeiosie (1972): 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…
Edwardians, The (1972): Dir. John Howard Davies, James Cellan Jones, Alan Clarke
Feat. Anthony Hopkins, Timothy West, Robert Powell…; Superb examination of eight famous Edwardians who helped shape the early 20th century. Impeccably presented and directed by some of the BBC's finest…
Emergency! (TV Series) (1972): Feat. Randolph Mantooth, Kevin Tighe, Julie London; Thrilling medical drama concerning firefighting paramedics weaves nonsensical medical jargon and elaborate novelty accidents with the one–two…
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.
Fellini's Roma (1972): Dir. Federico Fellini
Feat. Federico Fellini; The Italian master's eclectic home town portrait blends reconstructed memoirs and contemporary images (incl. a stunning traffic jam sequence) into a…
Godfather, The (1972): Dir. Francis Ford Coppola
Feat. Marlon Brando, Al Pacino, Robert De Niro…; Adaptation of Mario Puzo's novel is a vivid and immaculately staged chronicle of a Sicilian family's ascension to NY gangland dominance. Seamlessly…
Harder They Come, The (1972): Dir. Perry Henzell
Feat. Jimmy Cliff, Carl Bradshaw; A classic that has found lasting significance as a music film, political film, and above all as a unique, authentic product of Jamaica. A young,…
Heat (1972): Dir. Paul Morrissey
Feat. Sylvia Miles, Joe Dallesandro; A great trash drama, this is the most polished production of all the Warhol–esqe features, with a bravura performance from Sylvia Miles. It's…
Henry VIII and His Six Wives (1972): Dir. Waris Hussein
Feat. Keith Michell, Charlotte Rampling, Michael Gough…; Spin–off from the BBC series, accounts the antics of England's most notorious monarch reign.
Images (1972): Dir. Robert Altman
Feat. Susannah York, Cathryn Harrison; A stark and daring portrait of descending madness, Susannah York gives a seismic performance as a woman troubled by disturbing hallucinations. Filmed…
Intimate Confessions of a Chinese Courtesan (1972): Dir. Yuen Chor
Feat. Lily Ho, Yue Hua, Bei Di; One of the most controversial, yet best directed films of Hong Kong erotic cinema, this shocked avid audiences in its day and exerts a raw power even…
King of Marvin Gardens (1972): Dir. Bob Rafelson
Feat. Jack Nicholson, Bruce Dern, Ellen Burstyn; Bleak, talky tale of two misguided siblings with big ideas is a strong acting showcase for Jack Nicholson, Bruce Dern and Ellen Burstyn. Ambitious…
Lady Caroline Lamb (1972): Dir. Robert Bolt
Feat. Sarah Miles, Jon Finch, Richard Chamberlain…; Playwright Robert Bolt (A MAN FOR ALL SEASONS) debuts as dir. with this intelligent account of the titular Englishwoman. Managing to rock early 19th…
Lady Sings the Blues (1972): Dir. Sidney J. Furie
Feat. Diana Ross, Billy Dee Williams, Richard Pryor…; Diana Ross is terrific in her acting debut as famously–troubled jazz legend Billie Holiday in this flawed but fascinating biographical drama…
Last Tango in Paris (1972): Dir. Bernardo Bertolucci
Feat. Marlon Brando, Maria Schneider; A breakthrough film of the 70s, this account of a chance encounter, then torrid affair between Maria Schneider and Marlon Brando, is artfully glossy,…
Love in the Afternoon (L'Amour l'après-midi) (1972): Dir. Eric Rohmer
Feat. Bernard Verley, Zouzou , Françoise Verley…; The sixth and final movie in Rohmer's "Six Moral Tales" series concerning a bourgeois man who is still tempted to pursue other women despite being…
Ludwig (1972): Dir. Luchino Visconti
Feat. Helmut Berger, Romy Schneider, Trevor Howard…; A sumptuous biopic of 'mad' Prince Ludwig II of Bavaria (Berger) who reigned in the mid–1800s, creating and inhabiting his own bizarre world of…
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…
Moonstone, The (1972): Dir. Robert Bierman
Feat. Kathleen Byron, Robin Ellis, Basil Dignam…; Atmospheric whodunit drama, based on the Wilkie Collins novel, which tells the tale of an investigation into the theft of a precious Indian jewel…
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…
Other, The (1972): Dir. Robert Mulligan
Feat. Chris Udvarnoky, Martin Udvarnoky, Uta Hagen…; The uneasiness of childhood is explored in this classic of early 70's horror, an under–seen gem that holds its own alongside sensationalist…
Pete '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, 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…
Touch of Class, A (1972): Dir. Melvin Frank
Feat. George Segal, Glenda Jackson, Paul Sorvino; George Segal and Glenda Jackson (in an Oscar–winning performance) strike up the right chemistry in this British romantic comedy in which their…
Tout Va Bien (Everything’s All Right) (1972): Dir. Jean-Luc Godard, Jean-Pierre Gorin
Feat. Yves Montand, Jane Fonda, Anita Caprioli; Radical political drama from Nouvelle Vague luminary Jean Luc–Godard and frequent collaborator Jean–Pierre Gorin, set during a wildcat…
Trojan Women, The (1972): Dir. Michael Cacoyannis
Feat. Katharine Hepburn, Vanessa Redgrave, Patrick Magee…; Filmed on location in Greece, this star–powered version of Euripedes play is a patchy but earnest attempt to convey the power of the classical…
Visitors, The (1972): Dir. Elia Kazan
Feat. Patrick McVey, Patricia Joyce, James Woods…; Tense chamber piece has Woods as a returned Vietnam Vet holidaying with his wife and son when two fellow ex–soldiers turn up unannounced.…
Waltons, The (TV Series) (1972-1981): Feat. Richard Thomas, Ralph Waite, Michael Learned…; One of the most iconic TV Series of all time depicted the life of an extended family in Depression–era Virginia. Claimed as a repository for…
War and Peace (TV Mini-series) (1972): Dir. John Davies
Feat. Anthony Hopkins, Alan Dobie, Rupert Davies; Hugely ambitious television production of Leo Tolstoy's epic novel, told through twenty 45–minute episodes. Boasting beautiful design and…
We Won't Grow Old Together (Nous Ne Vieillirons Pas Ensemble) (1972): Dir. Maurice Pialat
Feat. Marlène Jobert, Jean Yanne, Christine Fabréga…; A uniquely disquieting film covering the dissolution of an affair between an aged filmmaker and a much younger secretary, based on French director…
Young Winston (1972): Dir. Richard Attenborough
Feat. Robert Shaw, Anne Bancroft, Simon Ward…; The early life of Britain's greatest political leader, through his time in India, Sudan and the Boer War to his ascendancy at the House of Commons.
Bleak Moments (1971): Dir. Mike Leigh
Feat. Anne Raitt, Sarah Stephenson, Eric Allan; Mike Leigh's first feature is a despairing slice–of–life drama about a young woman left at home with her retarded sister in suburban…
Carnal Knowledge (1971): 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…
Casanova (1971): Dir. Mark Cullingham, John Glenister
Feat. Frank Finlay, Norman Rossington; Adventurous Dennis Potter biopic of libertine Casanova, concerned chiefly with his imprisonment and escape from Venice, though not forgetting to shed…
Death in Venice (1971): Dir. Luchino Visconti
Feat. Dirk Bogarde; Dirk Bogarde plays a gay composer whose unspoken obssesion with a young boy detains him in Venice during a cholera epidemic. This soft–focus,…
Elizabeth R (TV Series) (1971): Dir. Claude Whatham, Herbert Wise, Various.
Feat. Glenda Jackson, Robert Hardy, Robert Ellis; Glenda Jackson makes a banquet of English history, as Elizabeth I, one of Auld England's most influential monarchs. This BBC series is exceptional in…
Essential Dennis Potter Box Set, The (The Singing Detective, Pennies From Heaven, Casanova, Brimstone and Treacle, Stand Up, Nigel Barton/Vote Vote Vote for Nigel Barton, Blue Remembered Hills, The Mayor of Casterbridge) (1971-1986): A deluxe boxed set containing eight television series penned by the legendary Dennis Potter. Set includes: The Singing Detective, Pennies From…
Evel Knievel (1971): Dir. Marvin J. Chomsky
Feat. George Hamilton, Sue Lyon; Low–budget drive–in movie version of the famed motorcycle stuntman’s life, growing up in Montana to be comes the world’s most famous…
Family Life (Wednesday's Child) (1971): Dir. Ken Loach
Feat. Sandy Ratcliff, Bill Dean, Grace Cave; Grating realist cinema from ‘kitchen sink’ original Ken Loach, about a troubled young girl whose domineering parents drive her to a nervous…
Fat City (1971): Dir. John Huston
Feat. Stacy Keach, Jeff Bridges, Susan Tyrrell; One of dir. Huston's later accomplishments, this gritty, yet warmly toned drama inhabits a neighbourhood of boxing gyms, lowrent bars and amiable…
Friends (1971): Dir. Lewis Gilbert
Feat. Sean Bury, Anicee Alvina; Sentimental, page–turning romance blossoms an enternal love between two idealistic French teens head over heels. Hit soundtrack by Elton John…
Go-Between, The (1971): Dir. Joseph Losey
Feat. Julie Christie, Alan Bates; A young boy acts as a secret messenger for class–divided lovers Julie Christie and Alan Bates during a hot Norfolk summer in Edwardian England.…
Goalkeeper's Fear of the Penalty, The (1971): Dir. Wim Wenders
Feat. Arthur Brauss; Enigmatic tale of a maturing goalkeeper who abandons his soccer team and ambles about Germany. Dir. Wender's typical sketchbook narrative provides…
Home (1971): Dir. Lindsay Anderson
Feat. John Gielgud, Ralph Richardson, Dandy Nichols…; Worthy TV adaptation of the stageplay by David Storey (THIS SPORTING LIFE), set amid the twilight psychodramas of residents at an old peoples' rest…
Hospital, The (1971): Dir. Arthur Hiller
Feat. George C. Scott, Diana Rigg, Barnard Hughes…; Gallows humour permeates this caustic comedy of medical ineptitude and indifference. Scott plays a suicidal surgeon contending with multiple patient…
Kotch (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.
Last Picture Show, The (1971): Dir. Peter Bogdanovich
Feat. Jeff Bridges, Cloris Leachman, Randy Quaid…; Much admired film about the problems of adolescence in a roadside town in '50s Texas. Launched the careers of Jeff Bridges, Cybill Shepherd, Cloris…
Le Souffle Au Coeur (Murmur of the Heart) (1971): Dir. Louis Malle
Feat. Benoit Ferreux; A much praised coming–of–age tale concerns a sickly, but promiscuous teenage boy growing up in a stilted bourgeois family in 1950s Dijon…
Long Day's Journey into Night (1971): Dir. Michael Blakemore
Feat. Laurence Olivier; A made–for–television National Theatre production of Eugene O'Neill's classic play, which won Laurence Olivier an Emmy for best actor.
Love (Szerelem) (1971): Dir. Karoly Makk; A quiet miracle of the little–seen Hungarian cinema, this quietly impressive story follows a woman's ongoing attention to her vibrant but…
Love Story (1971): Dir. Arthur Hiller
Feat. Ali MacGraw, Ryan O'Neal, Ray Milland; Romance on a New England campus between Ali MacGraw and Ryan O'Neal. A huge hit. Oscar–winning theme–tune by Francis Lai.
Mary, Queen of Scots (1971): Dir. Charles Jarrott
Feat. Vanessa Redgrave, Glenda Jackson, Patrick McGoohan…; Historical epic the maps the power struggle between the last Catholic ruler of Scotland and her cousin, the Queen of England.
McCabe and Mrs Miller (1971): Dir. Robert Altman
Feat. Warren Beatty, Julie Christie; Repentant gunfighter Warren Beatty stakes out a claim for respectability by developing a two–bit mining camp into a town (chiefly by…
Music Lovers, The (1971): Dir. Ken Russell
Feat. Richard Chamberlain, Glenda Jackson; A wonderfully audacious film fantasia based on the life of Russian composer Tchaikovsky, the homosexual who married a nymphomaniac! Richard…
Nicholas and Alexandra (1971): Dir. Franklin J. Schaffner
Feat. Laurence Olivier, Michael Jayston, Janet Suzman…; The last Czars of Russia get an appropriately lavish send–off in this wagon–load of Hollywood corn. With Tom Baker (as Rasputin) and…
Panic in Needle Park, The (1971): Dir. Jerry Schatzberg
Feat. Al Pacino, Kitty Winn, Alan Vint…; Grungy drug pic with Pacino in his breakthrough role as a charismatic junkie pulling Kitty Winn into his destructive orbit. Screenplay written by…
Persuasion (1971): Dir. Howard Baker
Feat. Ann Firbank, Richard Vernon, Bryan Marshall; Circumspect heroine Anne Elliot has the opportunity to rekindle a long–abandoned love–affair, in this BBC adaption of Jane Austen's final…
Private Road (1971): Dir. Barney Platts-Mills
Feat. Susan Penhaligon, Bruce Robinson, Michael Feast…; The other lost gem from British independent film–maker Barney Platts–Mills, who follows up “Bronco Bullfrog” (1970) with a…
Punishment Park (1971): Dir. Peter Watkins; Extraordinary, 'fictionalised' docu–drama from the unique and largely unheralded talent of British director Peter Watkins, portraying the…
Secrets (1971): Dir. Philip Saville
Feat. Jacqueline Bisset, Per Oscarsson, Robert Powell; British erotic drama taking place over a single day in the life of a housewife (Jacqueline Bisset) who is having an affair, while her husband (Robert…
Summer of '42 (1971): Dir. Robert Mulligan
Feat. Gary Grimes, Jennifer O'Neill; Well–observed period flavour lifts this Oscar–nominated nostalgia piece set on the American home–front during WWII. Gary Grimes…
Sunday Bloody Sunday (1971): Dir. John Schlesinger
Feat. Glenda Jackson, Peter Finch; Bizarre love triangle develops when a couple find themselves having an affair with the same man. A mature and provocative drama.
T.R. Baskin (1971): Dir. Herbert Ross
Feat. Candice Bergen, Peter Boyle, James Caan; Candice Bergen plays a naive but enthusiastic young woman who runs away to Chicago in the hopes of finding a fulfilling romantic life and career, but…
Touch, The (1971): Dir. Ingmar Bergman
Feat. Elliott Gould, Max von Sydow
Tristana (1971): Dir. Luis Bunuel
Feat. Catherine Deneuve, Fernando Rey, Franco Nero; Catherine Deneuve plays a beautiful young heroine burdened with a vulgar husband and a knee ailment that will require her leg to be amputated!…
Two English Girls (Anne and Muriel) (1971): Dir. Francois Truffaut
Feat. Jean-Pierre Leaud, Kika Markham, Stacey Tendeter; A French writer encounters the delicate dilemma of falling in love with both English sisters at a Welsh coastal cottage. Tantalising romance is…
Under Milkwood (1971): Dir. Andrew Sinclair
Feat. Richard Burton, Elizabeth Taylor, Peter O'Toole…; Celebrated radio play by Dylan Thomas gets a surprisingly successful visual rendering, though some will always prefer the original format for Thomas'…
Vanishing Point (1971): Dir. Richard Serafian
Feat. Barry Newman, Cleavon Little, Dean Jagger…; A loner accepts a challenge to drive his Dodge Challenger from Denver to San Francisco in 15 hours, with the fuzz in pursuit and help from blind DJ,…
Wild Duck, The (1971): Dir. Alan Bridges
Feat. Denholm Elliott, Jenny Agutter; Adapted from the 1884 Play by Henrik Ibsen and broadcast as part of the BBC's "Play Of The Month" series. A wealthy family's existence is…
A Swedish Love Story (1970): Dir. Roy Andersson
Feat. Ann-Sofie Kylin, Rolf Sohlman; The debut feature film from director Roy Andersson (YOU, THE LIVING) is an unforgettably beautiful coming–of–age tale inspired by the…
American Soldier, The (Der Amerikanische Soldat) (1970): Dir. Rainer Werner Fassbinder
Feat. Karl Scheydt, Elga Sorbas, Jan George…; The third in a loose trilogy of gangster films directed by prolific German iconoclast Rainer Werner Fassbinder early in his career. A…
Angel Levine, The (1970): Dir. Jan Kadar
Feat. Zero Mostel, Harry Belafonte, Ida Kaminska…; In order to earn his wings Belafonte must convince the embittered Mostel that life still has value. Gentle yarn gets by chiefly on the charm of the…
Baby Maker, The (1970): Dir. James Bridges
Feat. Barbara Hershey, Sam Groom, Scott Glenn; Somewhat ahead of its time, this portrays a middle–class American couple who pay a hippy woman to be a surrogate mother for a child.…
Bombay 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…
Boys in the Band (1970): Dir. William Friedkin
Feat. Kenneth Nelson, Frederick Combs, Leonard Frey…; Set at a hilarious and fractious birthday party, this look at the life of a group of gay men in the 70s captures the bawdy tenor of the times, with…
Brian's Song (1970): Dir. Buzz Kulik
Feat. James Caan; Football player James Caan is diagnosed with cancer, deeply affecting the entire team. Multi–award winner was considered a milestone for…
Catch 22 (1970): 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 Knee (1970): 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…
Confession, The (L'Aveu) (1970): Dir. Costa-Gavras
Feat. Yves Montand, Simone Signoret, Gabriele Ferzetti…; A high–ranking government official in Communist Czechoslovakia is taken prisoner and forced to confess to treason he never committed.
Decameron, The (1970): Dir. Pier Paolo Pasolini
Feat. Franco Citti, Ninetto Davoli, Jovan Jovanovic; The first part of dir. Pasolini’s ‘medieval trilogy’, this adapts ten of Boccaccio’s famously ribald tales of the Italian Middle Ages. With…
Deep End (1970): Dir. Jerzy Skolimowski
Feat. Jane Asher, John Moulder-Brown, Diana Dors; Remarkable, darkly comic story of 15–year–old Mike who takes a job at the local swimming baths and becomes obsessed with a beautiful…
Domicile 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…
Ear, The (Ucho) (1970): Dir. Karel Kachyna
Feat. Jirina Bohdalova, Radoslav Brzobohaty, Jiri Cisler; Set over the course of an evening this is a searing look at life under an oppressive totalitarian system and an equally harsh examination of a…
Entertaining Mr. Sloane (1970): Dir. Douglas Hickox
Feat. Beryl Reid, Harry Andrews, Peter McEnery; Acclaimed version of British stage–farce delivers playright Joe Orton's bisexual innuendos with a rather heavy hand. Story concerns a fetching…
Fellini Satyricon (1970): Dir. Federico Fellini
Feat. Martin Potter, Hiram Keller, Max Born…; Freely adapted from the Roman author Petronious, this follows the adventures of two bisexual youths through the decadent, fragmented age of Rome's…
Five Easy Pieces (1970): Dir. Bob Rafelson
Feat. Jack Nicholson, Karen Black; A fascinating, complex character study of a talented drifter (Jack Nicholson) who returns to his affluent but dysfunctional family. Karen Black is…
Games, The (1970): Dir. Michael Winner
Feat. Michael Crawford, Ryan O'Neal, Charles Aznavour…; British sports drama about four marathon runners from very different backgrounds (one British, one American, one Czechoslovakian and one Aboriginal…
Gods of the Plague (Götter der Pest) (1970): Dir. Rainer Werner Fassbinder
Feat. Hanna Schygulla, Margarethe von Trotta, Harry Baer…; The second in a loose trilogy of gangster films directed by prolific German iconoclast Rainer Werner Fassbinder early in his career. In this…
Harold and Maude (1970): Dir. Hal Ashby
Feat. Bud Cort, Ruth Gordon; Director Hal Ashby's much–adored black comedy about a wealthy but lonely teenager who finds a soulmate in the form a 79–year–old…
Hawaiians, The (1970): Dir. Tom Gries
Feat. Charlton Heston, Tina Chen, Geraldine Chaplin…; Brotherly relations are strained when the black sheep returns home, plantation building and pineapple stealing ensues. Bloated sequel to HAWAII…
I Never Sang For My Father (1970): Dir. Gilbert Cates
Feat. Melvyn Douglas, Gene Hackman, Dorothy Stickney…; Gene Hackman plays a widowed college professor in New York wanting to get out from under the thumb of his aging father yet guilty about his plans to…
Jane Eyre (1970): Dir. Delbert Mann
Feat. George C. Scott, Susannah York, Ian Bannen…; Susannah York and George C. Scott headline this fine adaptation of the Bronte classic.
Joe (1970): Dir. John G. Avildsen
Feat. Susan Sarandon, Peter Boyle, Dennis Patrick; A 'cause celebre' in its day, this pungent drama unrolls after a wealthy executive (Patrick) murders the drug–dealing boyfriend of his daughter…
Liberation of L.B. Jones, The (1970): Dir. William Wyler
Feat. Roscoe Lee Browne, Lee J. Cobb, Lee Majors…; The final film by William Wyler, depicting racial tensions in a fictional Tennessee town, where a successful African–american businessman…
Lola (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 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…
Medea (1970): Dir. Pier Paolo Pasolini
Feat. Maria Callas; Pasolini's stylised, passionate rendering of Euripides play blessed with the formidable presence of Maria Callas, in a non–operatic role, as…
Molly Maguires, The (1970): Dir. Martin Ritt
Feat. Sean Connery, Richard Harris, Samantha Eggar…; An ambitious drama set in the squalor of the 1870s Pennsylvania coalmine towns, and the underground group of Irish saboteurs 'The Molly Maguires' who…
Monte Walsh (1970): Dir. William A. Fraker
Feat. Lee Marvin, Jack Palance, Jeanne Moreau; Beautifully contemplative western set during the final days of the Wild West, following an aged cowboy and his friend who spend their days picking up…
Naked Bunyip, The (1970): Dir. John B. Murray
Feat. Graeme Blundell, Barry Humphries; A ground–breaking cult in Australia, this explored the world and taboos of sexuality with unprecendented candour and a generous dose of…
Only Game in Town, The (1970): Dir. George Stevens
Feat. Warren Beatty, Elizabeth Taylor; An aging showgirl stumbles into a clandestine affair with a brash young gambler. Based on a stage play by Pulitzer Prize winner Frank D. Gilroy.
Private Life of Sherlock Holmes, The (1970): Dir. Billy Wilder
Feat. Robert Stephens, Colin Blakely, Genevieve Page…; Late period Billy Wilder (THE APARTMENT) applies his ironic sensibility, with less acid than usual, to the mind of Conan Doyle's detecting hero and…
Rabbit Run (1970): Dir. Jack Smight
Feat. James Caan, Carrie Snodgrass, Anjanette Comer…; James Caan stars in this adaptation of John Updike's acclaimed 1960 novel about a has–been basketball star who impulsively abandones his life…
Ryan's Daughter (1970): Dir. David Lean
Feat. Robert Mitchum, Sarah Miles; The love triangle is given a sweeping, old–fashioned spin by David Lean, set on the rugged Irish coast during WW1.
Sin (The Beloved) (1970): Dir. George P. Cosmatos
Feat. Raquel Welch; Raquel Welch looks like dynamite in this otherwise flacid low–key drama about illicit love on a beautiful Greek island in the Mediterranean.
Six Wives of Henry VIII, The (TV Mini-Series) (1970): Feat. Keith Michell, Rosalie Crutchley, Jane Seymour; Accurate BAFTA–winning TV series chronicling the life of the notorious Henry VIII by way of six plays, featuring a notable cast and immaculate…
Sometimes a Great Notion (1970): Dir. Paul Newman
Feat. Paul Newman, Henry Fonda, Lee Remick…; Sweaty account of a family of fiercely–independent Oregon loggers struggling to keep the family business alive amidst changing times. Based on…
Spider's Stratagem, The (1970): Dir. Bernardo Bertolucci
Feat. Giulio Brogi, Alida Valli; Investigating the death of his anti–fascist father, Giulio Brogi is enveloped in an atmosphere of mystery as he strolls the sleepy town where…
Spring and Port Wine (1970): Dir. Peter Hammond
Feat. James Mason, Diane Coupland, Susan George; James Mason and Diana Coupland play a stern father and a lenient mother who are trying to deal with the ups and downs of their four children's lives…
Trash (1970): Dir. Paul Morrissey
Feat. Joe Dallesandro, Holly Woodlawn; Only the inimitable Joe Dallesandro could play a drug–addicted loser with a sex problem and still come off cool. Holly Woodlawn and other…
Walkabout (1970): Dir. Nicolas Roeg
Feat. David Gulpilil; An English schoolgirl and her brother end up abandoned by their father in the Australian Outback, before meeting Aboriginal boy David Gulpilil. Dir.…
Wanda (1970): Dir. Barbara Loden
Feat. Barbara Loden, Michael Higgins; The sole writing/directing credit of Barbara Loden, whose command of verite storytelling is matched by her own astonishing performance as a feckless…
Wuthering Heights (1970): Dir. Robert Fuest
Feat. Anna Calder-Marshall, Timothy Dalton, Harry Andrews…; Well–regarded version of the Bronte Classic, produced, incongruously enough, by exploitation studio AIP. Calder–Marshall and Dalton play…
All the Right Noises (1969): Dir. Gerry O'Hara
Feat. Olivia Hussey, Tom Bell, John Standing…; The story of a young married man who has an affair with a teenage girl, this forms part of a peculiarly 1960s British wave of films exploring such…
An Ideal Husband / Lady Windermere's Fan (1969-1985): Dir. Rudolph Cartier
Feat. Margaret Leighton, Keith Michell, Jeremy Brett…; Two well–mounted BBC television productions from the pen of Oscar Wilde, done with fidelity, grace, cunning and wit: An Ideal Husband (1969) &…
Anne of the Thousand Days (1969): Dir. Charles Jarrott
Feat. Richard Burton, Genevieve Bujold, Irene Papas…; Opulent recounting of the doomed romance between Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn with a gallery of fine performances and stunning costume design.
Arrangement, The (1969): Dir. Elia Kazan
Feat. Kirk Douglas, Faye Dunaway; Advertising exec Kirk Douglas follows a mid–life suicide attempt with some desperate hi–jinks and a cry of rage at his hollow life.…
Bronco Bullfrog (1969): Dir. Barney Platts-Mills
Feat. Del Walker, Anne Gooding, Sam Shepherd; Del and his friends agree to take part in a robbery with a boy fresh from the borstal. When Del falls in love with Irene they decide to run away from…
Change of Habit (1969): Dir. William A. Graham
Feat. Elvis Presley, Mary Tyler Moore, Barbara McNair…; Elvis Presley's final acting role was this musical drama in which he plays a doctor who falls in love with Mary Tyler Moore, playing one of three…
Clint Eastwood Collector's Boxset (1969-2009): Dir. Clint Eastwood
Feat. Clint Eastwood; The grand daddy of legacy boxsets, housing 35 films either starring or directed by Clint Eastwood.
Double Suicide (Shinjû: Ten no amijima) (1969): Dir. Masahiro Shinoda
Feat. Kichiemon Nakamura, Shiwa Iwashita, Hosie Komatsu; A landmark of avant–garde Japanese cinema aims to replicate the startling aesthetic of traditional 'bunraku' puppetry in its enactment of an…
Downhill Racer (1969): Dir. Michael Ritchie
Feat. Robert Redford, Gene Hackman, Camilla Sparv; A pre–HOOSIERS Gene Hackman dons the coach's whistle in this Winter Olympics drama, with Robert Redford providing the film’s clash of…
Femme Infidele, La (The Unfaithful Wife) (1969): Dir. Claude Chabrol
Feat. Michel Bouquet, Stephane Audran, Maurice Ronet; French bourgeoisie couple Michel Bouquet and Stephane Audran form a murderous love–triangle with seducer Maurice Ronet, revealing the hidden…
Five For Hell (5 Per L'inferno) (1969): Dir. Frank Kramer
Feat. Klaus Kinski, John Garko, Margaret Lee; A fun–loving leader of a bunch of odd–ball G.I's are sent on a suicide mission to steal the German secret attack plans from a villa…
John and Mary (1969): Dir. Peter Yates
Feat. Dustin Hoffman, Mia Farrow, Michael Tolan; Archetypal late–sixties timepiece has Hoffman and Farrow wandering New York after a one–night stand. Yates's direction is equally…
Love is Colder Than Death (Liebe ist kälter als der Tod) (1969): Dir. Rainer Werner Fassbinder
Feat. Ulli Lommel, Rainer Werner Fassbinder, Hanna Schygulla…; The first in a loose trilogy of gangster films directed by prolific German iconoclast Rainer Werner Fassbinder early in his career. Fassbinder…
Ma 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…
Marcus Welby MD (TV Series) (1969): Feat. Robert Young, James Brolin; Long–running medical drama, with Robert Young as the beloved General Practioner whose unorthodox care of patients riled his much younger,…
Marooned (Space Travelers) (1969): Dir. John Sturges
Feat. Gene Hackman, Richard Crenna, Gregory Peck…; An excellent outer space thriller which proffers an APOLLO 13–like situation of NASA astronauts being stuck in orbit, while the Earthbound…
Me, 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…
Medium Cool (1969): Dir. Haskell Wexler; Filmed against the backdrop of the Democratic National convention in 1968 Chicago, this remarkable directorial effort by renowned cinematographer…
Michael Kohlhaas (1969): Dir. David Warner
Feat. David Warner; Bizarre high drama about a 16th Century horse–dealer who leads a revolt against an unscrupulous Baron overlord. David Warner inhabits the title…
Midnight Cowboy (1969): Dir. John Schlesinger
Feat. Jon Voight, Dustin Hoffman; Stunning character study of a naive farm–hand whose pipe–dreams take him to New York where he befriends a derilect and makes a living as…
Mississippi Mermaid (1969): Dir. Francois Truffaut
Feat. Catherine Deneuve, Jean-Paul Belmondo; Tobacco baron Belmondo sends for a mail–order bride, gets the ravishing Deneuve. Too bad she's a con–artist with an inescapable past.…
Model Shop (1969): Dir. Jacques Demy
Feat. Anouk Aimee, Gary Lockwood, Alexandra Hay; A mesmerizing, shamefully neglected stateside film from French New Wave director Jacques Demy that follows an aimless, unemployed architect who ends…
Oh! What a Lovely War (1969): Dir. Richard Attenborough
Feat. John Rae, Corin Redgrave, Maurice Roeves…; Powerful anti–war musical adapted from the play by Charles Chilton, which depicts the mass blunder of WWI through the experiences of the poor…
Oscar Wilde Collection, The (An Ideal Husband, The Picture of Dorian Gray, Lady Windermere's Fan, Importance of Being Earnest) (1969-1988): Stacked with British thespian pedigree, these four BBC adaptations represent the collected Oscar Wilde works. Boxset includes the following…
Passion of Anna, The (1969): Dir. Ingmar Bergman
Feat. Liv Ullmann, Max von Sydow, Bibi Andersson…; Unpleasant drama set on a barren island with widow Ullman finding misery loves company in the form of tortured ex–convict von Sydow. Meanwhile…
Paul Temple (TV Series) (1969): Feat. Francis Matthews, Ros Drinkwater; Forgotten 70s crime series follows the fortunes of a globetrotting novelist–cum–amateur sleuth and his dishy wife. Something of an…
Peter Weir Short Film Collection (1969-1972): Dir. Peter Weir; Four early shorts from one of Australia's greatest directing talents; "Homesdale", "Three to Go", "Three directions in Pop Music", "Incredible…
Que La Bete Meure (This Man Must Die) (1969): Dir. Claude Chabrol
Feat. Michel Duchaussoy, Jean Yanne, Caroline Cellier; Thriller based on the book called The Beast Must Die by Cecil Day–Lewis (under the pseudonym Nicholas Blake), about a man who becomes involved…
Rain People, The (1969): Dir. Francis Ford Coppola
Feat. James Caan; A woman hits the road to escape her suffocating marriage, but finds her new circumstances no more satisfactory. A thought–provoker from…
Slogan (1969): 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…
Staircase (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…
Tchaikovsky (1969): Dir. Igor Talankin; Dramatised biopic of the great Russian composer which uses natural imagery and impressionistic structure in a way reminiscent of Ken Russell's early…
Tell Them Willie Boy Is Here (1969): Dir. Abraham Polonsky
Feat. Robert Redford, Katharine Ross, Robert Blake…; This Western comeback from blacklisted director Polonsky (FORCE OF EVIL) focuses (rather ironically) on the manhunt of Robert Blake, who here plays…
That Cold Day in the Park (1969): Dir. Robert Altman
Feat. Sandy Dennis; Containing various embryonic Altman trademarks, this early work portrays a neurotic spinster (Sandy Dennis) who ensnares a young man in her…
They Shoot Horses, Don't They? (1969): Dir. Sydney Pollack
Feat. Jane Fonda, Michael Sarrazin, Susannah York…; Excellent adaptation of a '30s novel considered too grim for depression–weary audiences. Jane Fonda gives a career–best performance as a…
Trouble With Girls, The (1969): Dir. Peter Tewksbury
Feat. Elvis Presley, Marlyn Manson, Nicole Jaffe…; Behind the misleading title, this atypically quirky late Elvis movie sees him running a 1920s travelling circus sideshow, with an excellent…
Virgin 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 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…
Winning (1969): Dir. James Goldstone
Feat. Paul Newman, Joanne Woodward, Robert Wagner…; Paul Newman challenges for Joanne Woodward on and off the track in this high–speed racing melodrama, shot spectacularly amongst the competitive…
Women in Love (1969): Dir. Ken Russell
Feat. Alan Bates, Oliver Reed, Glenda Jackson; Ken Russell's esteemed version of D.H. Lawrence's finest novel about a macho entrepreneur, his philosophically and sexually dubious friend and their…
A Lovely Way to Die (1968): Dir. David Lowell Rich
Feat. Kirk Douglas, Eli Wallach, Sylva Koscina; Dramatic suspense in which a retired vigilante NYC cop hired to look after a potential murderess ends up unprofessionally mixing business and…
Age of Consent (1968): Dir. Michael Powell
Feat. James Mason, Helen Mirren; Dir. Michael Powell's (PEEPING TOM) last feature, based on Aussie artist Norman Lindsay (who also inspired SIRENS). Here, a cranky James Mason goes…
Birthday Party, The (1968): Dir. William Friedkin
Feat. Robert Shaw, Patrick Magee, Dandy Nichols; A lodger at a boarding house is menaced by two sinister visitors, in this version of Harold Pinter's Kafka–esque first play. Flashes of black…
Boom! (1968): Dir. Joseph Losey
Feat. Richard Burton, Elizabeth Taylor, Sir Noel Coward…; Thud: Only film buffs who admire Losey's very original directorial style are likely to appreciate fuzzy adaptation of Tennessee Williams' The Milk…
Bride Wore Black, The (La Mariée était en noir) (1968): Dir. Francois Truffaut
Feat. Jeanne Moreau, Michel Bouquet, Jean-Claude Brialy…; Traumatised by her fiance's death, moments before due to be wed, Jeanne Moreau dedicates herself to a long–term plan of revenge, hunting and…
Charly (1968): Dir. Ralph Nelson
Feat. Cliff Robertson, Claire Bloom, Lilia Skala…; Child–minded Cliff Robertson has experimental brain–surgery, but his resulting super–intellect proves a mixed blessing. Credible,…
Chronicle of Anna Magdalena Bach (1968): Dir. Daniele Huillet, Jean-Marie Straub
Feat. Gustav Leonhardt, Christiane Lang; Less astringent than the reputation of husband and wife filmmakers Straub–Huillet would suggest, this lean but invigorating treatment of Johann…
Countdown (1968): Dir. Robert Altman
Feat. James Caan, Robert Duvall, Joanna Moore…; An early and unusual space–travel drama from dir. Altman, in which American astronaut Caan must undergo tough training with instructor Duvall…
Cremator, The (1968): Dir. Juraz Herz
Feat. Rudolf Hrusinsky, Vlasta Chramostova; Widely considered one of the greatest films of the Czech new wave, a blackly humorous fantasy horror following the increasingly deranged impulses of…
Damned, The (1968): Dir. Luchino Visconti
Feat. Dirk Bogarde, Ingrid Thulin, Helmut Berger; Italian dir. Luchino Visconti casts a languorous eye over the decline of a German industrialist family during the Nazi era. Heavyweight cast includes…
Faces (1968): Dir. John Cassavetes
Feat. John Marley, Gena Rowlands, Lynn Carlin; A marriage in crisis lurches into a downward spiral of drunkeness and desperate affairs. The dishevelled honesty and stark camerawork may not suit…
Hellfighters (1968): Dir. Andrew McLagen
Feat. John Wayne, Katharine Ross, Bruce Cabot…; A John Wayne–led action melodrama about a group of Houston–based oil well firefighters who are sent down to Venezuela to deal with a…
Hour Of The Wolf (Vargtimmen) (1968): Dir. Ingmar Bergman
Feat. Max von Sydow, Liv Ullmann; One of dir. Bergman's most troubled visions, this concerns the descent of an unstable artist (von Sydow) and his sensitive wife (Ullmann) into a…
If.... (1968): Dir. Lindsay Anderson
Feat. Malcolm McDowell, Richard Warwick, Mona Washbourne…; An angry yet sublimely poetic counter–cultural work in which events both real and imagined culminate in a violent revolt at a repressive public…
Immortal Story, The (1968): Dir. Orson Welles
Feat. Orson Welles, Jeanne Moreau; Orson Welles directs and stars in this little–seen French TV production, playing a European merchant who lures a sailor into seducing his fake…
Isadora (1968): Dir. Karel Reisz
Feat. Vanessa Redgrave, John Fraser, James Fox…; Vanessa Redgrave is memorable as Isadora Duncan in this watchable biopic of the iconic free–style dancer's flamboyant youth and radical…
Killing of Sister George (1968): Dir. Robert Aldrich
Feat. Beryl Reid; While lesbian soap–opera actress Beryl Reid attempts to stop her character being 'killed–off', a tangled game of sexual politics is…
L'Enfance-Nue (Naked Childhood) (1968): Dir. Maurice Pialat
Feat. Michel Terrazon; Astonishingly sober coming–of–age tale represents Pialat at his most profoundly unsentimental. The director brilliantly blends naturalism…
La Chamade (Heartbeat) (1968): Dir. Alain Cavalier
Feat. Catherine Deneuve, Michel Piccoli; Catherine Deneuve flitters between youthful passion and the comfort of an older, wealthy lover in this elegant menage a trios, lessened only by an…
Lion in Winter, The (1968): Dir. Anthony Harvey
Feat. Peter O'Toole, Katharine Hepburn; An acting feast for Peter O'Toole and Katharine Hepburn (who won an Oscar) as tempestuous King Henry II and his estranged wife who fiercely…
Mandabi (The Money Order) (1968): Dir. Ousmane Sembene; The first significant film to be made in an African language (Wolof), directed by the 'father of African cinema', Ousmane Sembène. The title…
Memories of Underdevelopment (1968): Dir. Tomas Gutierrez Alea
Feat. Sergio Corrieri; Merging the political and personal to stunning effect, this witty and artful assemblage of documentary, still photography, and dramatic fiction…
Milky Way, The (1968): Dir. Luis Bunuel
Feat. Paul Frankeur, Laurent Terzieff, Alain Cuny…; Bunuel experiments with narrative in relating theories of traditional Catholicism to the encounters of two wandering vagrants.
No Way to Treat a Lady (1968): Dir. Jack Smight
Feat. Rod Steiger, Lee Remick, George Segal…; Macabre cat–and–mouse thriller from the pen of suspense–master William Goldman (MARATHON MAN), about a psychotic master of disguise…
Prime of Miss Jean Brodie, The (1968): Dir. Ronald Neame
Feat. Maggie Smith, Robert Stephens, Pamela Franklin…; Schoolteacher at a private girls school, Maggie Smith grooms and instructs her pupils with a passionate sense of vocation, unfortunately making more…
Secret Ceremony (1968): Dir. Joseph Losey
Feat. Elizabeth Taylor, Mia Farrow, Robert Mitchum…; Farrow resembles Taylor's dead daughter, Taylor resembles Farrow's dead mother, and their meeting has strange results. Originally an excellent…
Sergeant, The (1968): Dir. John Flynn
Feat. Rod Steiger, John Phillip Law; Rod Steiger plays a decorated war veteran who turns to drinking after he experiences an attraction to one of the soldiers under his command.
Shoes of the Fisherman, The (1968): Dir. Michael Anderson
Feat. Anthony Quinn, Laurence Olivier, John Gielgud…; Anthony Quinn plays a Russian bishop who is elected Pope after twenty years in political asylum. Beautifully adorned best–seller adaptation.
Signs of Life (Lebenszeichen) (1968): Dir. Werner Herzog
Feat. Peter Brogle; An early descent into madness for dir. Werner Herzog, in which a soldier charged with guarding a remote island fortress must overcome the boredom of…
Skammen (Shame) (1968): Dir. Ingmar Bergman
Feat. Liv Ullmann, Max von Sydow, Gunnar Bjornstrand; Bleak parable set against the back drop of a fictional war finds an apolitical couple aloofly living out their days on an island indulging in various…
Stolen Kisses (Baisers Voles) (1968): Dir. Francois Truffaut
Feat. Jean-Pierre Leaud, Delphine Seyrig; Third film in the director's Antoine Doinel series (see also THE FOUR HUNDRED BLOWS) starring Jean–Pierre Leaud, here as a careless young man…
Swimmer, The (1968): Dir. Frank Perry
Feat. Burt Lancaster, Kim Hunter, Janice Rule; Burt Lancaster decides to swim from pool to pool on his way home on a hot afternoon, each swim evoking different memories and events in this unique…
Theorem (Teorema) (1968): Dir. Pier Paolo Pasolini
Feat. Terence Stamp, Silvana Mangano, Massimo Girotti…; A mysterious stranger seduces and corrupts each member of a bourgeois family. Pasolini stitches religious, social and political metaphors into his…
Twelfth Night (1968): Dir. John Sichel
Feat. Alec Guinness, Joan Plowright, Ralph Richardson…; Shakespeare's farcical tale of mixed up lives and lovers at cross–purposes is brought to life by renowned actors Alec Guinness and Joan…
Up The Junction (1968): Dir. Peter Collinson
Feat. Dennis Waterman, Suzy Kendall, Maureen Lipman…; A compelling later example of the British kitchen sink drama that follows a bored rich London girl from Chelsea who decides to "slum it" in depressed…
Up Tight (1968): Dir. Jules Dassin
Feat. Raymond St. Jacques, Ruby Dee, Frank Silvera…; In this landmark collaboration between activist and actress Ruby Dee and director Jules Dassin, Black revolutionaries are betrayed by one of their…
With 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…
Accident (1967): Dir. Joseph Losey
Feat. Dirk Bogarde, Vivien Merchant, Michael York; The second classic Joseph Losey / Harold Pinter collaboration takes place in a deceptively placid Oxford University setting, that conceals…
Banning (1967): Dir. Ron Winston
Feat. Robert Wagner, Anjanette Comer, Jill St. John…; Biting critique of the country club set with Robert Wagner as a jaded ex–golfer who hustling his way into Los Angeles' high society.
Belle De Jour (Beauty of the Day) (1967): Dir. Luis Bunuel
Feat. Catherine Deneuve, Jean Sorel, Michel Piccoli…; Cool and elegant comedy of manners about a virginal newlywed who works the day shift in a high class brothel. Bunuel's surrealist…
Charlie Bubbles (1967): Dir. Albert Finney
Feat. Albert Finney, Billie Whitelaw, Liza Minnelli…; Albert Finney plays the titular character, an ennui–ridden author whose return to his hometown of Manchester is less than…
Cool Hand Luke (1967): Dir. Stuart Rosenberg
Feat. Paul Newman, George Kennedy; Sure–footed, entertaining chain–gang yarn with a famously repulsive egg–eating contest.
Counterpoint (1967): Dir. Ralph Nelson
Feat. Charlton Heston, Maximilian Schell, Leslie Nielsen; During World War II, a conductor (Charlton Heston) and his orchestra are captured by the Nazis while touring Europe. While held captive in a castle,…
Elvira Madigan (1967): Dir. Bo Widerberg
Feat. Pia Degermark, Thommy Berggren, Lennart Malmer…; Ultra–romantic story of an army officer and a tightrope dancer who sacrifice everything for each other. Filmed like a shampoo commercial, it…
Far from the Madding Crowd (1967): Dir. John Schlesinger
Feat. Julie Christie, Peter Finch, Terence Stamp…; Pastoral, moody epic set in 18th Century England follows the romantic intrigues of an independent woman farmer with three men. Photography by Nic…
Forsyte Saga, The (TV Series) (1967): Dir. David Giles, James Cellan Jones
Feat. Eric Porter, Ngaire Dawn Porter, Kenneth More…; The BBC's acclaimed version of John Galsworthy's series of novels known as "The Forsyte Saga", which cover the lives of five generations of a wealthy…
Graduate, The (1967): 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…
In the Heat of the Night (1967): Dir. Norman Jewison
Feat. Sidney Poitier, Rod Steiger; Oscar winning thriller starring Sidney Poitier as an urban black detective brought in to investigate a murder in a racist southern town. Rod Steiger…
Incident, The (1967): Dir. Larry Peerce
Feat. Martin Sheen, Tony Musante, Beau Bridges…; This stark, hard–hitting melodrama depicts two young thugs who drunkenly taunt and terrorize their fellow passengers on a New York subway…
King of Hearts (1967): 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…
La Chinoise (1967): Dir. Jean-Luc Godard
Feat. Jean-Pierre Leaud, Anne Wiazemsky, Juliet Berto…; Five Parisian students dabble in the possibilities of enacting a Mao–ist revolution in the West, in one of dir. Godard's more overt flirtations…
Marketa Lazarova (1967): Dir. František Vláčil
Feat. Josef Kemr, František Velecký, Magda Vášáryová; A revelation of the Czech new wave, this dark medieval tale of feuding family clans beautifully evokes the historical tensions between Christianity…
Mouchette (1967): Dir. Robert Bresson
Feat. Nadine Nortier, Jean-Claude Guilbert, Maria Cardinal; An impoverished young girl in rural France bears the brunt of hard times in this perfectly formed study, taken from the novel by George Bernanos.…
Oedipus Rex (1967): Dir. Pier Paolo Pasolini
Feat. Silvana Mangano, Franco Citti, Alida Valli; Striking visual achievement, filmed amidst the Moroccan desert and Bologna, describes the Oedipal tale of a tortured soul who murders his father and…
Poor Cow (1967): Dir. Ken Loach
Feat. Carol White, Terence Stamp, Malcolm McDowell; Striking the tone of much of his subsequent work, Ken Loach's debut film gives a semi–documentary edge to the story of 'poor cow' Carol White,…
Red and the White, The (Csillagosok, katonak) (1967): Dir. Miklos Jancso
Feat. Jozsef Madaras; Russia’s bloody civil war of 1918 is lamented in this visionary war movie from influential Hungarian auteur Miklos Jancso. A formally stunning…
Reflections in a Golden Eye (1967): Dir. John Huston
Feat. Elizabeth Taylor, Marlon Brando, Brian Keith…; Adaptation of Carson McCuller's novel. Taking place on a peacetime army base, a career officer finds his personal and professional life compromised…
Thief 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…
Trip, The (1967): Dir. Roger Corman
Feat. Peter Fonda, Dennis Hopper, Susan Strasberg…; One of several collaborations between director Roger Corman and Jack Nicholson, who wrote the screenplay. A director of TV commercials gradually…
Two of Us, The (Le Vieil Homme et l'Enfant) (1967): Dir. Claude Berri
Feat. Alain Cohen, Michel Simon; Touching wartime nostalgia, with Michel Simon as a grizzly anti–Semite who befriends a Jewish boy sent to countryside during occupied France.…
Ulysses (1967): Dir. Joseph Strick
Feat. Barbara Jefford, Milo O'Shea, Maurice Roeves…; A brave stab at filming James Joyce's sprawling novel, but it's better known for the stir it caused over its seminal use of the f–word and…
Valley of the Dolls (1967): Dir. Mark Robson
Feat. Barbara Parkins, Patty Duke, Sharon Tate…; Trashy adaptation of Jacqueline Susann's novel about three young women in the show biz fast lane.
Who's That Knocking At My Door? (1967): Dir. Martin Scorsese
Feat. Harvey Keitel, Zina Bethune; Martin Scorsese's debut feature spins an affecting yarn of youth around the relationship between a street–smart Catholic, Keitel (also…
Woman 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…
Wuthering Heights (1967): Dir. Peter Sasdy
Feat. Ian McShane, Angela Scoular; This BBC adaptation of Emily Bronte's gothic romance was one of only a handful that were able to cover the entire novel by virtue of the miniseries…
Young Girls of Rochefort, The (Les Demoiselles de Rochefort) (1967): Dir. Jacques Demy
Feat. Catherine Deneuve, Francois Dorleac, Gene Kelly; The carrot of love is dangled in Jacques Demy's positively radiant follow–up to UMBRELLAS OF CHERBOURG: an unbridled, colour–saturated…
10:30 PM Summer (1966): Dir. Jules Dassin
Feat. Melina Mercouri, Romy Schneider, Peter Finch; Tawdry, heavy–handed curiosity adapts Marguerite Duras’s New Wave novel into a sordid, albeit beautifully locationed spectacle. With a…
A Man Called Adam (1966): Dir. Leo Penn
Feat. Sammy Jr. Davis, Louis Armstrong, Cicely Tyson…; Sammy Davis Jr stars as a caustically charismatic jazz musician who questions his self–destructive lifestyle upon falling in love with a civil…
Andrei Rublev (1966): Dir. Andrei Tarkovsky
Feat. Anatoli Solonitsyn, Ivan Lapikov, Nikolai Grinko; Enthralling historical drama vividly portrays the 15th Century Russian painter who was encumbered by the political turbulence of the time.
Au Hasard Balthazar (1966): Dir. Robert Bresson
Feat. Anne Wiazemsky, Francois Lafarge, Philippe Asselin; Robert Bresson's immediately recognisable minimalist style is here lent to one of the few films whose central character is a donkey.
Before the Revolution (1966): Dir. Bernardo Bertolucci
Feat. Adriana Asti, Francisco Barilli; Bertolucci's second film – made at the age of 22! – demonstrates his bravura visual style fully formed around this coming of age in the…
Black Girl (La Noire de...) (1966): Dir. Ousmane Sembene; A French–Senegalese drama film and the directorial debut of Ousmane Sembene, often considered to be the first Sub–Saharan African film by…
Cathy Come Home (1966): Dir. Ken Loach
Feat. Carol White; Dramatic critique of Britain's housing problems follows the progress of a young couple in London as they slip down the social and class ladder into…
Closely Observed Trains (1966): Dir. Jiri Menzel
Feat. Vaclav Neckar, Josef Somr, Vlastimil Brodsky; Oscar–winning Czech film about a lonely train guard's attempt to lose his virginity while his country copes with the German occupation. The…
Death of a Salesman (1966): Dir. Alex Segal
Feat. James Farentino, Mildred Dunnock, George Segal…; A 1966 teleplay adaptation of Arthur Miller's classic Pulitzer Prize–winning play, often thought one of the definitive versions. Lee J Cobb…
Family Way, The (1966): 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…
Guerre Est Finie, La (1966): Dir. Alain Resnais
Feat. Yves Montand, Ingrid Thulin, Genevieve Bujold…; (The War is Over). Deeply romantic film in which Spanish Civil War refugee Yves Montand tries in vain to keep alive the memory of his struggle.
Hawaii (1966): Dir. George Roy Hill
Feat. Julie Andrews, Max von Sydow, Richard Harris…; Lush epic of colonial expansion with Harris as an uptight missionary on a crusade to convert the natives of Hawaii, and Andrews his long suffering…
Judi Dench Collection, The (Absolute Hell, Cherry Orchard, Going Gently, Ghosts, Make and Break, Talking to a Stranger) (1966-1987): Feat. Judi Dench; Dame Judi compendium, consisting of six sterling performances.
Madame X (1966): Dir. David Lowell Rich
Feat. Lana Turner, John Forsythe, Ricardo Montalban…; Sudsy melodrama with Turner as a woman with a past who's dalliance with a wealthy politician leads to murder. Superior weepie, lushly mounted and…
Man and a Woman, A (1966): Dir. Claude Lelouch
Feat. Anouk Aimee, Jean-Louis Trintignant, Pierre Barouh; Classic love story is one of the most popular foreign films of all time. Intelligent, sensitive script is ignited with exotic locations and Francis…
Masculin Feminin (1966): Dir. Jean-Luc Godard
Feat. Jean-Pierre Leaud, Chantal Goya, Brigitte Bardot; Godard steers toward the political with this bittersweet social comment about the Parisian youth culture of '65 through a series of oddly connected…
Nayak (The Hero) (1966): Dir. Satyajit Ray
Feat. Sharmila Tagore; Satyajit Ray deconstructs the male ego–centre in this tale of a Bengali movie star who must summon his own internal critic after coming under…
Patriotism (Yûkoku) (1966): Dir. Yukio Mishima
Feat. Yukio Mishima, Yoshiko Tsuruoka; Short film directed by Japanese writer and revolutionary Yukio Mishima, based on his short story of the same name published in 1961. Set in February…
Persona (1966): Dir. Ingmar Bergman
Feat. Liv Ullmann, Bibi Andersson; Perhaps dir. Bergman's most renowned and haunting work, a study of the psychological processes between a mute patient and her repressed nurse. Liv…
Sand Pebbles, The (1966): Dir. Robert Wise
Feat. Steve McQueen, Richard Attenborough, Candice Bergen; An epic series of adventures on an American gunboat in the turbulent China of the 1920s, Steve McQueen giving a particularly underrated performance,…
Talking to a Stranger (TV series) (1966): Dir. Christopher Morahan
Feat. Judi Dench; Seminal, BAFTA–winning, Emmy–nominated 1960s made–for–TV British drama written by John Hopkins, about a family trauma, told…
This Property is Condemned (1966): Dir. Sydney Pollack
Feat. Robert Redford, Natalie Wood, Charles Bronson…; A splendid Tennessee William's adaptation, where Redford plays a Railroad company official sent to close down a yard in a Southern small town during…
To Sir with Love (1966): Dir. James Clavell
Feat. Sidney Poitier, Lulu; Sidney Poitier instructs a class of cheeky, wayward teenagers in this feel–good classic of British cinema.
War and Peace (1966): Dir. Sergei Bondarchuk
Feat. Lyudmila Savelyeva, Vyacheslav Tikhonov, Irina Gubanova; The definitive version of Leo Tolstoy's gargantuan novel, set during the Napoleonic invasion of Russia in the early 19th century. Nothing else quite…
Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (1966): Dir. Mike Nichols
Feat. Richard Burton, Elizabeth Taylor; High powered melodrama with Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor in peak form as a married couple whose dinner party turns into a violent debacle.…
Wings (Krylya) (1966): Dir. Larisa Shepitko
Feat. Maya Bulgakova, Zhanna Bolotova; Elegant black and white drama about an ex–WWII Soviet fighter pilot, the directorial debut of Ukrainian filmmaker Larisa Shepitko. A…
Young Torless (Der junge Törless) (1966): Dir. Volker Schlondorff
Feat. Mathieu Carriere; Early film in the career of German director Volker Schlondorff (THE TIN DRUM), set in an Austrain military academy in the early 20th century which is…
A Blonde in Love (1965): Dir. Milos Forman
Feat. Hana Brejchova, Vladimir Pucholt, Vladimir Mensik; This early film from the director of AMADEUS tells the simple story of a young girl's search for a pianist with whom she spent the night. Forman…
Alfie (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…
Baby The Rain Must Fall (1965): Dir. Robert Mulligan
Feat. Steve McQueen, Lee Remick, Don Murray…; Lyrical Southern gothic drama from the production team that made TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD, about a working class mother (Lee Remick) who reunites with…
Battle of Algiers, The (1965): Dir. Gillo Pontecorvo
Feat. Brahim Haggiag; Gripping account of the Muslim uprising which led to the withdrawal of France from Algeria was shot merely four years after the revolution, and as…
Chimes at Midnight (1965): Dir. Orson Welles
Feat. Orson Welles, Keith Baxter, John Gielgud…; Orson Welles' late–career masterpiece in which one of the Bard's great supporting characters Falstaff is given his due through a series of…
Cincinnati Kid, The (1965): Dir. Norman Jewison
Feat. Steve McQueen, Edward G. Robinson, Tuesday Weld…; Memorable visit to the shady world of card–sharking in Depression–era America, with some excellent character acting from a great cast.
Darling (1965): Dir. John Schlesinger
Feat. Julie Christie, Dirk Bogarde; Oscar–winning, watershed film of British sexual mores is a fashionably flashy and cynical moral fable. Julie Christie social climbs to a…
Fists 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…
Harlow (1965): Dir. Gordon Douglas
Feat. Carroll Baker, Red Buttons, Raf Vallone…; Biopic loosely based on the life of 1930's star Jean Harlow, in the years leading up to her tragic death at the age of 26.
Hill, The (1965): Dir. Sidney Lumet
Feat. Sean Connery, Ian Bannen, Roy Kinnear; Intense military stockade drama, with Sean Connery doing gruelling punishment in the Sahara.
Inside Daisy Clover (1965): Dir. Robert Mulligan
Feat. Natalie Wood, Robert Redford, Ruth Gordon; Curious account of the rise and fall of a starlet in 30s Hollywood has improved with age thanks to off–kilter performances from Natalie Wood as…
Intimate Lighting (1965): Dir. Ivan Passer
Feat. Zdenek Bezusek; Intimacy and lightness are two words that fit this excellent Czech New Wave film like a glove. Ivan Passar (CUTTER’S WAY) contrasts the urbane…
Juliet of the Spirits (1965): Dir. Federico Fellini
Feat. Giulietta Masina; Perhaps the female flipside of Fellini's 8 1/2, he again infuses stylised flashbacks and fantasies into the real world of a gregarious housewife who…
Life at the Top (1965): Dir. Ted Kotcheff
Feat. Laurence Harvey, Jean Simmons, Honor Blackman…; Laurence Harvey returns for this sequel to Room at the Top (1958). Thinking he's really made it by marrying the boss's daughter in his northern mill…
Morituri (1965): Dir. Bernhard Wicki
Feat. Marlon Brando, Yul Brynner, Trevor Howard…; Unusual WW2 adventure features Brando as an anti–Nazi German who tries to persuade a German freighter plying the Pacific to defect to the…
Paris 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…
Party's Over, The (1965): Dir. Guy Hamilton
Feat. Oliver Reed; Stark yet salubrious cautionary tale of wayward youth set in the Chelsea beatnik scene, where "wild and drunken partying" and a brooding Oliver Reed…
Patch of Blue, A (1965): Dir. Guy Green
Feat. Sidney Poitier, Shelley Winters, Elizabeth Hartman; Near flawless film about the friendship between a blind, uneducated girl and a black man she meets in the park, who becomes determined to help her…
Pawnbroker, The (1965): Dir. Sidney Lumet
Feat. Rod Steiger; Rod Steiger gives a career–best performance as a Jewish pawnbroker whose new life in Spanish Harlem conjures haunting images of his Nazi prison…
Rage to Live, A (1965): Dir. Walter Grauman
Feat. Suzanne Pleshette, Ben Gazzara; Soapy melodrama starring Suzanne Pleshette as a young heiress who has a series of steamy relationships, undermining her wealthy family's reputation.…
Rapture (1965): Dir. John Guillermin
Feat. Melvyn Douglas, Patricia Gozzi, Dean Stockwell…; Drama based on the 1954 novel "Rapture in My Rags" about a lonely teenage girl living with her widower father, who develops an attraction to an…
Red Beard (Akahige) (1965): Dir. Akira Kurosawa
Feat. Toshiro Mifune, Yuzo Kayama, Tsutomu Yamazaki…; An unusual hospital drama from dir. Kurosawa, collaborating for the final time with Mifune, who here plays a tough doctor coaching an intern (Kayama)…
Shadows of Forgotten Ancestors (1965): Dir. Sergei Paradjanov
Feat. Ivan Mikolajchuk, Larisa Kadochnikova, Tatyana Bestayeva; A tragic, Carpathian folk tale of two lovers separated by a family feud is the basis for Parajanov’s staggering debut. Miraculous visuals and a…
Shakespeare Wallah (1965): Dir. James Ivory
Feat. Shashi Kapoor, Felicity Kendall, Madhur Jaffrey; The first major film from the Merchant–Ivory collaboration, this elegaic drama follows the progress of an English theatre troupe through India…
Ship of Fools (1965): Dir. Stanley Kramer
Feat. Vivien Leigh, Lee Marvin, Simone Signoret…; A gaggle of ocean liner passengers intermingle in this leaky melodrama, headlined by a top–notch cast. Vivien Leigh's last film.
Shop on High Street, The (The Shop on Main Street) (1965): 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…
Stand Up, Nigel Barton/Vote, Vote, Vote for Nigel Barton (1965): Dir. Gareth Davies
Feat. Keith Barron, Jack Woolgar, Janet Henfrey; Formative Dennis Potter chronicles the bumpy political rise of one aspiring Nigel Barton, from Oxford to Cabinet. Sharply autobiographical,…
Those Calloways (1965): Dir. Norman Tokar
Feat. Brian Keith, Vera Miles, Walter Brennan…; Sincere and effective Disney drama about a smalltown eccentric (Keith) in New England, who, with the help of his family, decides to buy a lake and…
Two or Three Things I Know About Her (1965): Dir. Jean-Luc Godard
Feat. Joseph Gehrard, Marina Vlady, Anny Duperey; The life of a Parisian prostitute, analysing the likes of women, language, western society as well as cinema itself. Godard's cinematic essay broke…
Young Sinner, The (Like Father, Like Son) (1965): Dir. Tom Laughlin
Feat. Tom Laughlin, Stefanie Powers; The story of a small–town football player, told mostly in confessional flashbacks, who has to go against God and decent society to do naughty…
Americanization of Emily, The (1964): Dir. Arthur Hiller
Feat. James Garner, Julie Andrews, Melvyn Douglas…; Plucky black comedy with James Garner as the scapegoat for a wacky US admiral's grand plan to have a American naval officer be the first killed at…
Assassination (Ansatsu) (1964): Dir. Masahiro Shinoda
Feat. Tetsuro Tamba, Eiji Okada; Japan’s turbulent, late 19th century landscape is the backdrop to this fiercely stylized tale of a masterless whose sword edge thrusts between the…
Bande a Part (Band of Outsiders) (1964): Dir. Jean-Luc Godard
Feat. Anna Karina, Claude Brasseur, Sami Frey; One of the dir.’s more accessible films follows the carefree criminal adventures of Anna Karina, Claude Brasseur and Sami Frey, while still…
Beauty Jungle, The (Contest Girl) (1964): Dir. Val Guest
Feat. Ian Hendry, Janette Scott, Ronald Fraser…; Interesting early expose of the lurid, cut–throat world of beauty pageants has a fetching Bristol typist (Scott) teased into entering a local…
Becket (1964): Dir. Peter Glenville
Feat. Richard Burton, Peter O'Toole, John Gielgud…; Stinging, fact–based epic turns the trusted relationship between King Henry II (O’Toole) and his best friend, the Archbishop of Canterbury…
Best Man, The (1964): Dir. Franklin J. Schaffner
Feat. Henry Fonda, Cliff Robertson, Edie Adams…; Bitter political satire finds Fonda and Robertson competing against each other in a bid to win the presidency. The two foes soon find themselves…
Captain Newman, M.D. (1964): Dir. David Miller
Feat. Gregory Peck, Tony Curtis, Angie Dickinson…; Drama/comedy set during World War II, starring Gregory Peck as a psychiatrist in a military hospital in Arizona. Based on a novel by Leo Rosten,…
Carpetbaggers, The (1964): Dir. Edward Dmytryk
Feat. George Peppard, Alan Ladd, Carroll Baker…; Drama based on the best–selling 1961 novel by Harold Robbins about a cheerfully vulgar business tycoon (perhaps modelled off Howard Hughes),…
Chalk Garden, The (1964): Dir. Ronald Neame
Feat. Deborah Kerr, Hayley Mills, John Mills…; British melodrama based on the eccentric stage play by Enid Bagnold, with Hayley Mills playing a rebellious teenager who meets her match in governess…
Charulata (The Lonely Wife) (1964): Dir. Satyajit Ray
Feat. Madhabi Mukherjee; One of Satyajit Ray’s most accomplished (and Western–influenced) films, whose central female protagonist falls for the young, aspiring cousin…
Diamonds of the Night (1964): Dir. Jan Nemec
Feat. Ladislav Jansky, Antonin Kumbera, Irma Bischofova; Extraordinarily intense account, told with almost no dialogue, of two Jewish teenagers running for their lives after escaping from a train bound for…
Diary of a Chambermaid (1964): Dir. Luis Bunuel
Feat. Jeanne Moreau, Georges Geret, Michel Piccoli; Maid Jeanne Moreau manipulates two blue–blooded households to ascend her status in pre–war France. Another shrewd political jape from the…
Gertrud (1964): Dir. Carl Dreyer; Exploring similar territory to fellow Scandinavian Ingmar Bergman, Dreyer's final film is an intense psychological study about a middle–aged…
Gospel According to St. Matthew (1964): Dir. Pier Paolo Pasolini
Feat. Enrique Irazoqui, Margherita Caruso, Susanna Pasolini; Acted entirely by non–professionals, this is a startlingly visual rendering of the biblical text, blending breath–taking photography with…
Hamlet (1964): Dir. Grigori Kozintsev
Feat. Innokenti Smoktunovsky; The legendary Russian version of Shakespeare's play, which visually at least, stands as the greatest yet. Staged amidst the massive battlements of…
Intentions of Murder (Akai satsui, Unholy Desire) (1964): Dir. Shohei Imamura
Feat. Masumi Harukawa, Ko Nishimura, Shigeru Tsuyuguchi…; Unsentimental drama from Japanese director Shohei Imamura (THE INSECT WOMAN), depicting a rape survivor's determination to overcome her pitiless…
Invitation to a Gunfighter (1964): Dir. Richard Wilson
Feat. Yul Brynner, Janice Rule, Brad Dexter…; Set in New Mexico in the wake of the Civil War, a small bigoted town is beset by racist prejudices despite being outwardly pro–Union. Yul…
Kitten with a Whip (1964): Dir. Douglas Heyes
Feat. Ann-Margret, John Forsythe, Peter Brown…; Ann–Margaret brings white–hot intensity to this cult classic about a teenage girl on the run from the law who blackmails a clueless…
Le Bonheur (Happiness) (1964): Dir. Agnes Varda
Feat. Jean-Claude Drouot, Claire Drouot, Marie-France Boyer; Agnes Varda's sly subversion of romantic norms courted controversy with its frank depiction of the infidelity of a happily married man and the…
Magnificent Showman, The (Circus World) (1964): Dir. Henry Hathaway
Feat. John Wayne, Claudia Cardinale, Rita Hayworth; Grandiose "Cinerama" spectacle (that flopped at the box office) starring John Wayne as a circus proprietor who decides to take his show on a…
My Way Home (Igy jottem) (1964): Dir. Miklos Jancso
Feat. Andras Kozak, Sergei Nikonyenko, Janos Gorbe; In the final days of World War II, a young Hungarian is making his way home, through countryside full of the debris of war, when he is captured and…
Night of the Iguana, The (1964): Dir. John Huston
Feat. Richard Burton, Deborah Kerr, Sue Lyon…; Tennessee Williams–scripted brew of melodrama, old–style religion and sexual repression sees defrocked priest/alcoholic Richard Burton…
Onibaba (the Hole) (1964): Dir. Kaneto Shindo
Feat. Nobuko Otowa, Jitsuko Yoshimura; An eerie, brazenly sensual medieval folk tale about a mother and daughter–in–law who kill just to survive and eventually turn on each…
Parade's End (TV Mini-Series) (1964): Dir. Alan Cooke
Feat. Judi Dench, Ronald Hines; A three–part BBC adaptation of the classic novel by Ford Madox Ford. On the eve of the Great War, a wealthy aristocrat is torn in a love…
Pumpkin Eater, The (1964): Dir. Jack Clayton
Feat. Anne Bancroft, Peter Finch, James Mason…; Anne Bancroft is riveting as a woman of the verge of a nervous breakdown in this penetrating and vastly under–rated British melodrama. As…
Red Desert (il Deserto Rosso) (1964): Dir. Michelangelo Antonioni
Feat. Monica Vitti, Richard Harris; Housewife Monica Vitti embarks on a casual affair with Richard Harris following a nervous breakdown. Set amidst an oppressive industrial landscape,…
Soft Skin, The (La Peau Douce) (1964): Dir. Francois Truffaut
Feat. Francois Dorleac, Jean Desailly; Moving New Wave drama from Francois Truffaut tells the story of a scholar pursuing a torrid affair with a stewardess while attempting to juggle his…
Une Femme Mariee (A Married Woman: Fragments of a Film Shot in 1964 in Black and White) (1964): Dir. Jean-Luc Godard
Feat. Bernard Noël, Macha Meril, Philippe Leroy; Key work from the first phase of Godard's career which deconstructs the life of a married woman in a series of complex and humorous portraits. Over a…
Visit, The (1964): Dir. Bernhard Wicki
Feat. Ingrid Bergman, Anthony Quinn, Paolo Stoppa; Ms. Bergman is hypnotic as always in this revenge tale about a millionaire who returns to the village that drove her out as a pregnant teenager,…
Whistle Down the Wind (1964): Dir. Bryan Forbes
Feat. Alan Bates, Hayley Mills; Alan Bates plays an escaped convict who Hayley Mills meets and believes to be Jesus himself. Unsentimental yet moving account of childhood faith…
Woman of the Dunes (1964): Dir. Hiroshi Teshigahara
Feat. Eiji Okada, Kyoko Kishida; From a simple premise – a man becomes trapped in a valley of sand in which a solitary woman lives – the director is able to draw out…
Yellow 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…
Zorba the Greek (1964): Dir. Michael Cacoyannis
Feat. Anthony Quinn, Alan Bates, Irene Papas; Keynote role for Anthony Quinn as the title–character of Nikos Kazantzakis' novel, a bawdy, womanising,…
An Actor's Revenge (1963): Dir. Kon Ichikawa
Feat. Kazuo Hasegawa, Fujiko Yamamoto; Unusual storyline concerns a Kabuki female impersonator, who seduces and arranges the destruction of three nobles responsible for his parents'…
Balcony, The (Le Balcon) (1963): Dir. Joseph Strick
Feat. Shelley Winters, Peter Falk, Lee Grant…; Fascinating adaptation of Jean Genet's play set in a fictional country, where Shelley Winters plays the Madam of a brothel that satisfies the erotic…
Bay of Angels (La baie des anges) (1963): Dir. Jacques Demy
Feat. Jeanne Moreau, Claude Mann, Paul Guers; A young bank employee is enticed into the world of gambling and travels to Nice where he falls in love with divorced mother and gambling addict…
Cardinal, The (1963): Dir. Otto Preminger
Feat. Tom Tryon, Carol Lynley, John Saxon…; Otto Preminger draws out an epic crisis of faith in this examination of an ordained Catholic Priest’s struggle to reconcile family turmoil and his…
Caretaker, The (1963): Dir. Clive Donner
Feat. Donald Pleasence, Alan Bates, Robert Shaw; Praised film adaptation of Harold Pinter's breakthrough stageplay, in which two brothers invite a tramp into their London flat – an act of…
Child is Waiting, A (1963): Dir. John Cassavetes
Feat. Burt Lancaster, Judy Garland, Gena Rowlands; At a school for disabled children music therapist Judy Garland butts heads with the conservative superintendent Burt Lancaster. Film is of note as…
Empty Canvas, The (La Noia) (1963): Dir. Damiano Damiani
Feat. Bette Davis, Horst Buchholz, Catherine Spaak; Unsuccessful painter Buccholz falls for a young model who spurns his love and drives him to both ruin and his overbearing mother. Based on the novel…
Fellini's 8 1/2 (1963): Dir. Federico Fellini
Feat. Marcello Mastroianni; Fellini's most revered film is a self–analytical exercise casting Marcello Mastroianni as a troubled director trapped by his own visions and…
Hands Over the City (Le mani sulla città) (1963): Dir. Francesco Rosi
Feat. Rod Steiger, Salvo Randone, Guido Alberti; An astute and ever–pertinent story of political corruption in post–World War II Italy starring Rod Steiger as a ruthless developer and…
Householder, The (1963): Dir. James Ivory
Feat. Shashi Kapoor, Leela Naidu, Durga Khote…; A young Indian newlywed is ill–prepared for marriage to his charming but independent wife and seeks advice from his tyrannical mother, a…
I Could Go on Singing (1963): Dir. Ronald Neame
Feat. Judy Garland, Dirk Bogarde, Jack Klugman…; A successful singer visits her estranged son while on tour in England. Teary melodrama was Garland's last film and featured arguably her best acting.
Insect Woman, The (1963): Dir. Shohei Imamura
Feat. Sachiko Hidari, Masumi Harukawa, Emiko Aizawa; The social upheaval of Japanese life between the wars is examined through the eyes of a struggling but resilient women in a poor farming village. The…
It Happened Here (1963): Dir. Kevin Brownlow, Andrew Mollo; A genuine filmic curiousity, this meticulous historical fantasy proposes that Nazi Germany invaded Britain in 1940 – leading to a lengthy…
Le Feu Follet (The Fire Within) (1963): Dir. Louis Malle
Feat. Maurice Ronet, Jeanne Moreau, Alexandra Stewart; Brilliantly measured account of an alcoholic (Maurice Ronet) who makes a final social round to find reason why he should not take his own life. Rich…
Le Mepris (Contempt) (1963): Dir. Jean-Luc Godard
Feat. Brigitte Bardot, Jack Palance, Fritz Lang; An insecure screen–writer struggles with vulgar producers as well as his movie–star wife on the set of Homer's Odyssey. Brigitte Bardot,…
Leopard, The (Il Gattopardo) (1963): Dir. Luchino Visconti
Feat. Burt Lancaster, Alain Delon, Claudia Cardinale…; An Italian classic, concerning the decline of the 19th century Sicilian aristocracy – represented by Burt Lancaster– that fulfils its…
Lilies of the Field (1963): Dir. Ralph Nelson
Feat. Sidney Poitier; Helping to repair a chapel for a convent of German nuns and rewarded with an Oscar for Best Actor, this sees Sidney Poitier giving one of his quieter…
Little Soldier, The (Petit soldat, Le) (1963): Dir. Jean-Luc Godard
Feat. Anna Karina, Michel Subor; Unheralded Godard sidebar has Michel Subor attempting to assassinate an Algerian sympathizer – if he can resist the charms of left–winger…
Live it Up! (Sing and Swing) (1963): Dir. Lance Comfort
Feat. David Hemmings; Low–budget, but historically fascinating musical wraps some great mid–60s pop music around its slender plot. Hemmings plays a…
Lord of the Flies (1963): Dir. Peter Brook
Feat. Tom Chapin, Hugh Edwards, Roger Elwin…; The chilling original screen adaptation of William Golding's novel about a gang of schoolboys stranded on a desert island, whose instinctive…
Mahanagar (The Big City) (1963): Dir. Satyajit Ray
Feat. Anil Chaterjee; Subtle and provoking satire of gender equality finds the wife of a once high–flying, but now redundant banker seeking employment, absorbing the…
Martin Scorsese's Short Films (What’s a Nice Girl Like You Doing in a Place Like This?; It’s Not Just You, Murray; The Big Shave; Italianamerican; American Boy: A Profile of Steven Prince) (1963-78): Dir. Martin Scorsese; Four early short films and one documentary from the man widely regarded as the best living filmmaker. Includes: – What’s a Nice Girl Like…
Organizer, The (I Compagni) (1963): Dir. Mario Monicelli
Feat. Marcello Mastroianni, Renato Salvatori, Annie Girardot…; Engrossing, beautifully filmed Italian drama about working class solidarity, set amidst the rapid expansion of industrial society in 19th Century…
Servant, The (1963): Dir. Joseph Losey
Feat. Dirk Bogarde, James Fox, Sarah Miles; First collaboration between playwright Harold Pinter and dir. Losey is an elegant diagram of English class cruelties, with man–servant Dirk…
Silence, The (1963): Dir. Ingmar Bergman
Feat. Ingrid Thulin, Gunnel Lindblom; Final part of Bergman's Faith Trilogy (begun with THROUGH THE GLASS DARKLY and WINTER LIGHT) is set in an anonymous war–torn country where…
Sparrows 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…
That Kind of Girl (1963): Dir. Gerry O'Hara
Feat. Margaret Rose Keil, David Weston, Linda Marlowe; Another gem rescued from obscurity by the BFI's Flipside label, this one deals with the hush–hush topic of venereal disease against a backdrop…
This Sporting Life (Sporting Life, The) (1963): Dir. Lindsay Anderson
Feat. Richard Harris, Rachel Roberts; Richard Harris gives a star–making performance as a roguish rugby player with a no less gruelling personal life. Intense melodrama edifies the…
Toys in the Attic (1963): Dir. George Roy Hill
Feat. Dean Martin, Geraldine Page, Yvette Mimieux…; Raw melodrama adapted from the acclaimed play with Dean Martin returning home to his two spinster sisters. Chewy dialogue and gives flight to this…
Ugly American, The (1963): Dir. George Englund
Feat. Marlon Brando, Arthur Hiller, Sandra Church; Featuring one of Marlon Brando’s more interesting choices of roles, this political thriller dramatises the American–vs–Communist…
Yesterday, 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…
A Kind of Loving (1962): Dir. John Schlesinger
Feat. June Ritchie, Alan Bates; A key film of the British New Wave, describing in unfussy black–and–white images the life of young couple June Ritchie and Alan Bates…
Advise and Consent (1962): Dir. Otto Preminger
Feat. Henry Fonda, Charles Laughton, Don Murray…; Political thriller–fable set in the corridors and committee rooms of Washington DC, where the fundamentally decent Senator, Henry Fonda, learns…
An Autumn Afternoon (1962): Dir. Yasujiro Ozu
Feat. Chishu Ryu, Shiwa Iwashita, Keiji Sada; Dir. Ozu's final work is one of his best – an appropriately autumnal evocation of age and dependency, set around a widower who sorrowfully…
Barabbas (1962): Dir. Richard Fleischer
Feat. Anthony Quinn, Jack Palance, Arthur Kennedy…; Lavish, literate and thrilling by equal measure, this Hollywood Roman speculation follows the wanderings of the legendary thief (Quinn) who was saved…
Boccaccio '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…
Cleo from 5 to 7 (1962): Dir. Agnes Varda
Feat. Corrine Marchand; One of the treasures of the French New Wave, dir. Varda’s debut is, Pauline Kael contends “one of the few films directed by a woman where the…
Connection, The (1962): Dir. Shirley Clarke
Feat. Garry Goodrow, Warren Finnerty; Experimental cult curio based on the Jack Gelber play, in which a group of musician junkies await a heroin hook–up in a New York loft. Things…
Days of Wine and Roses (1962): Dir. Blake Edwards
Feat. Jack Lemmon, Lee Remick, Charles Bickford…; A bittersweet reprise of THE LOST WEEKEND, with PR–expert Jack Lemmon's never–ending round of cocktail parties dragging him and his wife…
Dr. Crippen (1962): Dir. Robert Lynn
Feat. Donald Pleasence, Coral Browne, Samantha Eggar; This well paced drama centered around Dr. Hawley Harvey Crippen's murder of his wife was originally billed as a horror, but is actually a rather…
Eva (1962): Dir. Joseph Losey
Feat. Jeanne Moreau, Sir Stanley Baker, Virna Lisi…; Jeanne Moreau is that obscure object of desire which novelist Stanley Baker falls for, and is taken for a ride. Interesting, if lurid Losey melodrama…
Exterminating Angel, The (1962): Dir. Luis Bunuel
Feat. Silvia Pinal; A psychic 'disaster movie', in which guests become trapped at a dinner party by a mysterious forcefield. As the days go by, dinner–table…
Freud (1962): Dir. John Huston
Feat. Montgomery Clift, Susannah York, Larry Parks…; John Huston once again proves his mastery of adaptation and biography, here depicting the famous psychoanalyst's clash with conservative Viennese…
Grim Reaper, The (La Commare Secca) (1962): Dir. Bernardo Bertolucci
Feat. Carlotta Barilli, Lorenza Benedetti, Clorinda Celani; Dir. Bertolucci's first film – with trademark technical virtuosity already in evidence – is a whodunnit about a prostitute murdered in a…
Harakiri (Seppuku) (1962): Dir. Masaki Kobayashi
Feat. Tatsuya Nakadai, Shima Iwashita, Akira Ishihama…; Japanese jidaigeki (period drama) set at the beginning of the Edo period, following a masterless samurai (ronin) who wishes to commit suicide…
Hedda Gabler (1962): Dir. Alex Segal
Feat. Ingrid Bergman, Michael Redgrave, Ralph Richardson…; Adapted from the Henrik Ibsen Play for broadcast on BBC. Ingrid Bergman plays the title character, a manipulative woman who marries a kind but naïve…
Hemingway's Adventures of a Young Man (1962): Dir. Martin Ritt
Feat. Richard Beymer, Diane Baker; Drama from director Martin Ritt (HUD), based on Ernest Hemingway's semi–autobiographical character Nick Adams, a restless young man who leaves…
Ivan's Childhood (1962): Dir. Andrei Tarkovsky
Feat. Nikolai Burlyayev, Valentin Zubkov, Yevgeni Zharikov; A teenage spy works behind enemy lines in WW2 Germany. The Russian master's first feature is his least self–conscious and most efficient…
Ken Russell at the BBC (Elgar; Debussy; Always on Sunday; Isadora; Dante's Inferno; Song of Summer) (1962-1968): Dir. Ken Russell
Feat. Oliver Reed, Vladek Sheybal, Vernon Dobtcheff…; The engrossing early works of the controversial director comprises six of his famed artist portraits
L'eclisse (1962): Dir. Michelangelo Antonioni
Feat. Monica Vitti, Francisco Rabal, Alain Delon; The final part in the Italian trilogy begun by L’AVVENTURA, set during a stock–market crash in Rome, this finds Monica Vitti disengaging…
L-Shaped Room, The (1962): Dir. Bryan Forbes
Feat. Leslie Caron; Defining slice of gritty Brit realism tackles the issue of pregnancy outside marriage with considerable pathos. French girl Leslie Caron crosses the…
Le Combat Dans L'île (1962): Dir. Alain Cavalier
Feat. Romy Schneider, Jean-Louis Trintignant, Henri Serre…; French drama exploring the tension between right and left wing politics in the early 60's, through the romantic conflict faced by a woman (Romy…
Long Day's Journey Into Night (1962): Dir. Sidney Lumet
Feat. Katharine Hepburn, Ralph Richardson, Jason Robards Jr.…; Faithful and masterful adaptation of Eugene O'Neill's play about family life, love and losers drinking and tearing each other apart in leafy New…
Madame (1962): Dir. Christian-Jaque
Feat. Sophia Loren, Robert Hossein; Rags–to–riches tale set in Napoleonic France mirrors the real life of its Italian bomb–shell star, Sophia Loren.
Mamma Roma (1962): Dir. Pier Paolo Pasolini
Feat. Anna Magnani; Pasolini, in this early minor–masterpiece, demonstrates a keen awareness of Italy’s altered social and political landscape in the…
Miracle Worker, The (1962): Dir. Arthur Penn
Feat. Patty Duke, Anne Bancroft; The classic telling of the Helen Keller story, in which blind, profoundly deaf Keller was coaxed into communication by her Irish governess Anne…
Pity Me Not! (Without Each Other) (1962): Dir. Saul Swimmer
Feat. Tony Anthony, Anne Hegiba, Saul Swimmer; A trapeze artist has the unfortunate duty of informing the wife of a fellow performer that her husband has been crushed by an elephant.
Requiem for a Heavyweight (1962): Dir. Ralph Nelson
Feat. Anthony Quinn, Jackie Gleason, Mickey Rooney…; Anthony Quinn puts on an astonishing performance in this outstanding drama about a once promising but now washed–up boxer who struggles to see…
Salvatore Giuliano (1962): Dir. Francesco Rosi
Feat. Salvo Randone, Frank Wolff, Frederico Zardi; An epic Italian political drama, charting in a non–linear fashion the true story of Sicilian bandit Salvatore Giuliano, a criminal and…
Sundays and Cybele (Les Dimanches de Ville d'Avray) (1962): Dir. Serge Bourguignon
Feat. Hardy Kruger, Patricia Gozzi; Touching, if occasionally over–sentimentalised drama that contemplates the relationship between a mentally scarred bomber pilot and the…
Sweet Bird of Youth (1962): Dir. Richard Brooks
Feat. Paul Newman, Geraldine Page, Shirley Knight…; The South at its over–ripest, Tennessee Williams providing a repressive, smalltown setting for gigolo Paul Newman and faded movie–star…
Terence Rattigan Collection, The (1962-1994): Feat. Kenneth More, Ralph Richardson, Geraldine McEwan…; A boxed compendium of Terence Rattigan's finest work, a British playwright reknowned for his profound understanding of the human heart and his…
To Kill a Mockingbird (1962): Dir. Robert Mulligan
Feat. Gregory Peck, Mary Badham; Moving adaptation stars Gregory Peck in an Oscar–winning performance as the genial lawyer who defends an innocent Negro accused of rape in the…
Trial of Joan of Arc, The (Procès de Jeanne d'Arc) (1962): Dir. Robert Bresson; One of dir. Bressons' more difficult works, depicting the final days of 15th century French religious patriot Joan of Arc and utilising the actual…
Trial, The (1962): Dir. Orson Welles
Feat. Anthony Perkins; Orson Welles makes a visual and intellectual feast of Kafka's novel about a man accused of crimes that remain unexplained. Anthony Perkins is…
Two 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…
Virginian, The (TV Series) (1962-1971): Feat. James Drury, Doug McClure, Lee J. Cobb; Television adaptation of Owen Wister's novel, where Jame's Drury's 'The Virginian' tries to maintain order on the Shiloh Ranch in the Wyoming…
Vivre Sa Vie (My Life to Live) (1962): Dir. Jean-Luc Godard
Feat. Anna Karina; While filtered through dir. Godard's preoccupations with genre, this series of twelve vignettes about a Parisian woman's marriage breakup and gradual…
Walk on the Wild Side (1962): Dir. Edward Dmytryk
Feat. Laurence Harvey, Jane Fonda, Capucine…; A schlocky tease–fest with Laurence Harvey as a penniless cowboy who hitches to New Orleans with a drifter (Jane Fonda) searching for his…
Waltz 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? (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.
Winter Light (1962): Dir. Ingmar Bergman
Feat. Ingrid Thulin, Gunnar Bjornstrand, Gunnel Lindblom…; The second in Bergman's faith trilogy, in which a village priest finds himself drawn towards atheism after the death of his wife. Crisp, reflective…
Accattone (1961): Dir. Pier Paolo Pasolini
Feat. Franco Citti; The debut feature of Italian filmmaker–novelist–poet–provocateur Pasolini, which depicts the underbelly of Roman street life in a…
All Night Long (Die Heisse Nacht) (1961): Dir. Basil Dearden, Michael Relph
Feat. Patrick McGoohan, Richard Attenborough, Keith Michell…; Set in London's smoky jazz scene, this updating of Othello is neatly positioned as a vehicle to showcase some of the best Jazz musicians of the…
Antigone (1961): Dir. Yorgos Javellas
Feat. Irene Papas; An impressive Irene Papas heads this black and white epic adapted from Sophocles' Greek tragedy, about the twisted family legacy left behind by…
Birdman of Alcatraz (1961): Dir. John Frankenheimer
Feat. Burt Lancaster; A thought–provoking, true–life story of a man sentenced to 60 years in solitary who became a world authority on birdlife. A compelling…
By Love Possessed (1961): Dir. John Sturges
Feat. Lana Turner, Efrem Zimbalist Jr., Jason Robards Jr.…; Junky drama set in picture perfect New England town centres on the insipid lives and loves of its inhabitants. Sub–Sirkian melodrama has its…
Children's Hour, The (1961): Dir. William Wyler
Feat. Audrey Hepburn, Shirley Maclaine, James Garner…; Good performances from the two leads as lesbian school–teachers who are involved in smalltown scandal when a trouble–making student…
End of Summer, The (Kohayagawa-ke no aki) (1961): Dir. Yasujiro Ozu
Feat. Ganjiro Nakamura, Setsuko Hara; Another intimate portrayal of Japanese family life from the dir. of TOKYO STORY that explores the breakdown of traditional family values in the face…
Essential Bergman: The Faith Trilogy Boxset (Through a Glass Darkly, Winter Light, The Silence) (1961-1963): Dir. Ingmar Bergman; Ingmar Bergman's trilogy of films dealing with questions of religion and faith, contained here in one essential boxset.
Exiles, The (1961): Dir. Kent MacKenzie
Feat. Yvonne Williams, Homer Nish, Tommy Reynolds…; Independent drama from great unsung American director Kent MacKenzie. The plot follows a group of Native Americans in the 1950's who have left…
Fanny (1961): Dir. Joshua Logan
Feat. Leslie Caron, Maurice Chevalier, Charles Boyer…; Adored melodrama set in Marseilles, starring Leslie Caron as the titular character who falls in love with a young sailor (Buchholz) but must grapple…
Femme Est Une Femme, Une (A Woman is a Woman) (1961): Dir. Jean-Luc Godard
Feat. Anna Karina, Jean-Claude Brialy, Jean-Paul Belmondo…; Godard flirts with the Hollywood musical, and any other idea that takes his fancy to tell his buoyant tale of a free–spirited stripper who…
Francis Of Assisi (1961): Dir. Michael Curtiz
Feat. Bradford Dillman, Dolores Hart, Stuart Whitman; Cinema–scopic religious epic about the founder of the school of monks, with Bradford Dillman well suited as St. Francis, and Dolores Hart good…
Goodbye Again (Aimez-Vous Brahms) (1961): Dir. Anatole Litvak
Feat. Ingrid Bergman, Yves Montand, Anthony Perkins…; Elegant love triangle has Bergman falling in love with dashing young Anthony Perkins much to her philandering husband's chagrin. Overly familiar…
Hustler, The (1961): Dir. Robert Rossen
Feat. Paul Newman, Jackie Gleason, George C. Scott…; Classic Paul Newman, playing a pool–shark with potential who gets into a match with the legendary Minnesota Fats (Jackie Gleason). George C…
Il Posto (1961): Dir. Ermanno Olmi
Feat. Loredana Detto, Sandro Panseri; This Italian neo–realist classic is a simply told yet beautiful depiction of a small–town boy whose employment search in Milan lands him…
Intruder, The (I Hate Your Guts) (1961): Dir. Roger Corman
Feat. William Shatner, Leo Gordon; The only Corman film ever to lose money is not surprisingly perhaps his best. William Shatner excels as a small–time drifter who preaches the…
Judgement at Nuremberg (1961): Dir. Stanley Kramer
Feat. Spencer Tracy, Burt Lancaster, Maximilian Schell…; Dramatisation of the trial of the Nazi judges at Nuremberg, facing the patient integrity of Judge Spencer Tracy. Epic, gripping courtroom drama, with…
Jules and Jim (Jules et Jim) (1961): Dir. Francois Truffaut
Feat. Jeanne Moreau, Oskar Werner, Henri Serre…; Jeanne Moreau stars in this famous New Wave melodrama caught up in the spirit of its swinging times. A twenty–year love triangle, lightening…
Last Sunset, The (1961): Dir. Robert Aldrich
Feat. Kirk Douglas, Rock Hudson, Dorothy Malone…; Melodramatic Western set against the backdrop of the Texas/Mexico border stars Kirk Douglas as a fugitive hounded by Rock Hudson's sheriff, only to…
Last Year at Marienbad (L'Annee Dernier a Marienbad) (1961): Dir. Alain Resnais
Feat. Delphine Seyrig, Giorgio Albertazzi; All the rules of film–making are broken in this notorious question mark of a film in which a past event plagues the occupants of a grand…
Magnificent Rebel, The (1961): Dir. Georg Tressler
Feat. Karlheinz Bohm, Ivan Desny; Unambitious but competent biopic of Ludwig van Beethoven, with Bohm (himself a classical pianist) convincingly ruffled in the lead. Worth a look for…
Misfits, The (1961): Dir. John Huston
Feat. Clark Gable, Marilyn Monroe; Stark melodrama was to be the curtain call for both Clark Gable and Marilyn Monroe. They are two of a group of cheerless souls roping wild mustangs…
Mother Joan of Angels (Matka Joanna od Aniolow) (1961): Dir. Jerzy Kawalerowicz; A landmark of post–WW2 Polish cinema recounts in stunningly composed b&w images the disturbing true–story of a 17th century French…
No Love for Johnnie (1961): Dir. Ralph Thomas
Feat. Peter Finch, Stanley Holloway, Donald Pleasence…; Peter Finch excels as a British MP whose desire for career advancement threatens his personal life.
Notte, La (The Night) (1961): Dir. Michelangelo Antonioni
Feat. Marcello Mastroianni, Jeanne Moreau, Monica Vitti; A compelling bout of urban alienation, with Marcello Mastroianni and Jeanne Moreau as a despairing married couple coming slowly apart at the seams.…
Only 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…
Paris Blues (1961): Dir. Martin Ritt
Feat. Paul Newman, Sidney Poitier, Joanne Woodward…; Undernourished romantic drama has Newman and Poitier as Jazz musicians on holiday in Paris forced to decide whether to stay or return to the U.S. for…
Raisin in the Sun (1961): Dir. Daniel Petrie
Feat. Sidney Poitier, Claudia McNeil, Ruby Dee…; Rounded drama about the struggles of black family living in Chicago in the 1940s, that was ground–breaking in its day and features several…
Singer Not the Song, The (1961): Dir. Roy Ward Baker
Feat. John Mills, Dirk Bogarde, Mylene Demongeot…; Philosophical western is an oddity amongst the Rank canon with Bogarde as a campy Mexican bandit terrorising a catholic priest Mills. Homoerotic…
Sins of Rachel Cade, The (1961): Dir. Gordon Douglas
Feat. Angie Dickinson, Peter Finch, Roger Moore; A colonel falls in love with a Protestant medical missionary in the Belgian Congo during WWII, but an American injured pilot interrupts proceedings.
Splendour in the Grass (1961): Dir. Elia Kazan
Feat. Natalie Wood, Warren Beatty, Pat Hingle…; Smitten teens work up considerable sexual frenzy when their respective families won't let them be together. Appropriately, it's the lurid scenes…
Taste of Honey, A (1961): Dir. Tony Richardson
Feat. Dora Bryan, Rita Tushingham, Robert Stephens…; Powerful and starkly realistic 'kitchen sink' drama in which a mollycoddled lonely girl (Rita Tushingham) leaves her loveless home to befriend a…
Through a Glass Darkly (1961): Dir. Ingmar Bergman
Feat. Harriet Andersson, Gunnar Bjornstrand, Max von Sydow; Husband, father and brother must cope with the disintegrating mental health of a young woman on an island. The focus is on religion, madness and the…
Town Without Pity (1961): Dir. Gottfried Reinhardt
Feat. Kirk Douglas, Robert Blake, Richard Jaeckel…; Bitter legal drama with Kirk Douglas defending four American soldiers charged with the gang rape of a young German woman. Somewhat sluggish in its…
Two Women (1961): Dir. Vittorio De Sica
Feat. Sophia Loren; Sophia Loren won the Best Actress Oscar for her role as a WW2 widow who endures turmoil with her 13–year–old daughter before they are…
Victim (1961): Dir. Basil Dearden
Feat. Dirk Bogarde, Sylvia Syms; As an English barrister blackmailed over his homosexual past, Dirk Bogarde gives a keynote performance, the first in what was to become a long line…
Viridiana (1961): Dir. Luis Bunuel
Feat. Silvia Pinal, Francisco Rabal, Fernando Rey; Bunuel purges his spiritual demons in this potent psychological study of a novice nun who loses her innocence when she visits her…
Young Savages, The (1961): Dir. John Frankenheimer
Feat. Burt Lancaster, Dina Merrill, Edward Andrews…; Arresting crime drama set on the segregated streets of East Harlem and focused on a district attorney investigating the murder of a blind Puerto…
Angry Silence, The (1960): Dir. Guy Green
Feat. Richard Attenborough, Pier Angeli, Michael Craig…; Probing social drama unfurls labour conflicts in the sixties and the breakdown of trade unions, with Richard Attenborough as the antagonised factory…
Bad Sleep Well, The (1960): Dir. Akira Kurosawa
Feat. Toshiro Mifune; A contemporary gangster saga that uses a Hamlet–esque narrative to indict corporate and political corruption. Government officials were not…
Bells 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…
Butterfield 8 (La Venus au Vision) (1960): Dir. Daniel Mann
Feat. Elizabeth Taylor, Laurence Harvey, Eddie Fisher…; A purring Elizabeth Taylor stars in this high–strung melodrama as a bed–hopping New York model, who questions her ways when she falls in…
Cloud-Capped Star, The (1960): Dir. Ritwik Ghatak
Feat. Supriya Choudhury; The kind–hearted daughter of a middle–class refugee family from East Pakistan sacrifices her own happiness for her unappreciative family,…
David and Goliath (1960): Dir. Richard Pottier, Ferdinando Baldi
Feat. Orson Welles, Ivica Pajer, Hilton Edwards; Orson Welles plays King Saul in this adaptation of the biblical story about the unsuspecting shepherd David who is foretold to be the future King by…
Entertainer, The (1960): Dir. Tony Richardson
Feat. Laurence Olivier; Laurence Olivier portrays a faded comedian who reflects on his failure as an entertainer and as a man. Another fine example of moody British…
Esther and the King (1960): Dir. Raoul Walsh, Mario Bava
Feat. Joan Collins, Richard Egan, Denis O'Dea…; The Book of Esther is retold in this minor Biblical epic, with Joan Collins as a Jewish girl saves her people from a pogrom launched by the evil…
Expresso Bongo (1960): Dir. Val Guest
Feat. Cliff Richard, Laurence Harvey; Brash and colourfully classic 'beat' musical with Cliff Richard as a struggling bongo–playing nightclub act who is snatched from obscurity by a…
From the Terrace (1960): Dir. Mark Robson
Feat. Paul Newman, Joanne Woodward, Myrna Loy…; Adapted from the novel by John O’Hara, this slick drama tracks war veteran Paul Newman’s rise to the top. Ironic touches help the story, as do…
Inherit the Wind (1960): Dir. Stanley Kramer
Feat. Spencer Tracy, Fredric March, Gene Kelly; The Evolutionist vs Creationist debate is encapsulated in this courtroom recreation of the Monkey Trial of the 1920s (a Tennessee schoolteacher was…
It Started in Naples (1960): 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…
L'Avventura (1960): Dir. Michelangelo Antonioni
Feat. Monica Vitti; The quintessential Euro–arthouse film of the 60s – a rambling yet elegant voyage through the sterile lives of the bourgeiousie, following…
La Dolce Vita (1960): Dir. Federico Fellini
Feat. Marcello Mastroianni; An episodic film following the very cool Marcello Mastroianni, a disillusioned journalist trapped in shallow, so called 'decadent' society. A…
Les Bonnes Femmes (1960): Dir. Claude Chabrol
Feat. Bernadette Lafont, Clotilde Joano, Stephane Audran; An early comedy from French new wave director Claude Chabrol (LE BOUCHER), following four single Parisian women as they encounter the romantic…
Lola (1960): Dir. Jacques Demy
Feat. Anouk Aimee, Marc Michel; Irresistible 'New Wave' confection breezily spins its romantic tale around the alluring presence of Anouk Aimee, here a cheery cabaret–dancer…
Moderato Cantabile (Seven Days...Seven Nights) (1960): Dir. Peter Brook
Feat. Jean-Paul Belmondo, Jeanne Moreau; New Wave two–hander stars Jeanne Moreau as a bored housewife who falls for Belmondo's brooding stranger. Stunning wide–screen…
Never Let Go (1960): Dir. John Guillermin
Feat. Richard Todd, Peter Sellers, Adam Faith…; Solid crime drama about a young salesman (Todd) who has his car inconveniently stolen – leaving him with a large debt – and then…
Platinum High School (1960): Dir. Charles Haas
Feat. Mickey Rooney, Terry Moore, Dan Duryea…; Mickey Rooney overheats in investigating his son's death at a military academy. Casting quirks includes singer Conway Twitty.
Psycho (1960): Dir. Alfred Hitchcock
Feat. Anthony Perkins, Janet Leigh, Vera Miles…; Only Mr. Hitchcock could plunder B–movie conventions and turn in the biggest box–office success of his career. A plethora of…
Rocco and His Brothers (1960): Dir. Luchino Visconti
Feat. Alain Delon, Renato Salvatori, Annie Girardot…; An uncompromising, richly detailed portrait of an impoverished family who travel to Milan where they are beset by violent misfortune.
Saturday Night and Sunday Morning (1960): Dir. Karel Reisz
Feat. Albert Finney, Shirley Anne Field, Rachel Roberts; Possibly the finest film of the British New Wave, Albert Finney burns up the screen as an ‘angry young man’ who grasps at weekend freedom from…
Savage Innocents, The (1960): Dir. Nicholas Ray
Feat. Anthony Quinn, Peter O'Toole, Yoko Tani; Curiously compelling ethnological drama from dir. Ray in which an eskimo (Quinn) wages an ongoing battle for survival in the Arctic environment and…
Sons and Lovers (1960): Dir. Jack Cardiff
Feat. Dean Stockwell, Trevor Howard, Dame Wendy Hiller…; Richly photographed rendition of D.H. Lawrence's classic novel, in which the son of a coal–miner (Stockwell) struggles to find his path in the…
Strangers When We Meet (1960): Dir. Richard Quine
Feat. Kirk Douglas, Kim Novak, Ernie Kovacs…; Romantic drama adapted by Evan Hunter from his novel of the same name, about two married neighbours who have an affair. Kirk Douglas plays the…
Testament of Orpheus (Testament D'orphee) (1960): Dir. Jean Cocteau
Feat. Jean Cocteau, Yul Brynner, Jean-Pierre Leaud…; Cocteau's swansong is an intensely personal odyssey, with the director himself immersed in a world of his cumulative creation. Like a moving…
Tunes of Glory (1960): Dir. Ronald Neame
Feat. Alec Guinness, John Mills, Dennis Price…; Two colonels of a Scottish regiment – one convivial, one disciplinarian – face off in a battle of wills in this drama of peacetime…
Virgin Spring, The (1960): Dir. Ingmar Bergman
Feat. Max von Sydow; Bergman won his first Oscar for this brooding yet gripping medieval tale about a peasant couple who avenge the savage murderers of their daughter.
When a Woman Ascends the Stairs (1960): Dir. Mikio Naruse
Feat. Hideko Takamine; Melancholic masterpiece from a largely overshadowed figure in Japanese cinema: concerning the post–war ‘water trade’ of bar hostesses in…
Wild River (1960): Dir. Elia Kazan
Feat. Montgomery Clift, Lee Remick, Jo Van Fleet; Romantic drama focused around an Authority agent (played with controlled complexity by Montgomery Clift) who meets with resistance and a fair share…
Young One, The (La Joven; White Trash) (1960): Dir. Luis Bunuel
Feat. Zachary Scott, Bernie Hamilton; Bunuel’s English–language feature masterfully unfurls the quandary between a young girl and an itinerant black musician unjustly accused of…
400 Blows, The (1959): Dir. Francois Truffaut
Feat. Jean-Pierre Leaud, Claire Maurier, Albert Remy…; Truffaut's first film rocketed him to fame as some kind of New Wave radical, but at a second glance this story of a teenage delinquent thrown in and…
Adventures Of Antoine Doinel, The (400 Blows, Stolen Kisses, Bed and Board, Love on the Run) (1959-1979): Dir. Francois Truffaut
Feat. Jean-Pierre Leaud; Francois Truffaut's most enduring cinematic creation, the irrepressible Antoine Doinel (played synonymously by Jean–Pierre Leaud) is…
Amants, Les (Lovers, The) (1959): Dir. Louis Malle
Feat. Jeanne Moreau, Alain Cuny; This helped push the envelope of frank sexuality in cinema and made a star of Jeanne Moreau, as the rich, bored housewife whose extra–marital…
Ballad of a Soldier (1959): Dir. Grigori Chukhrai
Feat. Vladimir Ivashov; Soviet poetic realism brings a contemplative tone to the theatre of war, following a soldier’s pilgrimage back home after being granted leave for…
Brand (1959): Dir. Michael Elliot
Feat. Patrick McGoohan; Spellbinding BBC version of Henrik Ibsen's great play, with Patrick McGoohan playing a young priest who idealistically adopts a doctrine that one…
Come Dance with Me (Voulez-Vous Danser Avec Moi?) (1959): Dir. Michel Boisrond
Feat. Brigitte Bardot, Dawn Addams; Surprisingly entertaining French mystery thriller tracking a wife attempting to clear her husband's name from involvement in a dance studio murder.…
Diary of Anne Frank, The (1959): Dir. George Stevens
Feat. Millie Perkins, Joseph Schildkraut, Shelley Winters…; Absorbing film version of the play based on the experience of a Jewish girl who was forced to live within the confines of a tiny attic, under…
Floating Weeds (Ukigusa) (1959): Dir. Yasujiro Ozu
Feat. Ganjiro Nakamura; An aging actor who returns with his troupe to his provincial town, and becomes caught between his long–lost family and his jealous…
Fugitive Kind, The (1959): Dir. Sidney Lumet
Feat. Marlon Brando, Joanne Woodward, Anna Magnani…; A directionless, but quirky version of Tennesse Williams' play 'Orpheus Descending' with Brando playing a troublesome hobo who spreads romantic…
Good 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…
Head Against the Wall (La tête contre les murs) (1959): Dir. Georges Franju
Feat. Pierre Brasseur, Paul Meurisse, Anouk Aimee…; Georges Franju’s first film is a high–intensity examination of post–war psychiatric care, centred on the survival of a delinquent youth…
Hiroshima Mon Amour (1959): Dir. Alain Resnais
Feat. Emmanuelle Riva, Eiji Okada; Romance between a French actress and a Japanese architect rekindles their traumatic wartime experiences. The twin threads of despair and sensual love…
Hole 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…
Human Condition, The (No Greater Love, Road to Eternity, A Soldier's Prayer) (1959-1961): Dir. Masaki Kobayashi
Feat. Tatsuya Nakadai, Michiyo Aratana; An epic Japanese film trilogy following the life of a well–intentioned yet naïve pacifist and socialist as he tries to survive in the…
Imitation of Life (1959): Dir. Douglas Sirk
Feat. Lana Turner, John Gavin, Sandra Dee…; Douglas Sirk's famed melodrama of American ambition and racism is justly renowned for the surprisingly bitter commentary buried within its involving…
John Cassavetes Collection Boxset (Shadows, Faces, A Woman Under the Influence, Killing of a Chinese Bookie, Opening Night) (1959-1977): Dir. John Cassavetes; Five–film anthology of John Cassavetes' groundbreaking independent cinema. Includes Charles Kiselyak's lengthy documentary on Cassavetes, A…
Last Train from Gun Hill (1959): Dir. John Sturges
Feat. Kirk Douglas, Anthony Quinn, Carolyn Jones…; Underrated American Western telling the tale of a U.S. Marshal seeking revenge in the town of 'Gun Hill' after the racially charged rape and murder…
Les Cousins (1959): Dir. Claude Chabrol
Feat. Jean-Claude Brialy, Gerard Blain; Claude Chabrol continues his city / country theme from LE BEAU SERGE with this estranging drama following a country boy who ends up in a despicable…
On the Beach (1959): Dir. Stanley Kramer
Feat. Ava Gardner, Gregory Peck, Fred Astaire…; 50's cold war paranoia piece set in post–WW2 Melbourne, the only place in the world yet untouched by creeping radiation. Based on Nevil Shute's…
Operation Amsterdam (1959): Dir. Michael McCarthy
Feat. Peter Finch, Eva Bartok, Tony Britton; Gripping wartime drama tracking two gem specialists attempting to remove a valuable horde of diamonds from Amsterdam in 14 hours before the nasty…
Pickpocket (1959): Dir. Robert Bresson; Dir. Bresson's austere meditation on the motive personal forces of criminal enterprise, this trails a directionless young man into a flirtation with…
Serious Charge (1959): Dir. Terence Young
Feat. Anthony Quayle, Cliff Richard, Sarah Churchill…; Cliff Richard's film debut is a slight melodrama about a parish priest attempting to tame a young petty criminal. Cliff sings "Living Doll" in a…
Shadows (1959): Dir. John Cassavetes
Feat. Lelia Goldoni; Cassavetes' influential debut explores inter–racial relationships with improvised dialogue, gitanes, ray–bans and Charlie Mingus…
Suddenly, Last Summer (1959): Dir. Joseph L. Mankiewicz
Feat. Elizabeth Taylor, Katharine Hepburn, Montgomery Clift; A kitsch classic in which Elizabeth Taylor is in finest neurotic form as a young woman trying to fight her vindictive aunt's will to have her…
Umberto D. (1959): Dir. Vittorio De Sica
Feat. Carlo Battisti, Maria-Pia Casilio, Lina Gennari; A pensioner struggles to make ends meet in post–war Italy. Gloomy neo–realist piece wrenches the heart through a compassionate lead…
World of Apu, The (1959): Dir. Satyajit Ray
Feat. Soumitra Chatterjee, Sharmila Tagore, Alok Chakravarty; Final installment of the 'Apu trilogy' sees the complexities of adulthood painfully and euphorically realised for Apu through ambition, marriage and…
Young Philadelphians, The (1959): Dir. Vincent Sherman
Feat. Paul Newman, Barbara Rush; Engaging drama with Paul Newman as an attorney of dubious background who defends an affluent friend in a murder trial while hussling his way into the…
A Time to Love and a Time to Die (1958): Dir. Douglas Sirk
Feat. John Gavin, Jock Mahoney, Don DeFore…; Bittersweet WWII melodrama finds Douglas Sirk at his gravest; John Gavin plays a returning German solider who falls in love under the shadow of war.…
Another Time, Another Place (1958): Dir. Lewis Allen
Feat. Lana Turner, Barry Sullivan, Glynis Johns…; Though a vehicle for Lana Turner, this enjoyable romantic melodrama is remembered for introducing Sean Connery to a wider audience, as a married BBC…
Ballad of Narayama, The (Narayama bushiko) (1958): Dir. Keisuke Kinoshita
Feat. Kinuyo Tanaka; Sombre but stylised retelling of a Japanese legend, about a poverty–stricken village and its eldest resident who, in accordance with tradition,…
Bonjour Tristesse (1958): Dir. Otto Preminger
Feat. Deborah Kerr, David Niven, Jean Seberg; Ripe for rediscovery is this lush Francoise Sagan adaptation, centred around a tawdry love triangle between a father, daughter and…
Brink of Life (Nara Livet) (1958): Dir. Ingmar Bergman
Feat. Eva Dahlbeck, Ingrid Thulin, Bibi Andersson…; Minor, but accomplished Bergman potboiler concerns three women in a maternity ward, who must each decide whether to give up their babies for…
Cat On a Hot Tin Roof (1958): Dir. Richard Brooks
Feat. Elizabeth Taylor, Paul Newman; Compelling melodrama based on Tennessee Williams' play of greed, lust and impotence in a wealthly Southern family. Paul Newman and Elizabeth Taylor…
Christine (1958): Dir. Pierre Gaspard-Huit
Feat. Romy Schneider, Alain Delon, Micheline Presle; Vienna set classic love triangle between an unfaithful man, his current love interest (played by darling French actress Romy Schneider) and an…
Dunkirk (1958): Dir. Leslie Norman
Feat. Richard Attenborough, John Mills, Bernard Lee…; British war film set during the 1940 evacuation of French and British troops from the beaches of Dunkirk, following the contrasting perspectives of a…
Elevator to the Gallows (Lift to the Scaffold, aka. Ascenseur Pour L'echafaud) (1958): Dir. Louis Malle
Feat. Jeanne Moreau, Maurice Ronet, Georges Poujouly…; A young Jeanne Moreau stars in this elegant thriller about a crime of passion that backfires when the murderer gets trapped in a lift. Ambience par…
Horse's Mouth, The (1958): Dir. Ronald Neame
Feat. Alec Guinness, Kay Walsh, Renee Houston; This impressively subtle portrait of a tortured artist stars Alec Guinness as a deteriorating painter whose pursuit of creative perfection has him on…
Hunters, The (1958): Dir. Dick Powell
Feat. Robert Mitchum, Robert Wagner, Richard Egan; Robert Mitchum portrays an aging fighter pilot in the Korean War who falls for the wife of a fellow squadron member in this aviation–romance.
I Was Monty's Double (1958): Dir. John Guillermin
Feat. Clifton James, John Mills, Leslie Phillips…; Absorbing war drama based on the true story of a man hired to imitate General Montgomery in order to hoodwink the Germans before the North Africa…
Key, The (1958): Dir. Carol Reed
Feat. William Holden, Sophia Loren, Trevor Howard; Captivating WW2 drama set around a Londonite lady (played with restrained elegance by Sophia Loren) whose liaisons with war sea captains over the…
Le Beau Serge (1958): Dir. Claude Chabrol
Feat. Jean-Claude Brialy, Gerard Blain; Accepted as the first film of the French New Wave, this Claude Chabrol drama tells the story of a man returning to his hometown only to discover his…
Long Hot Summer, The (1958): Dir. Martin Ritt
Feat. Orson Welles, Joanne Woodward, Paul Newman; The steam rises in this William Faulkner adaptation about sex and sin in the small–town South. With a tyrannical Orson Welles, and Joanne…
Look Back in Anger (1958): Dir. Tony Richardson
Feat. Richard Burton, Claire Bloom, Mary Ure; Richard Burton plays the angry–young–man to the hilt in this grimly realistic slice of British life in the '50s. Based on John Osborne's…
Magician, The (The Face) (1958): Dir. Ingmar Bergman
Feat. Max von Sydow; Bergman's allegorical self–portrait of a controversial travelling magician who exacts revenge on a cynical doctor, but becomes trapped in his…
Marjorie Morningstar (1958): Dir. Irving Capper
Feat. Gene Kelly, Natalie Wood; Would–be actress Natalie Wood gives up her Jewishness and independence to get ahead in this mild adaptation of Herbert Wouk's novel.
Night to Remember, A (1958): Dir. Roy Ward Baker
Feat. Kenneth More, Ronald Allen, Robert Ayres…; Vivid re–enactment of events that led to the sinking of the Titanic, with careful attention payed to the human drama. Kenneth More leads a…
Quiet American, The (1958): Dir. Joseph L. Mankiewicz
Feat. Michael Redgrave, Audie Murphy; This early screen adaptation of Graham Greene’s cautionary novel was the first major film to address to thorny issue of Vietnam, although loses…
Room at the Top (1958): Dir. Jack Clayton
Feat. Laurence Harvey, Simone Signoret; Matters sexual are treated with rare maturity in this stunning, landmark British drama about an ambitious, working–class cad who falls in love…
Separate Tables (1958): Dir. Delbert Mann
Feat. Deborah Kerr, Rita Hayworth, David Niven…; Fascinating melodrama contrasts individuals in a tea house at an English seaside resort. Sharp script gives the A–list talent much to chew…
Some Came Running (1958): Dir. Vincente Minnelli
Feat. Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Shirley Maclaine…; Frank Sinatra gives an affecting, lowkey performance as soldier returning from WW2 to pick up his writing career again. Effective representation…
Tale of Two Cities, A (1958): Dir. Ralph Thomas
Feat. Dirk Bogarde, Christopher Lee, Donald Pleasence…; An intrepid Dirk Bogarde negotiates the rough and tumble of the French Revolution, in this, the version most faithful to the Charles Dickens novel.…
Tarnished Angels, The (1958): Dir. Douglas Sirk
Feat. Rock Hudson, Robert Stack, Dorothy Malone; WRITTEN ON THE WIND's tawdry trio (Stack, Malone, Hudson) reunite in this soaring melodrama about an exiled, enigmatic WWI pilot whose debonair…
Brothers Karamazov, The (1957): Dir. Richard Brooks
Feat. Yul Brynner, Maria Schell, Claire Bloom…; A sumptuous Hollywood version of Dostoyevsky's classic novel of Czarist Russia. Centred around Karamazov (Cobb) and his four disparate offspring,…
Cranes are Flying, The (Letyat Zhuravli) (1957): Dir. Mikhail Kalatozov
Feat. Tatyana Samojlova, Aleksei Batalov, Vasili Merkuryev; A Russian classic which conveys homefront anxieties during WW2 for a young bride whose original fiance has gone to the front. Pursued by his…
Curse of Frankenstein, The (1957): Dir. Terence Fisher
Feat. Peter Cushing, Christopher Lee; The first true Hammer gothic horror and number one in the Frankenstein series bringing together the fantastic talents of Cushing (as the Baron) and…
Delinquents, The (1957): Dir. Robert Altman
Feat. Tom Laughlin, Peter Miller, Dick Bakalyan; Future luminary Robert Altman's debut feature, an "expose" of juvenile delinquency in the rock'n'roll era. Filmed in Kansas City in a…
Face in the Crowd, A (1957): Dir. Elia Kazan
Feat. Andy Griffith, Patricia Neal, Walter Matthau…; Pungent social commentary on American mass culture outlays the rags–to–riches trajectory of a hick nobody (Griffith) whose rapid rise to…
Farewell to Arms, A (1957): Dir. Charles Vidor, John Huston
Feat. Rock Hudson, Jennifer Jones, Vittorio De Sica…; Expensive, though wooden adaptation of the Hemingway classic set around a love story on the Italian Front in WWI. Despite a Ben Hecht script, the…
Fire Down Below (1957): Dir. Robert Parrish
Feat. Rita Hayworth, Robert Mitchum, Jack Lemmon…; Adventure drama set in the Caribbean, with Jack Lemmon and Robert Mitchum playing U.S. expatriates who eke out a meager subsistence transporting…
Heaven Knows, Mr. Allison (1957): Dir. John Huston
Feat. Robert Mitchum, Deborah Kerr; Kerr and Mitchum play a nun and Marine sergeant respectively, who are stranded on a desert island during WWII – the island happens to also be…
Il Grido (The Outcry) (1957): Dir. Michelangelo Antonioni
Feat. Steve Cochran, Alida Valli, Betsy Blair; This lesser–known work from Antonioni provides a missing link between Italian neorealism and the director's later works like L'AVVENTURA,…
Interlude (1957): Dir. Douglas Sirk
Feat. June Allyson, Rossano Brazzi, Marianne Koch…; June Allyson falls for the charms of a married European conductor while being courted by a Munich doctor. One of Sirk's weaker melodramas, this was…
Le Notti Bianche (White Nights) (1957): Dir. Luchino Visconti
Feat. Marcello Mastroianni, Maria Schell, Jean Marais…; A departure from neo–realist beginnings, this surreal Visconti masterwork adapts Dostoyevsky’s ‘White Nights’ through dreamlike art…
Les Miserables (1957): Dir. Jean-Paul Le Chanois
Feat. Jean Gabin, Bernard Blier, Daniele Delorme…; Adaptation of the Victor Hugo novel with Jean Gabin playing the peasant who is jailed for stealing a loaf of bread in 19th century France. A faithful…
Love in the Afternoon (1957): Dir. Billy Wilder
Feat. Gary Cooper, Audrey Hepburn, Maurice Chevalier; Dark horse Audrey Hepburn classic sees dir. Billy Wilder riff Ernst Lubitsch by way of Gary Cooper and Maurice Chevalier (a wall fixture of…
Lower Depths, The (Donzoko) (1957): Dir. Akira Kurosawa
Feat. Toshiro Mifune, Kyoko Kagawa, Isuzu Yamada…; Arresting Maxim Gorky stage adaptation (previously filmed by Jean Renoir) is transposed to Japan’s Edo–era slums. Social realisms and the…
Man of a Thousand Faces (1957): Dir. Joseph Pevney
Feat. James Cagney, Dorothy Malone, Jane Greer; James Cagney moulds his ‘dirty face’ into the many classic horror personas of actor Lon Chaney Jr, in this liberal biopic of the actor’s…
Nights of Cabiria (1957): Dir. Federico Fellini
Feat. Giulietta Masina; Giulietta Masina is marvelous as a waifish prostitute dreaming of a rich, wonderful life but always finding sorrow. Tragicomic masterpiece won an…
Paths of Glory (1957): Dir. Stanley Kubrick
Feat. Kirk Douglas, Ralph Meeker, Adolphe Menjou…; Kubrick's muscular drama deals frankly with the hypocrisy and inhumanity of military ethics, based on a true incident in WWI France. Following a…
Peyton Place (1957): Dir. Mark Robson
Feat. Lana Turner, Hope Lange, Lee Philips…; A cheesy classic based on the mega–seller, weaving almost any domestic scandal you can think of into a compelling melodrama. Followed by a TV…
Pride and the Passion, The (1957): Dir. Stanley Kramer
Feat. Cary Grant, Frank Sinatra, Sophia Loren…; A solemn epic set around Napoleon's campaign in Spain in the early 19th century – the cast doing their sincere best with a fairly passionless…
Raintree County (1957): Dir. Edward Dmytryk
Feat. Elizabeth Taylor, Montgomery Clift, Eva Marie Saint…; Civil War set romance has Montgomery Clift as a schoolteacher whojoins the Union Army as they march into Georgia in the hope of finding his estranged…
Robbery Under Arms (1957): Dir. Jack Lee
Feat. Peter Finch, Ronald Lewis, Laurence Naismith…; Seminal Aussie western with Peter Finch as charismatic outlaw Captain Starlight leading two brothers astray after they join his roving band of…
Saint Joan (1957): Dir. Otto Preminger
Feat. Jean Seberg, Richard Widmark, John Gielgud…; Colourized version of the Joan of Arc story with Jean Seberg in her acting debut.
Sayonara (1957): Dir. Joshua Logan, Marlon Brando
Feat. Patricia Owens, Ricardo Montalban, Martha Scott…; An effective, well–acted version of James Michener's novel set during the Korean War, in which ace pilot Brando inconveniently falls in love…
Sea Wife (1957): Dir. Bob McNaught
Feat. Richard Burton, Joan Collins, Basil Sydney…; Melodramatic adventure tale with Burton and Collins adrift on a raft after their ship is sunk by the Japanese. Clunky, but oddly compelling, though…
Seventh Seal, The (1957): Dir. Ingmar Bergman
Feat. Max von Sydow; The solemn Swede garnered world prominence with this stunning, poetic allegory set in the plague–ridden 16th Century, where a disillusioned…
Sissi - The Fateful Years of an Empress (1957): Dir. Ernst Marischka
Feat. Romy Schneider; Concluding film in the Sissi trilogy ends on a somber note with Romy Schneider struggling with Viennese court life as she moves towards a tragic end.
Sweet Smell of Success (1957): Dir. Alexander Mackendrick
Feat. Tony Curtis, Burt Lancaster; New York–style cynicism reaches its apogee in this bitter pill from the 50s, with press agent Tony Curtis playing self–degrading lapdog…
Three Faces of Eve (1957): Dir. Nunnally Johnson
Feat. Joanne Woodward, David Wayne, Lee J. Cobb; Joanne Woodward pulls out all the stops as a southern housewife who suffers multiple personality disorder, and won an Oscar for her portrayals of…
Time Without Pity (1957): Dir. Joseph Losey
Feat. Michael Redgrave, Leo McKern, Ann Todd…; Nervy noir has Michael Redgrave in top form as an alcoholic father racing against time to save his son from the gallows. Somewhat dated thriller…
Until They Sail (1957): Dir. Robert Wise
Feat. Jean Simmons, Joan Fontaine, Paul Newman…; 1950s Christchurch is the novelty star of this MGM prestige picture set entirely in Canterbury, New Zealand, with landmarks such as the Christchurch…
Wide Blue Road, The (La grande strada azzurra) (1957): Dir. Gillo Pontecorvo
Feat. Yves Montand, Alida Valli, Francisco Rabal…; Italian neorealist melodrama drama which marks the feature debut of Gillo Pontecorvo (THE BATTLE OF ALGIERS). Set on a small rugged island off the…
Wild Strawberries (1957): Dir. Ingmar Bergman
Feat. Victor Sjostrom, Bibi Andersson, Ingrid Thulin; A classic film of one man's reminiscences and his dramatic search for the meaning of human existence. The bleakness is imbued with a quiet optimism.
Windom's Way (1957): Dir. Ronald Neame
Feat. Peter Finch, Mary Ure, Robert Flemyng…; Malayan–set drama with Finch as a doctor – who along with his estranged wife – finds himself caught up in political turmoil that…
1984 (1956): Dir. Michael Anderson
Feat. Edmond O'Brien, Michael Redgrave, Jan Sterling…; The first adaptation of George Orwell's visionary novel is this little known, stark BBC television production. Apparently hated by his widow for the…
Akasen Chitai (Street of Shame) (1956): Dir. Kenji Mizoguchi
Feat. Machiko Kyo; Prostitution and the female plight are the chief concerns of this sympathetic, heartbreaking ensemble piece examining the trade of five headstrong,…
And God Created Woman (1956): Dir. Roger Vadim
Feat. Brigitte Bardot, Curt Jurgens, Jean-Louis Trintignant; The Bardot movie, set in sleepy St. Tropez where Bridget is the misunderstood town hussy who impulsively marries the brother of a boyfriend. Works…
Aparajito (1956): Dir. Satyajit Ray
Feat. Kanu Bannerjee, Karuna Bannerjee, Pinaki Sengupta…; Sequel to PATHER PANCHALI sees Apu now as an adolescent who abandons his village and travels to Calcutta, where he is inevitably confused with his…
Baby Doll (1956): Dir. Elia Kazan
Feat. Karl Malden, Eli Wallach, Carroll Baker; After success with STREETCAR, Kazan tackled another squalid Tennessee Williams tale of sex, jealousy and obsession. Karl Malden, Eli Wallach and…
Backlash (1956): Dir. John Sturges
Feat. Richard Widmark, Donna Reed, William Campbell…; Richard Widmark and Donna Reed play the tough–talkin', rootin–tootin leads in this gritty horse opera, as they both seek vengeance for…
Benny Goodman Story, The (1956): Dir. Valentine Davies
Feat. Steve Allen, Donna Reed; Biopic of swing band leader Benny Goodman from age 10 (in 1919) to his landmark Carnegie Hall band concert in 1938. Not exactly historically…
Beyond a Reasonable Doubt (1956): Dir. Fritz Lang
Feat. Dana Andrews, Joan Fontaine, Sidney Blackmer…; This bleak film noir from director Fritz Lang is a triumph of style and mood with a cynical take on fate and the human condition. An impeccably…
Bigger Than Life (1956): Dir. Nicholas Ray
Feat. James Mason, Barbara Rush, Walter Matthau; Enormously potent, landmark melodrama is also a career high for James Mason: he plays a suburban family man struck down with a rare heart disease,…
Burmese Harp, The (Biruma no tategoto) (1956): Dir. Kon Ichikawa
Feat. Rentaro Mikuni; Another muted anti–war elegy conceived during Japan’s post–WWII recovery, this tells the journey of a Japanese private, who upon…
Bus Stop (1956): 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…
Crazed Fruit (1956): Dir. Ko Nakahira
Feat. Yujiro Ishihara, Masahiko Tsugawa, Mie Kitahara; Two hedonistic brothers chase the skirt of a voracious young temptress in this scorching, jazz–infused statement on reckless youth. A seminal…
Eddy Duchin Story, The (1956): Dir. George Sidney
Feat. Tyrone Power, Kim Novak, James Whitmore; Tearjerking, CinemaScope biopic of the beloved but short–lived pianist and bandleader Eddy Duchin. Nominated for four Academy Awards.
Flowing (Nagareru ) (1956): Dir. Mikio Naruse
Feat. Kinuyo Tanaka, Hideko Takamine, Isuzu Yamada; Dir. Naruse’s compassionate portrait of the fading post–war geisha trade. Considered one of the director's best among his many films to…
Friendly Persuasion (1956): Dir. William Wyler
Feat. Gary Cooper, Dorothy McGuire, Anthony Perkins…; Gary Cooper headlines this sentimental yet atmospheric and beautifuly crafted drama about a Quaker family in southern Indiana whose pacifist beliefs…
Giant (1956): Dir. George Stevens
Feat. James Dean, Rock Hudson, Elizabeth Taylor; A beautifully conceived saga of life on a Texas cattle ranch told through two generations. James Dean's final performance.
Jubal (1956): Dir. Delmer Daves
Feat. Glenn Ford, Ernest Borgnine, Rod Steiger; Vivid Western melodrama from visually gifted director Delmer Daves (3:10 TO YUMA), telling a Shakespearean tale of jealousy and betrayal between two…
Kanal (1956): Dir. Andrzej Wajda
Feat. Teresa Izewska, Tadeusz Janczar; The darkest chapter of dir. Wadja's WWII 'Trilogy', is an unremitting portrayal of the last gasps of the 1944 Warsaw uprising. With desperate…
Man in the Gray Flannel Suit, The (1956): Dir. Nunnally Johnson
Feat. Gregory Peck, Jennifer Jones, Fredric March…; Adapted from the novel by Sloan Wilson, this powerful drama evokes the multiple crises of an Madison Avenue advertising executive (Peck), whose…
Roof, The (Tetto, Il) (1956): Dir. Vittorio De Sica
Feat. Gabriella Pallotta, Giorgio Listuzzi; Moving (and until recently, exceptionally hard to find) neo–realist drama that latches onto the hard times of a newly married couple who…
Sissi - The Young Empress (1956): Dir. Ernst Marischka
Feat. Romy Schneider; Royal life is not quite the bed of roses for Princess Sissi, now married to her beloved Franz but under the constant gaze of her meddling…
Spanish Gardener, The (1956): Dir. Philip Leacock
Feat. Dirk Bogarde, Sir Michael Hordern, Cyril Cusack…; Curious father/son drama with Bogarde in the title role forming a close relationship with a young boy much to his father's envy. Narrative wise…
There's Always Tomorrow (1956): Dir. Douglas Sirk
Feat. Fred MacMurray, Barbara Stanwyck, Joan Bennett; Resolute Sirk melodrama tugs at the heartstrings of a disenchanted family man whose chance encounter with an old–flame compels his children to…
Trapeze (1956): Dir. Carol Reed
Feat. Burt Lancaster, Tony Curtis, Gina Lollobrigida…; Surprisingly well–realised drama, which sets a love–triangle (Lancaster, Curtis, Lollobrigida) in the world of European circus…
Written On the Wind (1956): Dir. Douglas Sirk
Feat. Rock Hudson, Lauren Bacall, Robert Stack…; Douglas Sirk’s strident Texas oil–dynasty drama about a pair of spoiled and wayward heirs to the family fortune and the…
Yield to the Night (Blonde Sinner) (1956): Dir. J. Lee Thompson
Feat. Diana Dors, Yvonne Mitchell, Michael Craig; British crime drama film that features a celebrated performance by "blonde bombshell" Diana Dors. Bearing a coincidental resemblance to the Ruth…
All That Heaven Allows (1955): Dir. Douglas Sirk
Feat. Jane Wyman, Rock Hudson, Agnes Moorehead…; Middle–aged widow Jane Wyman fights for the respect of her family and upscale community when she conducts an affair with her ‘gardener’…
Apu Trilogy, The (Pather Panchali, Aparajito, Apur Sansar) (1955-1959): Dir. Satyajit Ray; Ray’s trilogy follows one indelible character, a free–spirited child in rural poverty who matures into an adolescent urban student and,…
Big Knife, The (1955): Dir. Robert Aldrich
Feat. Jack Palance, Ida Lupino, Rod Steiger…; Lurid expose of the Hollywood 'studio system' from the melodramatic pen of playwright Clifford Odets. Palance shows a rare vulnerability as a…
Blackboard Jungle, The (1955): Dir. Richard Brooks
Feat. Glenn Ford, Sidney Poitier, Vic Morrow; Famously controversial on release and first of the 'Rock–n–roll' films, this lifted the lid on the heated youth tensions in 50s America.…
Dreams (Kvinnodröm; Journey Into Autumn) (1955): Dir. Ingmar Bergman
Feat. Eva Dahlbeck, Harriet Andersson, Gunnar Bjornstrand; Early, flawed Bergman microscope on relationships focuses on two women – a photographer and her model on a fashion shoot – as they…
East of Eden (1955): Dir. Elia Kazan
Feat. James Dean, Julie Harris, Raymond Massey; James Dean's acting debut electrifies the screen in this emotionally charged drama about two brother's rivalry for the love of their father. Based on…
French Can Can (French Cancan, Only the French Can) (1955): 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…
Girl in the Red Velvet Swing (1955): Dir. Richard Fleischer
Feat. Joan Collins; Glossy account of a truelife scandal in early 20th century NYC.
I am a Camera (1955): Dir. Henry Cornelius
Feat. Julie Harris, Laurence Harvey, Shelley Winters…; Dreary drama is the original "Cabaret". Julie Harris gives a somewhat overheated portrayal of Sally Bowles, the bawdy nightclub entertainer in…
I Live in Fear (Ikimono no Kiroku) (1955): Dir. Akira Kurosawa
Feat. Toshiro Mifune, Takashi Shimura; Convinced a nuclear holocaust is imminent, an elderly industrialist (Mifune) decides to uproot his reluctant family (even his mistresses!) from Tokyo…
Il Bidone (The Swindlers) (1955): Dir. Federico Fellini
Feat. Broderick Crawford, Giulietta Masina, Richard Basehart…; An early work from dir. Fellini in which a trio of conmen roam the Italian countryside swindling peasants in order to fund the future they believe…
Jedda (1955): Dir. Charles Chauvel
Feat. Ngarla Kunoth, Robert Tudawali; An adopted Aboriginal girl is kidnapped by a 'wild black' in this beautifully shot Australian classic.
La Strada (The Road) (1955): Dir. Federico Fellini
Feat. Anthony Quinn; Fellini hit his stride and won a Foreign Film Oscar with this gentle road odyssey about a simple–minded clown whose loyalty to her boorish…
Lola Montes (1955): Dir. Max Ophuls
Feat. Martine Carol, Peter Ustinov, Anton Walbrook; The life of the famous 19th century courtesan provides the basis for this sophisticated portrayal of the capriciousness of fate, which leads to the…
Long Gray Line, The (1955): Dir. John Ford
Feat. Tyrone Power, Maureen O'Hara, Donald Crisp; Engrossing true life tale of military instructors Marty Maher and his rise to the top of his profession.
Lust for Life (1955): Dir. Vincente Minnelli
Feat. Kirk Douglas, Anthony Quinn; Kirk Douglas makes a stirring, enthusiastic Van Gogh in this biopic, choosing to echo the empassioned melancholia of his work rather than drawing…
Man Without A Star (1955): Dir. King Vidor
Feat. Kirk Douglas, Jeanne Crain, Claire Trevor; Character–driven Western sees Kirk Douglas plays a laconic gunslinger with a dark–side, who drifts from scrape to scrape while working…
Marty (1955): Dir. Delbert Mann
Feat. Ernest Borgnine, Betsy Blair, Karen Steele…; Sweeping the Oscars on its release, Paddy Chayefsky's (NETWORK) well–scripted vernacular lifted Ernest Borgnine to a career best in an…
Not As A Stranger (1955): Dir. Stanley Kramer
Feat. Robert Mitchum, Olivia de Havilland, Frank Sinatra…; Undemanding medical drama notable for being Kramer's directorial debut and for its abundance of big stars in small roles. Mitchum plays against…
One Desire (1955): Dir. Jerry Hopper
Feat. Anne Baxter, Rock Hudson, Julie Adams; Old–fashioned romantic melodrama set in the early 1900's, following the fate of a star–crosses Oklahoma gambler–casino dealer and a…
Ordet (1955): Dir. Carl Dreyer; Hailed by many critics as dir. Dreyer's masterpiece, this deep exploration of the true meaning of Christianity, set in rural Denmark, will repay the…
Otto Preminger Director's Collection, The (The Man With the Golden Arm, The Cardinal, The Human Factor) (1955-1979): Dir. Otto Preminger; Further trifecta of Otto Preminger films.
Passage Home (1955): Dir. Roy Ward Baker
Feat. Peter Finch, Anthony Steel, Diane Cilento…; Torrid melodrama with the presence of a young woman on board a cargo ship causing tensions amongst the male crew.
Pather Panchali (1955): Dir. Satyajit Ray
Feat. Kanu Bannerjee, Karuna Bannerjee, Subir Bannerjee; The first film from Asia's most respected film–maker also initiates his 'Apu trilogy', three of most admired films in history. A lyrical…
Picnic (1955): Dir. Joshua Logan
Feat. Kim Novak, Cliff Robertson, William Holden…; Epitome of the 50s smalltown melodrama has the sultry Kim Novak relieved of boyfriend Cliff Robertson and the general Mid–West tedium, by…
Queen Bee (1955): Dir. Ranald MacDougall
Feat. Joan Crawford; Archetypal glamour–bitch Joan Crawford is deliciously hammy as a compulsive socialite who brings destruction to an blue–blooded Southern…
Rebel Without a Cause (1955): Dir. Nicholas Ray
Feat. James Dean, Natalie Wood, Sal Mineo; James Dean's intense portayal of an alienated youth from a wealthy family opened the eyes of a generation and catapulted him to stardom. One of the…
Sissi (1955): Dir. Ernst Marischka
Feat. Romy Schneider; Regal saga finds 16–year–old princess Sissi fall in love with husband–to–be Franz Josef in the first of an ongoing series of…
Summertime (Summer Madness) (1955): Dir. David Lean
Feat. Katharine Hepburn, Rossano Brazzi, Isa Miranda; Katharine Hepburn, middle–aged spinster, flees to Venice on vacation, only for the romance of the city – and a dark, handsome Italian catch…
Yokihi (Empress Yang Kwei-Fei) (1955): Dir. Kenji Mizoguchi
Feat. Machiko Kyo, Masayuki Mori; Mizoguchi’s rare colour turn, a lush, poignant ancient fable centred on a commoner maid who marries an emperor, only to be destined for sacrifice.
Beachcomber, The (1954): Dir. Muriel Box
Feat. Glynis Johns, Robert Newton, Donald Sinden…; Entertaining and deeply silly romantic yarn with prim missionary Johns falling for slovenly Newton as they team up to fight a cholera outbreak on a…
Carrington V.C. (Court Martial) (1954): Dir. Anthony Asquith
Feat. David Niven, Margaret Leighton, Allan Cuthbertson; Legal drama adapted from the stage play in which a court–martial attempts to find out why, and if, an officer embezzled his unit's funds.
Country Girl, The (1954): Dir. George Seaton
Feat. Bing Crosby, Grace Kelly, William Holden; Bing Crosby sobers up to play an alcoholic has–been actor aided to make a comeback by wife Grace Kelly and pal William Holden.
Crucified Lovers, The (Chikamatsu Monogatari) (1954): Dir. Kenji Mizoguchi
Feat. Kazuo Hasegawa, Kyoko Kagawa, Eitaro Shindo; Powerful, Bunraku–inspired tragidrama of adulterous lovers whose illicit romance is doomed in Feudal, 17th century Japan. Essential Mizoguchi.
Elephant Walk (1954): Dir. William Dieterle
Feat. Elizabeth Taylor, Dana Andrews, Peter Finch…; Love–triangle melodrama set on Ceylon tea plantation is a tad overblown, with thunder stolen from the good cast by a climactic elephant…
End of the Affair, The (1954): Dir. Edward Dmytryk
Feat. Deborah Kerr, Van Johnson, John Mills; Original screen adaptation of Graham Greene’s tale of unrequited wartime love, with Deborah Kerr and Van Johnson entangled in a brief but illicit…
Generation, A (Pokolenie) (1954): Dir. Andrzej Wajda
Feat. Roman Polanski; Fast–moving account of the Polish Resistance during WWII, as a scrappy young recruit falls in love with his unit leader. Depicts the spirited,…
Hell and High Water (1954): Dir. Samuel Fuller
Feat. Richard Widmark, Bella Darvi, Victor Francen…; Cold war thriller with Widmark helming a submarine in pursuit of a Red freighter. Unexceptional by Samuel Fuller's usual standards – he was…
Magnificent Obsession (1954): Dir. Douglas Sirk
Feat. Rock Hudson, Jane Wyman; Douglas Sirk's famously tumultuous melodrama, starring Rock Hudson in his first leading role as a guilt–ridden playboy indirectly responsible…
On the Waterfront (1954): Dir. Elia Kazan
Feat. Marlon Brando, Karl Malden, Lee J. Cobb…; Brooding tour–de–force with Marlon Brando in his prime as the square–jawed misfit entangled in corrupt union politics. Winner of 8…
Purple Plain, The (1954): Dir. Robert Parrish
Feat. Gregory Peck, Win Min Than, Bernard Lee…; Strong psychological drama, shot in lush Technicolor, with Peck as a shell–shocked pilot stuck with wounded comrades behind enemy lines in the…
Salt of the Earth (1954): Dir. Herbert J. Biberman
Feat. Rosaura Revueltas, Will Geer; An incendiary tale of racial prejudice, big business greed and feminist uprising that pushed plenty of buttons in the fifties, making it first of its…
Sansho Dayu (Sansho the Bailiff) (1954): Dir. Kenji Mizoguchi
Feat. Kinuyo Tanaka, Yoshiaki Hanayagi, Kyoko Kagawa…; One of Mizoguchi's great classics, based on an 11th century Japanese folktale elaborated into a sprawling vision of a cruel, mysterious cosmos, where…
Senso (1954): Dir. Luchino Visconti
Feat. Alida Valli, Farley Granger, Christian Marquand; A period love story set in the tumultuous 1860's in Italy, when it was occupied by invading Austrians. Dir. Visconti turns his eye on a love…
Sound of the Mountain (Yama No Oto) (1954): Dir. Mikio Naruse
Feat. Setsuko Hara, Ken Uehara, Soh Yamamura; Dir. Naruse reprises the disintegrating marriage (and cast) of his earlier film, REPAST, in this profoundly affecting tale of a young woman (Hara)…
Twenty-Four Eyes (24 Eyes/Nijushi no hitomi) (1954): Dir. Keisuke Kinoshita
Feat. Hideko Takamine, Chishu Ryu; An elegiac triumph of nostalgia for youth and wartime humanism, this cherished landmark of Japanese cinema gracefully chronicles the 20–years…
Uwasa no onna (Her Mother's Profession, The Woman in the Rumour) (1954): Dir. Kenji Mizoguchi
Feat. Kinuyo Tanaka, Yoshiko Kuga; Dir. Mizoguchi's longtime muse, Kinuyo Tanaka, plays the madame of a geisha house who falls prey to rumour when both herself and her daughter become…
Victoria in Dover (The Story of Vickie) (1954): Dir. Ernst Marischka
Feat. Romy Schneider, Adrian Hoven; A prequel of sorts to the SISSI trilogy lovingly details the formative romance between Queen Victoria and Prince Albert. Romy Schneider features…
All I Desire (1953): Dir. Douglas Sirk
Feat. Barbara Stanwyck; Template Sirk melodrama features Barbara Stanwyck as an ambitious stage actress who abandons her husband and family for Broadway, only to return when…
Bigamist, The (1953): Dir. Ida Lupino
Feat. Edmond O'Brien, Joan Fontaine, Ida Lupino…; A San Francisco adoption agency, investigating salesman Edmond O'Brien and wife Joan Fontaine, discover he has a second life, and wife, in LA.…
Final 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…
Gate of Hell (Jigokumon) (1953): Dir. Teinosuke Kinugasa
Feat. Machiko Kyo, Kazuo Hasegawa, Isao Yamagata; Tragic story of unrequited love set during the Heiji Rebellion in 1159, where a samurai warrior falls in love with a married…
Give a Girl a Break (1953): Dir. Stanley Donen
Feat. Debbie Reynolds, Marge Champion, Gower Champion…; Musical comedy about three unknown actresses who are all competing for Broadway stardom after a temperamental performer walks off the set of a major…
Heart of the Matter, The (1953): Dir. George More O'Ferrall
Feat. Trevor Howard, Elizabeth Allan, Maria Schell…; Solid adaptation of Graham Greene's bleak novel has Trevor Howard as a policeman in Sierra Leone tormented by his extra–marital affair.
Hobson'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…
Houdini (1953): Dir. George Marshall
Feat. Tony Curtis, Janet Leigh, Torin Thatcher; Drama exploring the life of magician and illusionist Harry Houdini, with then husband–and–wife Tony Curtis and Janet Leigh playing…
I Vitelloni (1953): Dir. Federico Fellini
Feat. Franco Interlenghi, Alberto Sordi, Franco Fabrizi; This neo–realist Fellini combines humour and pathos for a truthful study of aimless youths either ill–equipped or unwilling to embrace…
King Lear (1953): Dir. Andrew McCollough
Feat. Orson Welles, Wesley Addy; Sturdy made–for–TV adaptation, with Orson Welles in the grizzly, titular role.
Life of Oharu (1953): Dir. Kenji Mizoguchi
Feat. Kinuyo Tanaka, Toshiro Mifune; The prolific, though rarely seen dir. Mizoguchi came to attention with this chronicled downfall of a court–concubine in 17th century Japan,…
Little Fugitive (1953): Dir. Raymond Abrashkin
Feat. Richie Andrusco, Richard Brewster; A young boy runs away to Coney Island after fearing that he shot his older brother, who is only faking. An exquisitely naturalistic film with…
Madame De... (Earrings Of Madame De..., The) (1953): Dir. Max Ophuls
Feat. Danielle Darrieux, Vittorio De Sica, Charles Boyer; Widely considered one of the dir.'s peak achievements, this gracefully and ironically traces a doomed menage–a–trois in 18th century…
Otto Preminger Collection, The (The Moon is Blue, Saint Joan, Advise and Consent, Anatomy of a Filmmaker) (1953-1991): Dir. Otto Preminger; Attractively–packaged Preminger trifecta, with the added bonus ANATOMY OF A FILMMAKER, a thorough two–hour documentary on the…
Return to Paradise (1953): Dir. Mark Robson
Feat. Gary Cooper, Barry Jones, Roberta Haynes; Understated drama with Cooper as a carefree drifter content to live aimlessly in his Pacific Island paradise. His idyllic existence is threatened by…
Sawdust and Tinsel (Gycklarnas Afton) (1953): Dir. Ingmar Bergman
Feat. Ake Gronberg; This grim flipside to Fellini’s loony, carnivalesque films powerfully relays the degradation of several circus performers at the end of their…
Seminole (1953): Dir. Budd Boetticher
Feat. Rock Hudson, Barbara Hale, Anthony Quinn…; Superlative Western set against the backdrop of 1835 Florida, where Rock Hudson plays a West Pointer Lieutenant who, on the insistence of Richard…
Story of Gilbert and Sullivan, The (1953): Dir. Sidney Gilliat
Feat. Robert Morley, Maurice Evans, Eileen Herlie…; Spirited biopic of the careers of W.S. Gilbert, a barrister turned–comic–writer, and Arthur Sullivan, a classic composer (converted…
Story of Three Loves, The (1953): Dir. Vincente Minnelli, Gottfried Reinhardt
Feat. Pier Angeli, Ethel Barrymore, Leslie Caron…; Romantic anthology film telling three separate stories in flashbacks experienced by three characters on board the same ocean liner. "The Jealous…
Tokyo Story (1953): Dir. Yasujiro Ozu
Feat. Chishu Ryu, Chieko Higashiyama, Setsuko Hara; The master of Japanese cinema, this is Ozu's masterpiece. An emotional tour–de–force is drawn from an elderly couple's ill–fated…
Ugetsu Monogatari (1953): Dir. Kenji Mizoguchi
Feat. Masayuki Mori, Machiko Kyo, Kinuyo Tanaka; Stories by the 18th century writer Akinari Ueda are woven into an odyssey of civil–war misfortune, in which two peasant–potters and their…
Voyage to Italy (Journey to Italy/ Journey in Italy) (1953): Dir. Roberto Rossellini
Feat. Ingrid Bergman, George Sanders; A meditative journey through the landscapes of Italy, accompanying Ingrid Bergman and George Sanders in the midst of a breakup. The ongoing drama of…
Bad and the Beautiful, The (1952): Dir. Vincente Minnelli
Feat. Lana Turner, Kirk Douglas, Walter Pidgeon…; Masterpiece of Hollywood navel–gazing, with charismatic producer Kirk Douglas clawing his way to success on a Freudian subtext, using and…
Card, The (1952): Dir. Ronald Neame
Feat. Alec Guinness, Glynis Johns, Valerie Hobson; Robust comedy with Alec Guinness playing an enthusiastic young man of lower–class origins who takes every opportunity to advance his station,…
Carrie (1952): Dir. William Wyler
Feat. Laurence Olivier, Jennifer Jones, Miriam Hopkins…; Tough–minded and unusual "male melodrama" follows middle aged restauranteer Olivier's descent from riches to rags when he falls for Jones'…
Casque d'Or (Golden Marie) (1952): Dir. Jacques Becker
Feat. Simone Signoret, Serge Reggiani, Claude Dauphin; A gangster’s moll falls in love with a reformed criminal, igniting underworld violence, in this lush, overwhelming tragi–romance set in Paris…
Come Back, Little Sheba (1952): Dir. Daniel Mann
Feat. Burt Lancaster, Shirley Booth, Terry Moore…; An affecting melodrama based on William Inge's stageplay, concerning a loveless marriage, alcoholism and the price of misplaced love. Burt…
Deadline U.S.A. (1952): Dir. Richard Brooks
Feat. Humphrey Bogart; Tightly scripted account of the newspaper business. Editor–in–Chief: Humphrey Bogart.
Douglas Sirk Boxset (1952-1959): Dir. Douglas Sirk; Lavish box–set highlighting nine classics from the 'King of Hollywood Melodrama'. Includes the previously unreleased 'No Room for the Groom'…
Flavour Of Green Tea Over Rice, The (Ochazuke no aji) (1952): 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…
Forbidden Games (Jeux Interdits) (1952): Dir. Rene Clement
Feat. Georges Poujouly, Brigitte Fossey, Laurence Badie; After her parents are killed in an air raid during WWII, a small girl makes friends with a peasant boy, and the pair gradually come to terms with the…
Gentle Gunman, The (1952): Dir. Basil Dearden
Feat. Dirk Bogarde, John Mills; Dirk Bogarde and John Mills are Irish brothers sent to London by the IRA during the Blitz, but one succumbs to pacifism.
Ikiru (1952): Dir. Akira Kurosawa
Feat. Takashi Shimura, Shinichi Himori, Haruo Tanaka; A patient meditation on life and death about a sullen yet dutiful office clerk of 30 years whose terminal illness compels him to rediscover his…
Le Plaisir (House Of Pleasure) (1952): Dir. Max Ophuls
Feat. Jean Gabin, Danielle Darrieux, Simone Simon…; Three tales by Guy de Maupassant go into this visually elegant treatise on the changing moods of love, youth and memory. The most successful…
Mandy (1952): Dir. Alexander Mackendrick
Feat. Phyllis Calvert, Jack Hawkins, Terence Morgan; British drama about a girl who has been deaf and mute her whole life, and her family's attempts to help her with a unique education, which causes…
Manina la Fille Sans Voile (The Lighthouse-Keeper's Daughter; The Girl in the Bikini) (1952): Dir. Willy Rozier
Feat. Brigitte Bardot; An obscure, almost forgettable French frolic, save for the eye–catching debut of one Brigitte Bardot. Here, the future sex symbol plays a…
Miracle of Our Lady Fatima (1952): Dir. John Brahm
Feat. Gilbert Roland; Religious technicolor film based on the true story of three Portuguese children who reported seeing an apparition of the Virgin Mary in 1917.
Moulin Rouge (1952): Dir. John Huston
Feat. Jose Ferrer, Colette Marchand, Suzanne Flon…; Opulently staged fictional biopic of Toulouse–Lautrec, highlighted by a dazzling can–can sequence. The pint–sized French painter is…
Othello (1952): Dir. Orson Welles
Feat. Orson Welles, Micheál Mac Liammóir, Suzanne Cloutier…; Dir. Welles filmed Shakespeare's great tragedy over four years in Europe and North Africa, and despite some patchy moments, turned in probably the…
Phone Call from a Stranger (1952): Dir. Jean Negulesco
Feat. Bette Davis; Fine acting, from Bette Davis among others, lifts story of aircrash survivors coming together.
Summer with Monika (1952): Dir. Ingmar Bergman
Feat. Harriet Andersson; Early Bergman turns his lens on a pair of working class, teenage lovers. At first this rebellious holiday boat ride comes across as dreamy escapism…
White 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…
Ace in the Hole (The Big Carnival) (1951): Dir. Billy Wilder
Feat. Kirk Douglas, Jan Sterling, Porter Hall; Cast in a hole until recently, this scathing editorial on media sensationalism and the human spectacle stars Kirk Douglas (never fiercer) as a…
Bellissima (1951): Dir. Luchino Visconti
Feat. Anna Magnani, Walter Chiari, Tina Apicella…; Neo–realist dir. Visconti directs Anna Magnani in a freewheeling performance as a working–class mother obsessed with turning her young…
Big Night, The (1951): Dir. Joseph Losey
Feat. John Jr. Barrymore, Preston Foster, Joan Lorring…; Tense melodrama has Barrymore traumatised by watching his father submit to a beating at the hands of a petty gangster. Setting out to avenge his…
Browning Version, The (1951): Dir. Anthony Asquith
Feat. Michael Redgrave, Jean Kent; Sterling adaptation of Terrence Rattigan’s play features an unforgettable performance from Michael Redgrave as the cuckolded,…
Cry, The Beloved Country (1951): Dir. Zoltan Korda
Feat. Sidney Poitier, Joyce Carey, Canada Lee…; Deeply felt racial drama has Rev. Sidney Poitier encountering South African–style bigotry as he searches for his son in Johannesburg.
David and Bathsheba (1951): Dir. Henry King
Feat. Gregory Peck, Susan Hayward, Raymond Massey…; The Hollywood romance as Biblical epic, with Gregory Peck as an adulterous King David who falls for the foxy Bathsheba (Hayward) – nevermind…
Early Summer (Bakushû) (1951): Dir. Yasujiro Ozu
Feat. Setsuko Hara, Chishu Ryu, Chikage Awashima; Another of dir. Ozu's majestic domestic dramas, this time concerning the inner–family conflicts over the spinsterhood of a daughter (Hara) and…
Idiot, The (Hakuchi) (1951): Dir. Akira Kurosawa
Feat. Toshiro Mifune, Setsuko Hara, Masayuki Mori…; Flawed but compelling adaptation of Dostoyevsky's classic novel of human frailty, in which a madman and war criminal (Mori), is released from an…
Lady with the Lamp, The (1951): Dir. Herbert Wilcox
Feat. Dame Anna Neagle, Michael Wilding, Gladys Young…; Well–wrought biopic charts the dramatic life of Florence Nightingale, finely played by Dame Neagle, and her pioneering nursing career.
No Highway in the Sky (1951): Dir. Henry Koster
Feat. James Stewart, Marlene Dietrich, Glynis Johns…; Early disaster pic has Stewart as an aeronautical engineer convinced that a new model of airplane is doomed to disaster due to metal fatigue, and…
Olivia (1951): Dir. Jacqueline Audry
Feat. Simone Simon, Edwige Feuillere; One of the first French films to portray lesbian relationships, Olivia is set in a girls' school in the late 1900s, where a newly arrived British…
Outcast of the Islands (1951): Dir. Carol Reed
Feat. Trevor Howard, Ralph Richardson, Robert Morley…; Sturdy British adventure melodrama from the director of THE THIRD MAN and FALLEN IDOL based on Joseph Conrad's 1896 novel. A riveting Trevor Howard…
Pandora and the Flying Dutchman (1951): Dir. Albert Lewin
Feat. Ava Gardner, James Mason, Nigel Patrick…; Ava Gardner stars as the ravishing siren of a small Spanish town who has never fallen for anyone until the arrival of the mysterious James Mason, the…
People Will Talk (1951): 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…
Place in the Sun, A (1951): Dir. George Stevens
Feat. Montgomery Clift, Elizabeth Taylor, Shelley Winters…; Montgomery Clift excels as a penniless youth whose determination to win the heart of socialite Elizabeth Taylor (in her debut as an adult actress) is…
Rashomon (1951): Dir. Akira Kurosawa
Feat. Toshiro Mifune, Machiko Kyo, Masayuki Mori…; The film that brought Kurosawa to the attention of the world, and an Oscar winner for Best Foreign Film. Four wildly varying perspectives on a…
Repast (Meshi) (1951): Dir. Mikio Naruse
Feat. Setsuko Hara, Ken Uehara; A perceptive study of a fading marriage, in which a housewife (Hara) confronts the tedium and unhappiness of her domestic life, brought into sharp…
River, The (1951): Dir. Jean Renoir
Feat. Nora Swinburne, Arthur Shields; A sublime and serene drama set on the banks of India's holy Bengal River in the 1920s, where a trio of young English girls come under the spell of a…
Streetcar Named Desire, A (1951): Dir. Elia Kazan
Feat. Marlon Brando, Vivien Leigh, Kim Hunter…; Marlon Brando gives the performance of his career as the savage brute who taunts his disturbed sister–in–law (Vivienne Leigh). Virtuoso…
Susana (The Devil and the Flesh) (1951): Dir. Luis Bunuel
Feat. Rosita Quintana; A sexually devious reform girl seeks refuge in a decent working class family, only to cause upheaval with her devilish ways. Early Bunuel…
Astonished Heart, The (1950): Dir. Terence Fisher, Antony Damborough
Feat. Sir Noel Coward, Celia Johnson, Margaret Leighton…; Noel Coward stars in this adaptation of his play; a drawing–room melodrama about a married psychiatrist who unhappily succumbs to the wiles of…
Damned Don't Cry, The (1950): Dir. Vincent Sherman
Feat. Joan Crawford, David Brian, Steve Cochran…; Loosely based on the relationship between Bugsy Siegel and Virginia Hill, this riveting film tells of a New York socialite's involvement with an…
Diary of a Country Priest (Journal D'Un Cure De Campagne) (1950): Dir. Robert Bresson
Feat. Claude Laydu; Compelling and uncompromising – this adaptation of Georges Bernanos' classic French novel is one of dir. Bresson's best examinations of the…
Francesco giullare di Dio (Francis, God's Jester; The Flowers of St Francis) (1950): Dir. Roberto Rossellini
Feat. Aldo Fabrizi; Following after dir. Rossellini's more obviously left–wing films (ROME OPEN CITY, PAISA), this unusual biopic would prove a transition work to…
La Ronde (1950): Dir. Max Ophuls
Feat. Anton Walbrook, Simone Signoret, Serge Reggiani…; A witty chronicle of circular love–affairs and seductions in 19th century Vienna. Lavish sets and extravagent spiralling camerawork complement…
Los Olvidados (The Young and the Damned, aka The Forgotten Ones) (1950): Dir. Luis Bunuel; Ground–breaking masterwork from dir. Luis Bunuel's Meixcan period, set among slum children in Mexico City, whose harsh circumstances and…
Men, The (1950): Dir. Fred Zinnemann
Feat. Marlon Brando, Teresa Wright, Everett Sloane…; Famous as Marlon Brando's film debut, playing a paraplegic war veteran struggling to come to terms with post–war life. Brando's smouldering…
Miracle in Milan (1950): Dir. Vittorio De Sica
Feat. Paolo Stoppa; Memorable foray into satirical fantasy for dir. de Sica, in which a hobo philanthropist is given the power to work miracles in the…
Odette (1950): Dir. Herbert Wilcox
Feat. Dame Anna Neagle, Trevor Howard, Marius Goring…; Drama based on the true story of Odette Sansom, the British Special Operations Executive agent in WWII who miraculously evaded death after being sent…
Outrage (1950): Dir. Ida Lupino
Feat. Mala Powers, Tod Andrews, Robert Clarke; One of the earliest post–Code Hollywood films to deal with the subject of rape, this black–and–white B–movie follows a young…
Scandal (Shubun) (1950): Dir. Akira Kurosawa
Feat. Toshiro Mifune, Shirley Yamaguchi, Takashi Shimura…; This excellent early Kurosawa, has Mifune playing a painter who becomes acquainted with a pop–singer, and thus the target of a tabloid…
Story of a Love Affair (Cronaca di un amore) (1950): Dir. Michelangelo Antonioni
Feat. Lucia Bose, Massimo Girotti, Ferdinando Sarmi; Although more stylistically conventional than his 'mature' films, dir. Antonioni's debut feature is a strongly delivered, almost film noir,…
Stromboli (1950): Dir. Roberto Rossellini
Feat. Ingrid Bergman; After his neo–realist masterpieces, this is one of the dir.'s best films, concerning a WW2 refugee who hastily marries an Italian fisherman and…
Summer Interlude (1950): Dir. Ingmar Bergman
Feat. Maj-Britt Nilsson, Birger Malmsten, Alf Kjellin; Perhaps Bergman's first significant work, about an aging ballerina who reflects on a youthful romance with her now–deceased lover in moody…
Sunset Boulevard (1950): Dir. Billy Wilder
Feat. Gloria Swanson, William Holden, Erich von Stroheim…; Faded screen vamp Gloria Swanson and screenwriter William Holden exploit each other mercilessly in this searing dissection of Hollywood decadence,…
Three Came Home (1950): Dir. Jean Negulesco
Feat. Claudette Colbert, Patric Knowles, Florence Desmond…; Harrowing true life tale of a woman's imprisonment in several Japanese prisoner–of–war camps from 1941 to the end of WWII.
Three Secrets (1950): Dir. Robert Wise
Feat. Eleanor Parker, Patricia Neal, Ruth Roman; Three women exchange handkerchiefs and spill their secrets while awaiting news of their children after a plane crashes. You may need the tissues…
To Joy (Tuill Glädje) (1950): Dir. Ingmar Bergman
Feat. Maj-Britt Nilsson, Stig Olin, Birger Malmsten; Described by some contemporary reviewers as a kind of Swedish WHIPLASH, this Ingmar Bergman film follows an orchestral violinist who contends with an…
Variety Lights (1950): Dir. Federico Fellini, Alberto Lattuada
Feat. Giulietta Masina; Fellini co–directed this carnivalesque drama about a mediocre theatre troupe in need of a crowd puller before breaking out solo with THE WHITE…
56 Rue Pigalle (1949): Dir. Willy Rozier
Feat. Raymond Cordy, Marie Dea; Distinctive French noir telling the tale of a boss, suspected of murdering his blackmailing manservant, who flees to Africa with his mistress once…
All the King's Men (1949): Dir. Robert Rossen
Feat. Broderick Crawford, John Ireland, Mercedes McCambridge; Broderick Crawford brilliantly plays a well intentioned but bullheaded Southern senator whose thirst for power sets him on the road to ruin. Fine…
Boys in Brown, The (1949): Dir. Montgomery Tully
Feat. Jack Warner, Richard Attenborough, Dirk Bogarde…; Soft youth rebellion drama with Jack Warner as warden of a borstal struggling to keep his tempestuous young charges in line. Mostly of note for its…
De Sica Collection, The (The Bicycle Thief, Miracle in Milan, The Roof) (1949-1956): Dir. Vittorio De Sica; Three films from Italian master Vittorio De Sica. Includes the previously unreleased THE ROOF (1956).
Eureka Stockade (Massacre Hill) (1949): Dir. Harry Watt
Feat. Chips Rafferty, Jane Barrett, Jack Lambert…; Stirring account of the Victorian gold miners rebellion against British colonial authority in the 1850's and it's violent result. Ealing Studio's…
First Films of Samuel Fuller, The (I Shot Jesse James, The Baron of Arizona, The Steel Helmet) (1949-1951): Dir. Samuel Fuller
Feat. John Ireland, Vincent Price, Gene Evans; Sam Fuller's directorial debut is I Shot Jesse James (1949), the tale of Robert Ford (John Ireland), a member of the James gang who shot their leader…
Fountainhead, The (1949): Dir. King Vidor
Feat. Gary Cooper, Raymond Massey, Patricia Neal; A touchstone movie for architects, idealists, and geniuses of any profession modelled on the career of architectural wunderkind Frank Lloyd Wright.…
Great Gatsby, The (1949): Dir. Elliott Nugent
Feat. Alan Ladd, Betty Field, Macdonald Carey…; The second adaptation of the literary classic has the miscast Alan Ladd as the mysterious Long Islander.
Heiress, The (1949): Dir. William Wyler
Feat. Olivia de Havilland, Montgomery Clift, Ralph Richardson…; A near perfect adaptation, this Henry James tale of a naive young girl, her abusive father and fortune–hunting suitor, is considered one of the…
History 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…
Late Spring (1949): Dir. Yasujiro Ozu
Feat. Setsuko Hara, Chishu Ryu; Ozu’s greatest film outside of the universally acclaimed TOKYO STORY magically distils the director’s reoccurring family concerns: that of a…
Letter to Three Wives, A (1949): Dir. Joseph L. Mankiewicz
Feat. Jeanne Crain, Linda Darnell, Ann Sothern…; Three women each hear from a friend that she is about to run off with one of their husbands. Replete with characteristically sharp dialogue from the…
Little Women (1949): Dir. Mervyn LeRoy
Feat. June Allyson, Peter Lawford, Elizabeth Taylor…; Technicolour adaptation of the Louisa May Alcott novel about four sisters growing up during the American Civil War. The fourth of seven film…
Orpheus (Orphee) (1949): Dir. Jean Cocteau
Feat. Jean Marais, Maria Casares, Marie Dea…; Cocteau's surrealist retelling of the classical tragedy stars Jean Marais as Orphee, the writer who retrieves his wife Eurydice from the dead. A…
Passionate Friends, The (1949): Dir. David Lean
Feat. Ann Todd, Trevor Howard, Claude Rains; A wistful Ann Todd divides her loyalty between a secure, older husband (Rains) and a free–spirited toff (Howard) in this rich, unrequited…
Quartet (1949): 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…
Queen of Spades (1949): Dir. Thorold Dickinson
Feat. Anton Walbrook, Dame Edith Evans, Yvonne Mitchell…; Expressionistic ghost story in which an obsessive army officer in 18th Century Russia becomes convinced an elderly countess has gained the ability to…
Quiet Duel, The (Shizukanaru ketto) (1949): Dir. Akira Kurosawa
Feat. Toshiro Mifune, Takashi Shimura; A pre–RED BEARD Toshiro Mifune plays an idealistic doctor who fatally contracts syphilis from performing surgery in this minor Kurosawa…
Small Back Room, The (Hour of Glory, The) (1949): Dir. Michael Powell, Emeric Pressburger
Feat. David Farrar, Kathleen Byron, Jack Hawkins…; .
Stray Dog (Nora Inu) (1949): Dir. Akira Kurosawa
Feat. Toshiro Mifune; An early film noir from Japan’s best–known director tracks police detective Toshiro Mifune into the underbelly of Tokyo in search of a pistol…
Tulsa (1949): Dir. Stuart Heisler
Feat. Susan Hayward, Robert Preston, Pedro Armendariz…; Glossy melodrama with Hayward whose determination to save her ranch from a greedy oil baron sees her enter the cut throat world of prospecting.
Under Capricorn (1949): Dir. Alfred Hitchcock
Feat. Ingrid Bergman, Joseph Cotten, Michael Wilding…; An alcoholic woman (Bergman) is torn between her roguish husband and the governor of NSW in this Hitchcock oddity, a romantic melodrama set in…
We Were Strangers (1949): Dir. John Huston
Feat. Jennifer Jones, John Garfield, Pedro Armendariz…; Adventure drama with Jennifer Jones playing a woman who joins the Cuban Underground and helps devise a plot to bring down the country's corrupt…
Young Man With a Horn (Young Man of Music) (1949): Dir. Michael Curtiz
Feat. Kirk Douglas, Doris Day, Lauren Bacall…; Sharp biopic based on legendary jazz trumpeteer Bix Beiderbecke (played here by Kirk Douglas), who rose from obscurity to possess one of the most…
Anna Karenina (1948): Dir. Julien Duvivier
Feat. Vivien Leigh, Ralph Richardson, Kieron Moore; Transplanted French director Duvivier – one of the key figures of 1930s "poetic realism" movement – brings grit and thoughtfulness to a…
Bicycle Thieves (The Bicycle Thief, Ladri di biciclette) (1948): Dir. Vittorio De Sica
Feat. Lamberto Maggiorani, Enzo Staiola, Lianella Carell; A huge sentimental favourite about a man whose chance at meaningful labour is taken from him when his precious bicycle is stolen from him. Though not…
Drunken Angel (Yoidore tenshi) (1948): Dir. Akira Kurosawa
Feat. Toshiro Mifune, Takashi Shimura; The film that made Toshiro Mifune a star – playing a petty gangster with TB, who turns to an alcoholic doctor for help after a shoot–out.…
Fallen Idol, The (1948): Dir. Carol Reed
Feat. Ralph Richardson; Celebrated, tasteful British thriller about the muddled attempt of an 8–year–old ambassador's son to protect the embassy butler (Ralph…
Joan of Arc (1948): Dir. Victor Fleming
Feat. Ingrid Bergman, Jose Ferrer, Gene Lockhart…; Ingrid Bergman is radiant as the saintly Joan in Fleming's last film, and though perhaps unsuitably theatrical, has been greatly improved by…
Les Enfants Terribles (The Strange Ones) (1948): Dir. Jean-Pierre Melville
Feat. Edouard Dermithe, Nicole Stephane; A poetic drama–fantasy from the pen of Jean Cocteau (who also directed several scenes), that centres round the narcissistic,…
Loves of Carmen, The (1948): Dir. Charles Vidor
Feat. Rita Hayworth, Glenn Ford; Famous Spanish fable with Rita Hayworth making a fine sultry, conniving Gypsy whose love for a respectable corporal leads to murder. No music, though.
My Brother's Keeper (1948): Dir. Alfred Roome
Feat. Jack Warner, Jane Hylton, David Tomlinson…; Rickety chase film from Gainsborough Pictures with two prisoners chained together making a dash for freedom.
Red Shoes, The (1948): Dir. Michael Powell, Emeric Pressburger
Feat. Anton Walbrook, Moira Shearer, Marius Goring…; Beloved dance classic is a strikingly realised story of a young ballerina who, in an echo of the Hans Christian Andersen story, becomes torn between…
Snake Pit, The (1948): Dir. Anatole Litvak
Feat. Olivia de Havilland, Mark Stevens, Celeste Holm; Hollywood melodrama that gives serious attention to the subject of mental illness with Olivia de Havilland (in a career–best performance) as a…
Daisy Kenyon (1947): Dir. Otto Preminger
Feat. Joan Crawford, Dana Andrews, Henry Fonda…; Joan Crawford gives one of her greatest performances in this surprisingly compelling soap opera, finding herself torn between Fonda and Andrews.…
Desert Fury (1947): Dir. Lewis Allen
Feat. Lizabeth Scott, John Hodiak, Burt Lancaster…; Small town Nevada desert set suspense focusing around a gambling empire obstinately led by a tough woman whose perfect monopoly is interrupted by her…
Dishonored Lady (1947): Dir. Robert Stevenson
Feat. Hedy Lamarr, Dennis O'Keefe, John Loder; Hedy Lamarr and then–husband John Loder star in this deliciously ludicrous, dated melodrama, with Lamarr as a fashion editor and lively party…
Gentleman's Agreement (1947): Dir. Elia Kazan
Feat. Gregory Peck; Gregory Peck stars in this Academy Award winning melodrama about a writer who, for the sake of research, pretends to be Jewish and becomes a victim…
Germany Year Zero (1947): Dir. Roberto Rossellini; A heart–breaking depiction of life in the post–WW2 ruins of Berlin, in which a boy struggles to help his family who are forced to live in…
Green Dolphin Street (1947): Dir. Victor Saville
Feat. Lana Turner, Van Heflin, Donna Reed…; One of the biggest box office hits of its time, this sweeping colonial melodrama of unrequited lovers who migrate to Aotearoa in the 1850s has dated…
It Always Rains on Sunday (1947): Dir. Robert Hamer
Feat. Googie Withers, John McCallum, Jack Warner; Overlooked masterpiece of British crime noir which blends kitchen sink realism with the poetic sensibilities of 30's French cinema. An escaped…
La Terra Trema (1947): Dir. Luchino Visconti
Feat. Luchino Visconti, Antonio Pietrangeli; Life–study of a poor Sicilian fishing village that is reverently neo–realist in its approach. Lovely B&W photography never distracts from…
Life with Father (1947): Dir. Michael Curtiz
Feat. William Powell, Irene Dunne, Elizabeth Taylor; Keen adaptation of the Broadway staple, with a starched–shirt father raising daughter Elizabeth Taylor in 19th century NYC.
Pursued (1947): Dir. Raoul Walsh
Feat. Robert Mitchum, Teresa Wright, Dame Judith Anderson…; This moody western is one of the best Mitchum performances, in a film famous for it's unusual (at the time) use of Freudian psychology. A nightmarish…
Ship Bound for India, A (1947): Dir. Ingmar Bergman
Feat. Holger Löwenadler; An early, overlooked play adaptation finds Bergman's visual and dramatic style in its formative stages. Four troubled souls are drawn together by a…
Silence de la Mer, Le (The Silence of the Sea) (1947): Dir. Jean-Pierre Melville
Feat. Howard Vernon; A German officer is billeted with an elderly man and his niece during the occupation of France in this introspective and talky chamber piece, heavy…
Anna and the King of Siam (1946): Dir. John Cromwell
Feat. Irene Dunne, Rex Harrison, Linda Darnell…; The first version of the true story of an English governess (Dunne) who in the 1860s journeyed to South East Asia to look after the King of Siam's 62…
Belle Et La Bete, La (Beauty and the Beast) (1946): Dir. Jean Cocteau
Feat. Jean Marais, Josette Day; Cocteau brings a fine sense of fantasy to the old fable, creating a luxuriant atmosphere unique to his film–making. A true classic.
Best Years of Our Lives, The (1946): Dir. William Wyler
Feat. Myrna Loy, Fredric March, Dana Andrews…; Uncommonly accurate portrait of small–town America after WW2 focuses on three war veterans attempting to adjust to civilian life. Historically…
Black Narcissus (1946): Dir. Michael Powell, Emeric Pressburger
Feat. Deborah Kerr, Sabu, David Farrar…; Visually stunning film about a group of nuns who try to establish a mission on a remote Himalayan outpost in the face of formidable conditions. One…
Crisis (Kris) (1946): Dir. Ingmar Bergman
Feat. Inga Landgré, Stig Olin; The very first film Ingmar Bergman directed, which focuses on a young woman who attracts the attention of every man in her village, and who is caught…
Gaiety George (Showtime) (1946): Dir. George King, Leontine Sagan
Feat. Richard Greene, Ann Todd, Peter Graves…; Victorian–era musical about Irishman George Howard, who moves to London and purchases a theatre, aiming to enhance the local entertainment…
Great Expectations (1946): Dir. David Lean
Feat. John Mills, Valerie Hobson, Bernard Miles…; Esteemed treatment of Charles Dickens' classic novel about a young orphan aided by a mysterious benefactor brought major international success to the…
Humoresque (1946): Dir. Jean Negulesco
Feat. Joan Crawford, John Garfield; Elegant drama features Joan Crawford in a towering performance as wealthy patron who falls in love with a gifted musician. A masterpiece of the…
It Rains On Our Love (1946): Dir. Ingmar Bergman
Feat. Barbro Kollberg, Birger Malmsten; Bergman experiments with this awkward combination of romance and misery, in which a couple's happiness is dogged by their criminal and vagrant past.…
Locket, The (1946): Dir. John Brahm
Feat. Robert Mitchum, Laraine Day, Brian Aherne…; Film noir set during the day of a wedding, where a surprise guest tries to convince the groom that his bride–to–be is in fact a murderer…
Man I Love, The (1946): Dir. Raoul Walsh
Feat. Ida Lupino, Robert Alda, Bruce Bennett…; Romantic drama about a New York lounge singer who becomes homesick and decides to visit her siblings on the West Coast, where she unexpectedly falls…
Matter of Life and Death, A (1946): Dir. Michael Powell, Emeric Pressburger
Feat. David Niven; By a miracle, RAF pilot David Niven escapes certain death, only to find he must argue for his right to live before a 'heavenly tribunal'. A…
Paisa (1946): Dir. Roberto Rossellini
Feat. Carmela Sazio, Robert Van Loon, Benjamin Emmanuel; Six short films focusing on the minor victories and losses of ordinary folk during WW2. Pioneering the now–familiar use of documentary footage,…
Razor's Edge, The (1946): Dir. Edmund Goulding
Feat. Tyrone Power, Gene Tierney, Anne Baxter…; Engrossing adaptation of Somerset Maugham's philosophical novel about an affluent war veteran's worldly search for spiritual fulfillment.
Shoeshine (Sciuscia) (1946): Dir. Vittorio De Sica; Perhaps Vittorio De Sica's first acknowledged masterpiece, concerns two young boys struggling to survive on the streets of post–WWII Rome by…
Utamaro and His Five Women (1946): Dir. Kenji Mizoguchi
Feat. Minosuke Bando, Kinuyo Tanaka; Biographical drama about the 18th century printmaker Kitagawa Utamaro, and the women (mostly brothel workers) who inspired his work.
Years Between, The (1946): Dir. Compton Bennett
Feat. Michael Redgrave, Valerie Hobson, Dame Flora Robson; Michael Redgrave plays a British MI6 officer who returns home after working for the French Resistance to find that his wife, who had presumed him…
A Bell For Adano (1945): Dir. Henry King
Feat. Gene Tierney, John Hodiak, William Bendix…; Hodiak plays an army major assigned to restore order in a small Italian town in this gentle–natured drama. The luminous –and blonde…
A Tree Grows in Brooklyn (1945): Dir. Elia Kazan
Feat. Dorothy McGuire, Joan Blondell, James Dunn…; Dir. Kazan's restrained debut, adapting Betty Smith's novel about a family of immigrants making do in the Brooklyn tenements of the early 20th…
Caesar and Cleopatra (1945): Dir. Gabriel Pascal
Feat. Vivien Leigh, Stewart Granger, Claude Rains…; The oft–told tale of the First Roman Emperor and the Queen of Egpyt, here adapted from George Bernard Shaw's play. Stagey filming is offset by…
Clock, The (1945): Dir. Vincente Minnelli
Feat. Judy Garland, Robert Walker, James Gleason…; Judy Garland's first dramatic role (in which she did not sing) reunites her with director (and future husband) Vincente Minnelli from MEET ME IN ST.…
Diary of a Chambermaid (1945): Dir. Jean Renoir
Feat. Paulette Goddard; Chambermaid Paulette Goddard upsets an aristocratic household brimming with secrets and intrigues. One of Renoir's early Hollywood pictures.
I'll Be Seeing You (1945): Dir. William Dieterle
Feat. Ginger Rogers, Joseph Cotton, Shirley Temple…; Ginger Rogers picks up a rare dramatic role in this sincere, if at times clunky melodrama, playing a convict on Christmas leave who falls in love…
Les Dames Du Bois De Boulogne (1945): Dir. Robert Bresson
Feat. Maria Casares; Dir. Bresson and writer Jean Cocteau are strange bedfellows in this lush, stylish drama, well–removed from the director’s austere later…
Les Enfants Du Paradis (Children of Paradise) (1945): Dir. Marcel Carne
Feat. Arletty, Jean-Louis Barrault, Pierre Brasseur…; This resplendent evocation of nineteeth century Paris street theatre follows the love of mime Jean–Louis Barrault for the highly–strung…
Lost Weekend, The (1945): Dir. Billy Wilder
Feat. Ray Milland, Jane Wyman, Howard da Silva…; Would–be novelist Ray Milland's personal frustrations bring on a three day drinking binge of desperate, terrifying proportions. Laced with a…
Rome: Open City (1945): Dir. Roberto Rossellini
Feat. Anna Magnani, Aldo Fabrizi; Neo–realist war drama about resistance fighters in fascist Italy places the action right inside the everyday and humanises the heroic.…
Seventh Veil, The (1945): Dir. Compton Bennett
Feat. James Mason, Ann Todd; Renowned film serves up psychiatry in bite sized chunks as a concert pianist is cured of her complexes by a shrink intent on fixing her up with the…
Song to Remember, A (1945): Dir. Charles Vidor
Feat. Paul Muni, Merle Oberon, Cornel Wilde; Biopic on the life of Polish pianist and composer Frederic Chopin, taking a few liberties here and there to follow the child prodigy through his…
Southerner, The (1945): Dir. Jean Renoir
Feat. Betty Field, Zachary Scott, Beulah Bondi…; One of dir. Renoir's finest American films, follows the year–long trial of a young family who attempt to grow cotton on a derelict…
Way to the Stars, The (1945): Dir. Anthony Asquith
Feat. John Mills, Michael Redgrave, Douglas Montgomery…; An RAF airfield in WWII is the setting of this unassuming war–drama, set around the lives of the ‘flyers’ and the ground–crew. Given…
An American Romance (1944): Dir. King Vidor
Feat. Brian Donlevy, Ann Richards, Walter Abel…; Ambitious technicolour drama from director King Vidor about a European immigrant to the USA, who builds his fortune in the automobile industry, and…
Canterbury Tale, A (1944): Dir. Michael Powell, Emeric Pressburger
Feat. Eric Porter, Sheila Sim, Dennis Price; A typically uncategorisable Powell/Pressburger movie, that draws on British eccentricities to flesh out its simple story about three wartime…
Fighting Sullivans, The (1944): Dir. Lloyd Bacon
Feat. Anne Baxter, Edward Ryan; Early telling of the true story that inspired SAVING PRIVATE RYAN about five brothers who served in WWII (in reality, at Guadacanal).
Great Moment, The (1944): Dir. Preston Sturges
Feat. Joel McCrea, Betty Field, William Demarest…; An oddly serious drama for dir. Sturges, this biopic of WTG Morgan (who discovered the anaesthetic properties of ether in the 19th century), played…
Keys of the Kingdom, The (1944): Dir. John M. Stahl
Feat. Gregory Peck, Thomas Mitchell, Vincent Price…; Quietly powerful drama about a devout Catholic priest (played by a young Gregory Peck) who travels to China to establish a parish. Through…
Love Story (A Lady Surrenders) (1944): Dir. Leslie Arliss
Feat. Margaret Lockwood, Stewart Granger, Patricia Roc…; Classy tearjerker with dying pianist Lockwood falling in love with blind pilot Granger. Treacly but satisfying with the two leads performances…
Mr. Skeffington (1944): Dir. Vincent Sherman
Feat. Bette Davis, Claude Rains, Walter Abel; Unrepentant weepie of epic length with Bette Davis as a NYC 'society girl' who snags a devoted and rich Jewish husband (Rains). But after a tangle…
Passage to Marseille (1944): Dir. Michael Curtiz
Feat. Humphrey Bogart, Claude Rains, Peter Lorre; Distinguished by the use of flashbacks within flashbacks, this WW2 propaganda piece re–unites the director with CASABLANCA alumnae.
Since You Went Away (1944): Dir. John Cromwell, Andre De Toth
Feat. Joseph Cotton, Claudette Colbert, Jennifer Jones…; While husband Joseph Cotton is away at WWII, Claudette Colbert must hold home and family together. A lengthy dose of home–front stoicism, that…
This Happy Breed (1944): Dir. David Lean
Feat. Robert Newton, Celia Johnson, John Mills; Another David Lean–Noel Coward collaboration, the pair who later made the fine BRIEF ENCOUNTER. Here they turn their sensibilities to the…
To Have and Have Not (1944): Dir. Howard Hawks
Feat. Lauren Bacall, Humphrey Bogart; In the upper–bracket of Bogart films, this first time match–up with Lauren Bacall still sets the screen alight. Adapted from the…
Torment (Hets) (1944): Dir. Alf Sjoberg
Feat. Stig Jarrel, Alf Kjellin, Mai Zetterling…; Impressionistic study of authoritarian education and adolescent love was scripted by a young Ingmar Bergman, and its universe of cruel twists and…
Way Ahead, The (1944): Dir. Carol Reed
Feat. David Niven, Stanley Holloway, Trevor Howard…; A depleted battalion must scrub up and train a ragtag bunch of conscripts to re–fill the positions left by deceased soldiers in this morale…
White Cliffs of Dover, The (1944): Dir. Clarence Brown
Feat. Elizabeth Taylor, Roddy McDowall, Irene Dunne…; Patriotic sentiment up full–bore, this extended saga of English–American fraternising over both World Wars, has Irene Dunne and family…
Action in the North Atlantic (1943): Dir. Lloyd Bacon
Feat. Humphrey Bogart, Raymond Massey, Alan Hale…; Dramatic battle scenes highlight this Oscar–nominated WW2 drama, in which Bogie portrays the first mate of a freighter travelling the…
Crash Dive (1943): Dir. Archie Mayo
Feat. Tyrone Power, Anne Baxter, Dana Andrews; A submarine lieutenant and his commander fall in love with the same girl in this thrilling propaganda piece that won the 1943 Oscar for best special…
Day of Wrath (1943): Dir. Carl Dreyer
Feat. Thorkild Roose, Lisbeth Movin, Sigrid Neiiendam; Witchcraft drama set in 17th century rural Denmark, where an innocent young woman is denounced following the death of her much older, harshly…
Flemish Farm, The (1943): Dir. Jeffrey Dell
Feat. Clive Brook, Clifford Evans, Jane Baxter; Low budget WW2 aviation drama focused on a regiment of Belgian pilots who use a Flemish farm as an airstrip with one of the injured men becoming…
Hard Way, The (1943): Dir. Vincent Sherman
Feat. Ida Lupino, Dennis Morgan, Joan Leslie; Musical drama based on a story by Irwin Shaw, which was reportedly inspired by Ginger Rogers' first marriage to Jack Pepper. Joan Leslie plays a…
Ivan the Terrible Pts. 1 & 2 (1943): Dir. Sergei Eisenstein
Feat. Nikolai Cherkassov, Serafima Birman, Lyudmila Tselikovskaya; Spectacularly staged chronicle of the life of Czar Ivan IV, and his struggle to consolidate the Russian empire in the 16th Century. One of the…
Jane Eyre (1943): Dir. Robert Stevenson
Feat. Joan Fontaine, Orson Welles, Peggy Ann Garner…; Orphan Jane's (Joan Fontaine) harsh childhood and strange marriage are fuel for splendid gothic melodrama in this version of Charlotte Bronte's…
Le Corbeau (1943): Dir. Henri-Georges Clouzot
Feat. Pierre Fresnay; Fascinating as a wartime allegory made under the German Occupation of France, a small town becomes a hot–bed of paranoia following a rash of…
Life and Death of Colonel Blimp, The (1943): Dir. Michael Powell, Emeric Pressburger
Feat. Roger Livesey, Deborah Kerr, Anton Walbrook; The numerous off–beat adventures of a British soldier are chronicled over a period of three wars, with Deborah Kerr playing all three of the…
Man in Grey, The (1943): Dir. Leslie Arliss
Feat. James Mason, Margaret Lockwood, Phyllis Calvert…; Stagy melodrama told largely in flashback centers on the story of two women one rich, one poor and the man with whom a love triangle develops with…
Millions Like Us (1943): Dir. Sidney Gilliat
Feat. Patricia Roc, Gordon Jackson, Anne Crawford…; Honest dramatization of the British "home front" during the second World War focuses on a factory worker struggling to overcome her grief after the…
Ox Bow Incident, The (Strange Incident) (1943): Dir. William A. Wellman
Feat. Henry Fonda, Dana Andrews, Mary Beth Hughes…; Superlative moral drama in a Western setting, where three lynched cattle rustlers are later proven innocent by the upstanding Henry Ford. Although…
Power of the Press (1943): Dir. Lew Landers
Feat. Guy Kibbee, Lee Tracy, Otto Kruger; Based on a story by Samuel Fuller. During World War II, a newspaper publisher investigates the murder of a colleague, who was attempting to steer his…
Silver Fleet, The (1943): Dir. Vernon Sewell
Feat. Ralph Richardson, Esmond Knight, Googie Withers…; A rousing WW2 maritime drama in which a Dutch shipping port owner decides to swindle the Nazis by agreeing to provide them with his submarines for…
Song of Bernadette, The (1943): Dir. Henry King
Feat. Jennifer Jones, Vincent Price, Charles Bickford…; Religious melodrama set in 19th century rural France, where Jones controversially has visions of the Virgin Mary. Over–lavish (and long), this…
Casablanca (1942): Dir. Michael Curtiz
Feat. Humphrey Bogart, Ingrid Bergman; The role that immortalised Bogart is that of Rick, the laconic cafe–owner who assists old flame Ingrid Bergman to escape the Nazis with her…
Eternel Retour, L' (1942): Dir. Jean Delannoy
Feat. Jean Marais, Madeleine Sologney, Yvonne de Bray…; (Love Eternal) A contemporary take on the legend of Tristan and Isolde, lovers united after death. Jean Cocteau's script is realised with the…
First of the Few (Spitfire) (1942): Dir. Leslie Howard
Feat. Leslie Howard, David Niven, Rosamund John…; Rousing true life tale of aircraft designer R.J. Mitchell and his streamlined monoplane that led to the devolpment of the spitfire. Released with…
Kings Row (1942): Dir. Sam Wood
Feat. Robert Cummings, Ronald Reagan, Ann Sheridan…; Celebrated and infamous melodrama of the titular smalltown, a seemingly placid American community, around which insanity, poverty and sadism hover…
Les Visiteurs Du Soir (1942): Dir. Marcel Carne
Feat. Arletty, Marie Dea, Fernand Ledoux…; Two of the Devil's henchmen are dispatched to a fairytale–like 15th century castle with an eye to corrupting its inhabitants, especially a pair…
Magnificent Ambersons, The (1942): Dir. Orson Welles
Feat. Joseph Cotten, Agnes Moorehead, Dolores Costello; Following up CITIZEN KANE, Orson Welles again drew a bead on the American rich, chronicling the dynastic squabbles of a…
Mrs. Miniver (1942): Dir. William Wyler
Feat. Greer Garson, Walter Pidgeon; An unabashed patriotic war drama, so effective in that capacity it garnered political commendation as well as six Oscars, including Best Picture and…
Orchestra Wives (1942): Dir. Archie Mayo
Feat. Ann Rutherford, George Montgomery, Lynn Bari…; Swing–era musical featuring the Glenn Miller orchestra, with Miller himself playing the leader of a band. When the trumpet player…
Ossessione (1942): Dir. Luchino Visconti
Feat. Clara Calamai, Massimo Girotti, Dhia Cristiani; Visconti's awesome debut interprets James Cain's novel of lust, greed, murder and recrimination, The Postman Always Rings Twice. Its stark rendering…
Pittsburgh (1942): Dir. Lewis Seiler
Feat. Marlene Dietrich, Randolph Scott, John Wayne; Marlene Dietrich – striking as always – is courted by John Wayne and Randolph Scott as coalminers–turned–millionaires. A…
Random Harvest (1942): Dir. Mervyn LeRoy
Feat. Ronald Colman, Greer Garson; A shell–shocked WW1 officer marries and is contented until he remembers his past life in the aristocracy. Far–fetched but very enjoyable…
Roxie 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 Manhattan (1942): 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.
Thunder Birds (Soldiers of the Air) (1942): Dir. William A. Wellman
Feat. Gene Tierney, Preston Foster, John Sutton…; Routine wartime love triangle with two fighter pilots falling for a radiant Gene Tierney, gorgeous Technicolor and ace aerial photography liven it up…
Thunder Rock (1942): Dir. Roy Boulting
Feat. Michael Redgrave, James Mason, Barbara Mullen…; Wonderfully cerebral first film from the great Boulting Brothers in which a disillusioned newspaperman living in self imposed exile in a Michigan…
Went the Day Well? (1942): Dir. Alberto Cavalcanti
Feat. Leslie Banks, Valerie Taylor, Marie Lohr; British pluck and courage is put to the test in this Graham Greene story, where a cosy English village is infiltrated during WWII by a truckload of…
Citizen Kane (1941): Dir. Orson Welles
Feat. Orson Welles, Joseph Cotten, Agnes Moorehead; Orson Welles ground–breaking work chronicles a publishing tycoon's rise to power, told through a reporter's efforts to discover the meaning of…
Devil and Daniel Webster, The (1941): Dir. William Dieterle
Feat. Edward Arnold, Walter Huston, James Craig…; Originally released in a heavily edited version as "All That Money Can Buy", this recently restored version can now be fully appreciated as a true…
Face Behind the Mask, The (1941): Dir. Robert Florey
Feat. Peter Lorre, Evelyn Keyes; Film noir following the descent of a kind watch maker whose face is disfigured in a fire shortly after immigrating to America, and despite being a…
How Green Was My Valley (1941): Dir. John Ford
Feat. Walter Pidgeon, Maureen O'Hara; Memories of childhood in a Welsh mining village are vividly portrayed in this highly emotive drama. Winner of 5 Oscars including Best Picture.
Jean Grémillon: During the Occupation (Remorques, Lumière d'été, Le Ciel Est à Vous) (1941-1944): Dir. Jean Gremillon
Feat. Jean Gabin, Madeleine Renaud; Three character–driven dramas from the heralded French film director who has been little represented outside of his home country: Remorques…
Loyal 47 Ronin, The (47 Ronin) (1941): Dir. Kenji Mizoguchi
Feat. Yoshizaburo Arashi; Sombre rendition of a famous Japanese legend that's both quietly dignified and overtly nationalistic, tooled as propaganda during the height of…
Lydia (Illusions) (1941): Dir. Julien Duvivier
Feat. Merle Oberon, Joseph Cotton, Alan Marshall…; Dreamy, melancholic melodrama follows the life and numerous loves of a society gal (Oberron) in New England over thirty odd years. Dir. Duvivier…
Meet John Doe (1941): Dir. Frank Capra
Feat. Barbara Stanwyck, Gary Cooper, Walter Brennan…; Always partial to a ripe political parable, dir. Capra has Barbara Stanwyck leading hickster Gary Cooper around by the nose on a national goodwill…
Penny Serenade (1941): Dir. George Stevens
Feat. Cary Grant, Irene Dunne; Cary Grant and Irene Dunne adopt a infant, then lose it, in a brilliantly crafted tear–jerker.
Swamp Water (1941): Dir. Jean Renoir
Feat. Walter Brennan, Walter Huston, Anne Baxter…; An interesting melodrama, dank with the regional atmosphere of the Florida Everglades, about the problems undergone by a youthful fur trapper…
Ziegfeld Girl (1941): Dir. Robert Z. Leonard
Feat. James Stewart, Judy Garland, Hedy Lamarr…; A star–sudded MGM musical melodrama featuring musical numbers staged by Busby Berkeley, highlighted by "You Stepped Out of a Dream". Set in the…
Fighting 69th, The (1940): Dir. William Keighley
Feat. James Cagney, Pat O'Brien, George Brent; James Cagney plays a loudmouthed braggart who alienates his comrades and officers, but the regimental chaplain (Pat O'Brien) has faith that he'll…
Grapes of Wrath (1940): Dir. John Ford
Feat. Henry Fonda, John Carradine; Henry Fonda stars in this masterful humanist film about a group of destitute Oklahoma farmers that trek to California in hope of a better life. One…
Howards Of Virginia, The (1940): Dir. Frank Lloyd
Feat. Cary Grant, Martha Scott, Sir Cedric Hardwicke; Cary Grant rather bumbles through this melodrama set during the American Revolution, playing a rugged surveyor who marries aristocrat and royalist…
Letter, The (1940): Dir. William Wyler
Feat. Bette Davis, Herbert Marshall, James Stephenson; Although not quite of the first rank, this sultry melodrama counts as one of Bette Davis' most interesting 1940s works. Set among the frustrated…
Little Men (1940): Dir. Norman Z. McLeod
Feat. Kay Francis, Jack Oakie, George Bancroft…; Based on the inferior follow–up to Louisa May Alcott's hugely successful Little Women, we find Jo March and her husband operating the Plumfield…
Long Voyage Home, The (1940): Dir. John Ford
Feat. John Wayne, Thomas Mitchell, Ian Hunter…; John Wayne is a Swedish sailor aboard a doom–ridden tramp steamer circa. WWII, in this portmanteau of four stories by Eugene O'Neill. An…
Mortal Storm, The (1940): Dir. Frank Borzage
Feat. Margaret Sullavan, James Stewart, Robert Young…; Drama set in Germany in 1933, following a group of people as they contend with the rise of the Nazi Party and the effect it has on their lives. James…
Northwest Passage (1940): Dir. King Vidor
Feat. Spencer Tracy, Robert Young, Walter Brennan…; Rousing adventure yarn set during the French–Indian war with Tracy and team opening up trade routes and leading raids. Splendid Technicolour…
Our Town (1940): Dir. Sam Wood
Feat. Frank Craven, William Holden, Martha Scott; Affectionate study of small–town American life, set in New Hampshire over a twelve year period. Frank Craven narrates our tour of the community…
Rebecca (1940): Dir. Alfred Hitchcock
Feat. Laurence Olivier, Joan Fontaine, George Sanders; A masterful gothic romance about a nobleman's second wife who becomes haunted by the image of his beloved first. Hitchcock's first American film was…
Remember the Night (1940): 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),…
Tom Brown's School Days (1940): Dir. Robert Stevenson
Feat. Freddie Bartholomew, Sir Cedric Hardwicke, Jimmy Lydon; Thomas Hughes' classic novel of life at the Victorian Boys public school of Rugby is given a generous, populist treatment. New boy Lydon finds…
Twenty One Days (21 Days Together) (1940): Dir. Basil Dean
Feat. Vivien Leigh, Laurence Olivier, Leslie Banks…; Laurence Olivier plays a playboy embroiled in the death of an attractive model's blackmailer in this curious pre–war melodrama, from the…
Dark Victory (1939): Dir. Edmund Goulding
Feat. Bette Davis, George Brent, Humphrey Bogart…; Sleekly upholstered melodrama, with Davis as a willful, party–going Long Island millionairess who discovers she is dying. Great performances…
Drums Along the Mohawk (1939): Dir. John Ford
Feat. Henry Fonda, Claudette Colbert, Edna May Oliver…; Minor Ford drama with Fonda and Colbert as newlyweds whose farming career gets stymied by the Revolutionary War and attacks from Native Americans.…
Goodbye Mr. Chips (1939): Dir. Sam Wood
Feat. Robert Donat, Greer Garson; Slow–moving, heartfelt story of a devoted schoolteacher. Robert Donat won an Oscar in the lead role.
Hunchback of Notre Dame, The (1939): Dir. William Dieterle
Feat. Charles Laughton; Charles Laughton is perfectly cast in this beautifully expressionistic version of the classic.
Jour Se Leve, Le (Daybreak) (1939): Dir. Marcel Carne
Feat. Jean Gabin, Arletty; A renowned example of 'poetic realism', Jean Gabin gives another consummate performance as a doomed anti–hero. His tragic story is told in…
La Regle Du Jeu (Rules of the Game) (1939): Dir. Jean Renoir
Feat. Marcel Dalio, Nora Gregor, Roland Toutain…; Considered one the greatest films in history, this downbeat yet incisive satire centres around weekend shooting party that results in a myriad of…
Of Mice and Men (1939): Dir. Lewis Milestone
Feat. Lon Jr. Chaney, Burgess Meredith, Betty Field…; A mentally–challenged giant and his level–headed guardian find work at a sadistic cowboy's ranch in this adaptation of John Steinbeck's…
Only Angels Have Wings (1939): Dir. Howard Hawks
Feat. Cary Grant, Jean Arthur, Rita Hayworth; Quintessential Hawks fare in which men are men and women have to be equally tough. At a South American outpost, mail pilot Cary Grant becomes…
Stars Look Down, The (1939): Dir. Carol Reed
Feat. Michael Redgrave, Margaret Lockwood, Emlyn Williams; Gritty account of life in a Northumberland coal mining village was dir. Reed's first notable film and still one of his most successful. Centred…
Story of the Last Chrysanthemums, The (1939): Dir. Kenji Mizoguchi
Feat. Shôtarô Hanayagi; The story of an aspiring kabuki actor in late 19th–century Japan, and the woman who loves and supports him at a great cost to herself. A…
When Tomorrow Comes (1939): Dir. John M. Stahl
Feat. Irene Dunne, Charles Boyer, Barbara O'Neil; Overly sentimental romantic melodrama about an unhappily married concert pianist who casually falls for a restaurant waitress whom he takes back to…
Young Mr. Lincoln (1939): Dir. John Ford
Feat. Henry Fonda, Alice Brady, Marjorie Weaver…; A fresh–faced Henry Fonda gives credence to the formative years of Abraham Lincoln, seen here as a country boy–turned–lawyer…
Alexander Nevsky (1938): Dir. Sergei Eisenstein
Feat. Nikolai Cherkassov, Nikolai Okhlopkov; Eisenstein's first sound film is a patriotic epic about the 13th century hero who led his people against the Teutonic Knights. Monumental battle…
Alexander's Ragtime Band (1938): Dir. Henry King
Feat. Tyrone Power, Alice Faye, Don Ameche…; Irving Berlin contributes over two dozen songs as well as the screenplay for this rousing story of the history of (white) jazz music from ragtime to…
Algiers (1938): Dir. John Cromwell
Feat. Hedy Lamarr, Charles Boyer, Sigrid Gurie…; Remake of a PEPE LE MOKO, in which a dashing jewel thief who has been hiding out for two years in the mysterious, murky Casbah, falls madly in love…
Bank 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.
Beachcomber, The (Vessel of Wrath) (1938): Dir. Erich Pommer
Feat. Charles Laughton, Elsa Lanchester; Drama based on the short story by Somerset Maughamet, set in a remote tropical Dutch colony, where the sister of a missionary attempts to reform a…
Good Earth, The (1938): Dir. Sidney Franklin
Feat. Paul Muni, Luise Rainer; Pearl S. Buck's epic novel is given the proud, grand and serious treatment by Hollywood. The tale told is about greed and gain amongst Chinese…
Great Waltz, The (The Life of Johann Strauss) (1938): Dir. Julien Duvivier
Feat. Fernand Gravey, Luise Rainer, Lionel Atwill; The lIfe story of Johann Strauss is given a rich if somewhat corny treatment in this otherwise well–mounted musical biopic.
I Accuse (J'Accuse) (1938): Dir. Abel Gance
Feat. Victor Francen, Line Noro, Marie Lou; Dir. Gance’s own remake of his 1919 silent classic, in which a soldier traumatised by the slaughter of WWI attempts to prevent future…
Jezebel (1938): Dir. William Wyler
Feat. Bette Davis, Henry Fonda; A classic, Oscar–winning role for Bette Davis, as a southern belle who defies the arch conventions of 19th century New Orleans high society…
Marseillaise, La (1938): Dir. Jean Renoir
Feat. Pierre Renoir, Lisa Delamare, Leon Larive…; Renoir's classic depicts events leading up to the French revolution in the 18th Century, electing to extract history from the heart of the common…
Angel (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…
Camille (1937): Dir. George Cukor
Feat. Greta Garbo, Robert Taylor, Lionel Barrymore…; One of Greta Garbo’s finest roles, playing the courtesan heroine of Alexandre Dumas’ potboiler, navigating the treacheries of the French…
Edge of the World, The (1937): Dir. Michael Powell
Feat. John Laurie, Belle Chrystall, Eric Berry…; In what is considered his first major film, director Michael Powell depicts a majestic account of the depopulation of one of the isolated outer…
Fire Over England (1937): Dir. William K. Howard
Feat. Laurence Olivier, Dame Flora Robson, Raymond Massey…; The war between England and Spain in the late 16th century serves as the backdrop for this lavish drama. Laurence Olivier plays a British naval…
Grand Illusion (La Grande Illusion) (1937): Dir. Jean Renoir
Feat. Jean Gabin, Pierre Fresnay, Erich von Stroheim…; The heroics and hypocrasies of war are illustrated through an imprisoned French squadron in WW1 and their cultured German commandant. A hailed…
It Happened in Hollywood (1937): Dir. Harry Lachman
Feat. Fay Wray, Richard Dix; Not very good.
Make Way for Tomorrow (1937): Dir. Leo McCarey
Feat. Victor Moore, Beulah Bondi, Fay Bainter…; Frankly, one of the most devastating movies ever made, this long neglected classic served as inspiration for Ozu's revered TOKYO STORY many years…
O.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.
Stella Dallas (1937): Dir. King Vidor
Feat. Barbara Stanwyck, John Boles; Definitive family melodrama in which Barbara Stanwyck compels as the social–climbing Stella, ultimately driven to painful self–knowledge…
Uncivilised (1937): Dir. Charles Chauvel
Feat. Margot Rhys, Dennis Hoey, Ashton Jarry; Illogical Chauval epic with a white authoress, looking for a story in the outback, kidnapped by an Afghan slaver!
César (1936): Dir. Marcel Pagnol
Feat. Raimu, Orane Demazis, Pierre Fresnay…; Playwright Marcel Parcol takes over the director's reins himself for this concluding part of his Marseille trilogy, following 'Marius' and 'Fanny'.…
Dodsworth (1936): Dir. William Wyler
Feat. Walter Huston, Ruth Chatterton, Paul Lukas…; While on a European holiday, businessman Walter Huston's marriage reaches crisis point. A mature, highly–rated studio pic with especially…
Fury (1936): Dir. Fritz Lang
Feat. Spencer Tracy, Sylvia Sidney; Blunt statement against the mob–mentality with Spencer Tracy as an innocent man set upon by vicious locals intent on lynching with extreme…
Mary of Scotland (1936): Dir. John Ford
Feat. Katharine Hepburn, Fredric March, John Carradine…; Katharine Hepburn stars as Mary, Queen of Scots who, after languishing in jail for 18 years at Elizabeth I's command, is offered a pardon if she will…
Osaka Elegy (1936): Dir. Kenji Mizoguchi
Feat. Isuzu Yamada, Yoko Umemura; A counterpart to Mizoguchi's other 1936 film SISTERS OF THE GION, featuring some of the same cast and crew and again focusing on the hardships faced…
Prisoner of Shark Island, The (1936): Dir. John Ford
Feat. Warner Baxter, Gloria Stuart; Gripping John Ford–directed prison yarn is based on the ordeal of Dr. Samuel Mudd, a famous victim of circumstance who unknowingly cared for…
Sisters of the Gion (1936): Dir. Kenji Mizoguchi
Feat. Isuzu Yamada, Yoko Umemura; An early feminist film from director Kenji Mizoguchi, focusing on two geisha sisters – one of whom enters into a codependent relationship with…
Trail of the Lonesome Pine, The (1936): Dir. Henry Hathaway
Feat. Fred MacMurray, Sylvia Sidney, Henry Fonda; This pioneering colour film is an engaging old–fashioned Western tale of loyalty, family and romance set against an age–old feud between…
Une Partie de Campagne (A Day in the Country) (1936): Dir. Jean Renoir
Feat. Sylvia Bataille; This evocative, unfinished short (originally part of a full–length feature) lovingly captures the flirtations of a young girl as she detours…
Dangerous + Hell's House (1935/32): Dir. Alfred Green, Howard Higgin
Feat. Bette Davis; Bette Davis in two early roles – her lead performance as a star–turned–alcoholic in DANGEROUS fetching her the first of two Best…
David Copperfield (1935): Dir. George Cukor
Feat. W.C. Fields; Top–line Hollywood–ization of the Dickens classic.
Devil 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.
Heritage (1935): Dir. Charles Chauvel
Feat. Frank Harvey, Margot Rhys, Franklyn Bennett; Epic Australian drama following three generations of the same family from their initial arrival to the outbreak of the first World War.
Informer, The (1935): Dir. John Ford
Feat. Victor McLaglen; Stunning character study unfolds when an IRA leader is sold out by his dim–witted friend for reward money. Full–blooded acting by all was…
Le Crime De Monsieur Lange (1935): 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…
Roberta (1935): Dir. William A. Seiter
Feat. Irene Dunne, Fred Astaire, Ginger Rogers…; An unsuccessful American Football player inherits his Aunt's Parisian fashion house. One of the weaker Rogers/Astaire efforts.
Tale of Two Cities (1935): Dir. Jack Conway
Feat. Ronald Colman; A model screen adaptation of a classic novel. Script and spectacle are in perfect accord to tell Charles Dickens' story of courage and honour in 18th…
Born to be Bad (1934): Dir. Lowell Sherman
Feat. Loretta Young, Cary Grant; A worthy though now–obscure melodrama from pre–Hays Code Hollywood, in which street–tramp Young tries to successively rob, extort…
L'Atalante (1934): Dir. Jean Vigo
Feat. Michel Simon, Jean Daste; A recently restored master work from the French film archive combines lyrical romance with inspired touches of fantasy.
Of Human Bondage (1934): Dir. John Cromwell
Feat. Bette Davis, Leslie Howard; The film which propelled Bette Davis to stardom, with her vivid personification of a coy, but slutty Cockney waitress who becomes the object of…
Our Daily Bread (1934): Dir. King Vidor
Feat. Karen Morley, Tom Keene, Barbara Pepper…; Another fascinating sociological drama from director King Vidor about a struggling couple during the Great Depression who move to the country and…
Baby Face (1933): Dir. Alfred E. Green
Feat. Barbara Stanwyck, George Brent; Pre–code Hollywood–era revenge drama that ruffled a few feathers in it's day, with Barbara Stanwyk playing a woman who decides to turn…
Ecstasy (1933): Dir. Gustav Machety
Feat. Hedy Lamarr; Hedy Lamarr came to world attention in this 1932 film, playing a sexually–frustrated bride who goes on a fifteen minute nude romp in an alpine…
Liebelei (1933): Dir. Max Ophuls
Feat. Arthur Schnitzler; An early work from the German maestro of the tracking shot, whose tale of doomed romance between a young soldier and fraulein (taken from a play by…
Queen Christina (1933): Dir. Rouben Mamoulian
Feat. Greta Garbo, John Gilbert; Historical costume drama with Greta Garbo appropriately cast as the Swedish Queen.
American Madness (1932): Dir. Frank Capra
Feat. Walter Huston; Vivid parable in which Walter Huston portrays a bank president facing the threat of commercial failure during the Great Depression.
Bill of Divorcement, A (1932): Dir. George Cukor
Feat. John Barrymore, Katharine Hepburn, Billie Burke…; Shell–shocked war veteran John Barrymore returns to the world after 15 years in an asylum, to find that wife Katharine Hepburn (in her screen…
Bird of Paradise (1932): Dir. King Vidor
Feat. Dolores Del Rio, Joel McCrea, John Halliday…; Erotic adventure drama about a sailor who falls in love with a woman from an unnamed Pacific island where the film is set. Plenty of colonialist…
Blonde Venus (1932): Dir. Josef von Sternberg
Feat. Marlene Dietrich, Cary Grant, Herbert Marshall…; Director Josef von Sternberg reunites with muse Marlene Dietrich in this sweeping melodrama about a German chanteuse turned struggling housewife who…
Fanny (1932): Dir. Marc Allegret
Feat. Raimu, Orane Demazis, Pierre Fresnay…; Leisurely French romantic drama based on the play by Marcel Pagnol that marks the second part in the Marseille film trilogy that started with Marius…
Grand Hotel (1932): Dir. Edmund Goulding
Feat. Greta Garbo, Joan Crawford, John Barrymore…; The granddaddy of extravagent soap–opera, this pre–eminent, Oscar–winning Hollywood affair glitters with stars. Weekend guests'…
I Am a Fugitive From a Chain Gang (1932): Dir. Mervyn LeRoy
Feat. Paul Muni, Glenda Farrell, Helen Vinson…; Minor American classic unravels Paul Muni's plight an as innocent man subjected to the brutality of prison life. With fierce conviction, the film…
Rain (1932): Dir. Lewis Milestone
Feat. Joan Crawford, Walter Huston; A turbulent adaptation of Somerset Maugham's short story 'Miss Thompson' set on a Samoan island quarantine station during the rainy season. When a…
Shanghai Express (1932): Dir. Josef von Sternberg
Feat. Marlene Dietrich, Clive Brook, Warner Oland; Hollywood's version of pre–revolutionary Shanghai is a lavish parallel universe of sin and oriental treachery with Marlene Dietrich (as…
Marius (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…
Mata Hari (1931): Dir. George Fitzmaurice
Feat. Greta Garbo, Ramon Novarro, Lionel Barrymore…; Heavily fictionalized account of the life of Mata Hari, the exotic dancer who was accused of spying for Germany during World War I. Garbo is magnetic…
Miracle Woman, The (1931): Dir. Frank Capra
Feat. Barbara Stanwyck, David Manners, Sam Hardy; Barbara Stanwyck teams with dir. Frank Capra for this captivating pre–Code film about a preacher's daughter who becomes disillusioned by the…
Possessed (1931): Dir. Clarence Brown
Feat. Joan Crawford, Clark Gable; Vivid and detailed early drama about a rich NYC lawyer and his mistress, made when its lead performers were both on the verge of stardom. Centred…
Red 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…
Street Scene (1931): Dir. King Vidor
Feat. Sylvia Sidney, William Collier, Jr., Estelle Taylor…; Drama set over a single 24 hours on a city block in Hell's Kitchen, New York City. Describes a melting pot of gossip, jealousy, racism, adultery…
Tabu (1931): Dir. F.W. Murnau
Feat. Anna Chevalier; A beautifully filmed romantic tragedy based on a simple Pacific island folk tale. Poetry and sensuality is startlingly evoked through the play of…
Threepenny Opera, The (3 Penny Opera, The) (1931): Dir. G.W. Pabst; The ever–pointed satire of Bertold Brecht and Kurt Weill's musical, in its London dockland setting of thieves, beggars and bobbies is given a…
Anna Christie (1930): Dir. Clarence Brown
Feat. Greta Garbo, Charles Bickford, Marie Dressler…; Ayoung woman reunites with her estranged father and falls in love with a sailor, but struggles to tell them about her dark past. Garbo's first…
Blood of a Poet (1930): Dir. Jean Cocteau
Feat. Lee Miller, Pauline Carton; Cocteau's first film is a surrealist gem that sewed the seeds of his style. The Dali/Bunuel influence is clear, but this goes one step further with…
Blue Angel, The (1930): Dir. Josef von Sternberg
Feat. Marlene Dietrich, Emil Jannings; A masterwork of the twenties German grotesquerie, this enjoyed great success and gave an early career boost to Marlene Dietrich.
City Girl (1930): Dir. F.W. Murnau
Feat. Charles Farrell, David Torrence; Murnau's lost pastoral beauty about a Minnesota boy who marries a tough city girl and brings her home at harvest time, where their love is…
Party Girl (Dangerous Business) (1930): Dir. Victor Halperin
Feat. Douglas Jr. Fairbanks; Tarty pre–code expose of ‘party girl’ rackets – or prostitution rings – with Douglas Fairbanks as a college cad looking for love in all…
Prix de Beaute (1930): Dir. Augusto Genina
Feat. Louise Brooks, Georges Charlia, Augusto Bandini; Louise Brooks is vivacious beyond compare in her first sound film, a jazz–age classic about a young office worker who enters a beauty…
Applause (1929): Dir. Rouben Mamoulian
Feat. Helen Morgan, Jack Cameron, Joan Peers…; Early sound musicial about a fading burlesque queen who sends her daughter to a convent in an attempt to remove her from the sleazy theatre world she…
Asphalt (1929): Dir. Joe May
Feat. Gustav Frohlich, Betty Amann; Bravura melodrama from the German Expressionist era wrangles with the divided loyalites of a love–struck police officer who falls for a sultry…
Diary of a Lost Girl (1929): Dir. G.W. Pabst
Feat. Louise Brooks; Exceptional follow–up to the eye–opening PANDORA’S BOX, with Louise Brooks again provoking disorder with her unrestrained vitality and…
Eternal Love (1929): Dir. Ernst Lubitsch
Feat. John Barrymore, Camilla Horn; Made during the last days of the silent era, the legendary Ernst Lubitsch directs John Barrymore and Camilla Horn as two lovers living in the Swiss…
Queen Kelly (1929): Dir. Erich von Stroheim
Feat. Gloria Swanson, Seena Owen, Walter Byron…; Star/producer Gloria Swanson fired her director before this picture was even half completed, but this 'shortened' epic about a sex scandal in…
Docks of New York, The (1928): Dir. Josef von Sternberg
Feat. George Bancroft, Betty Compson; George Bancroft plays a roughneck stoker who gets into all sorts of trouble during a brief shore leave when he falls hard for a wise and weary…
L'Argent (Money) (1928): Dir. Marcel L'Herbier
Feat. Pierre Alcover, Brigitte Helm, Alfred Abel…; Classic of the late silent era from French filmmaker, writer and film theorist Marcel L'Herbier, based on the book of the same name by Émile…
Last Command, The (1928): Dir. Josef von Sternberg
Feat. Emil Jannings; Emil Jannings won the first best actor Academy Award for his performance as a sympathetic tyrant: an exiled Russian general turned Hollywood extra…
Laugh, Clown, Laugh (1928): Dir. Herbert Brenon
Feat. Lon Chaney, Loretta Young, Nils Asther…; Profoundly moving melodrama with Lon Chaney playing a traveling circus clown who raises an abandoned child as his daughter, but falls into deep…
Man Who Laughs, The (1928): Dir. Paul Leni
Feat. Conrad Veidt, Mary Philbin, Olga Baclanova; One of the most spectacular (and sophisticated) of the silent epics adapts a historical story by Victor Hugo concerning the destiny of a disfigured…
Pandora's Box (1928): Dir. G.W. Pabst
Feat. Louise Brooks, Fritz Kortner, Francis Lederer; Louise Brooks become a star and influenced a million haircuts as the voluptuous call–girl, Lulu, whose misdeeds meet with an appropriate fate.
Storm Over Asia (Potomok Chingis-Khana) (1928): Dir. Vsevolod Pudovkin; An epic of silent Russian cinema to rival Eisenstein, this is set around a young Mongol fur–trapper who is swindled by traders and develops a…
Beloved Rogue, The (1927): Dir. Alan Crosland
Feat. John Barrymore, Conrad Veidt, Henry Victor; John Barrymore stars in this silent–era biopic of the 15th Century poet, prankster, villain and French patriot François Villon.
End of St. Petersburg, The (1927): Dir. Vsevolod Pudovkin
Feat. Vera Baranovskaya, Aleksandr Chistyakov; The tensions that exploded with the 'October Revolution' in Russia, 1917 are schematised here using understated characterisations (of workers and…
Sunrise (1927): Dir. F.W. Murnau
Feat. George O'Brien, Janet Gaynor, Bodil Rosing; The first American outing from the master of German Expressionism turned out to be perhaps his best film of all. He instils an electric charge on a…
Garbo Silents Collection, The (Flesh and the Devil, The Temptress, The Mysterious Lady) (1926-1928): Dir. Clarence Brown, Fred Niblo
Feat. Greta Garbo, John Gilbert; Three MGM classics that well represent the great Greta Garbo as the ultimate silent movie icon: Flesh and the Devil (1927, 112m.) A gorgeous high…
Gribiche (Mother of Mine) (1926): Dir. Jacques Feyder; A silent French film by Jacques Feyder. A 13–year–old working–class boy lives alone with his mother. While shopping in a Paris…
La Boheme (1926): Dir. King Vidor
Feat. Lillian Gish, John Gilbert, Renee Adoree…; Silent film adaptation of the 1896 opera by Giacomo Puccini, with Lillian Gish starring alongside John Gilbert as doomed lovers Mimi and Rodolphe, a…
Mother (1926): Dir. Vsevolod Pudovkin
Feat. Vera Baranovskaya, Nikolai Batalov; In one of the masterpieces of early Russian cinema, a fable of pre–revolutionary worker–resistance and Tsarist oppression is heightened…
Battleship Potemkin (1925): Dir. Sergei Eisenstein
Feat. Alexander Antonov, Vladimir Blasky, Grigori Alexandrov; This landmark Soviet propaganda film about the 1905 revolution is one of the greatest classics of all time. The smart use of visual metaphor and that…
Last Laugh, The (Letzte Mann, Der) (1925): Dir. F.W. Murnau
Feat. Emil Jannings; One of the classics of silent German cinema, this puts visual expressionism to use for a penetrating psychological study of a man's systematic…
Late Mathias Pascal, The (Feu Mathias Pascal) (1925): Dir. Marcel L'Herbier
Feat. Ivan Mosjoukine, Michel Simon; A French silent film, based on the novel by Luigi Pirandello. Russian actor Ivan Mosjoukine stars as Mathias, an assistant librarian from a…
Variety (1925): Dir. E.A. Dupont
Feat. Emil Jannings, Lya de Putti; A cautionary fable of romantic treachery set in the since–vanished vaudeville world, lent depth through its sophisticated visual style. Emil…
Kean (1924): Dir. Alexandre Volkoff
Feat. Ivan Mosjoukine; A French silent film depicting the life of Shakespearean actor Edmund Kean, played by Ivan Mosjoukine, focusing on his romance with countess Elena de…
A Woman of Paris (1923): Dir. Charles Chaplin
Feat. Edna Purviance, Adolphe Menjou, Charles Chaplin; Chaplin's early attempt at drama is a mostly successful tale of a woman, who despite serious intentions, ends up the mistress of a boozing lecher in…
Burning Crucible, The (Le Brasier Ardent) (1923): Dir. Ivan Mosjoukine
Feat. Ivan Mosjoukine; Melodrama styled as a semi–comic Kafkaesque nightmare. The film that inspired Jean Renoir to start directing.
Beyond the Rocks (1922): Dir. Sam Wood
Feat. Rudolph Valentino, Gloria Swanson, Edythe Chapman…; Silent–era romantic drama that was considered a lost film until a nitrate print was discovered in the Netherlands in 2003 and restored to…
Phantom Carriage, The (Körkarlen) (1921): Dir. Victor Sjostrom
Feat. Victor Sjostrom, Hilda Borgström, Tore Svennberg; Impeccable Swedish silent film following a ghostly carriage as it takes a man's soul on a journey following his death on New Year's Eve, forcing him…
Blind Husbands / The Great Gabbo (1919-1929): Dir. Erich von Stroheim, James Cruze
Feat. Erich von Stroheim, Gibson Gowland, Sam De Grasse…; Two feature films on one disc featuring visionary Austrian–American silent filmmaker and actor Erich von Stroheim. Blind Husbands (directed…
Broken Blossoms (1919): Dir. D.W. Griffith
Feat. Lillian Gish, Donald Crisp, Robert Barthelmess; D.W. Griffiths low–key lyric tragedy, set in 19th century London's docklands, with Lillian Gish at her most otherworldly. As the…
Sentimental Bloke, The (1919): Dir. Raymond Longford
Feat. Arthur Tauchert; Restored version of the iconic Australian silent drama, adapted from a series of poems by C.J. Dennis, telling the story of a typical bloke meeting…
True Heart Susie (1919): Dir. D.W. Griffith
Feat. Lillian Gish, Robert Harron, Clarine Seymour…; Lillian Gish plays an innocent and big–hearted country girl who sacrifices everything for the clueless minister that breaks her heart. A…
Regeneration (w/ Young Romance) (1915): Dir. Raoul Walsh
Feat. Anna Q. Nilsson, Carl Harbaugh, Rockliffe Fellowes…; The debut feature of director Raoul Walsh is an early gangster film following the trajectory of a poor orphan who grows up to assume a powerful…
Anger Management (TV Series): Feat. Charlie Sheen, Selma Blair, Shawnee Smith; TV series which is a loose spin–off of the 2003 movie of the same name, with Jack Nicholson's character here played by Charlie Sheen. A…
Don't Blink: A compilation of short films and videos from students and independents in the South Island. Features 'Zero Graphic', 'Tuning In' and 'Domestic…
Jane Campion - 3 Films: Dir. Jane Campion; Three shorts from the formative years of NZ's most successful film–making 'export'; 'Passionless Moments' (1984, 12m.), 'A Girl's Own Story'…
Lesbian Lykra Shorts: Dir. Various.; A collection of lesbian short films from Australia, USA, UK and Holland. Broadly representative of the 'Queer Cinema' label, comedy is especially…
Peter Greenaway - The Early Works: Dir. Peter Greenaway; Water Wrackets (1978), Dear Phone (1976) and A Walk through H (1978). Three shorts from the celebrated director demonstrate his distinctive style.
Walking Past Midnight / The Terrorist: Dir. Andrea Bosshard, Shane Loader; A pair of underseen short films from two Aro Valley film–makers.

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