Beautiful Creatures 2000  R, 88 min.
Genre: Comedy
Director: Bill Eagles
Cast: Rachel Weisz, Susan Lynch, Iain Glen, Maurice Roeves, Tom Mannion, Alex Norton, Pauline Lynch, Ellie Haddington, Paul Higgins, Jake D'Arcy
Petula (Rachel Weisz) and Dorothy (Susan Lynch) share in their poor judgment of men, which becomes clear when Tony (Iain Glen) throws paint at Dorothy when she leaves him and Brian (Tom Mannion) tries to strangle Petula for even less reason. But Dorothy manages to save Petula by heaving a heavy pipe across Brian's head. Brian later dies, and the women are faced with the problem of hiding a corpse. The solution: cut off Brian's finger and send it with a ransom note.
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Blame It on the Bellboy 1992  PG-13, 78 min.
Genre: Comedy
Director: Mark Herman
Cast: Dudley Moore, Bryan Brown, Richard Griffiths, Andreas Katsulas, Patsy Kensit, Alison Steadman, Penelope Wilton, Bronson Pinchot, Jim Carter, Alex Norton, John Grillo, Andrew Bailey
Three men with similar-sounding last names check into a Venice hotel. Melvyn Orton (Dudley Moore) is a real estate agent with a deal to be made; Mike Lawton (Bryan Brown) is a hit man with a job to perform; and Maurice Horton (Richard Griffiths) has a rendezvous set up by a dating service. Their missions get swapped due to a bellboy (Bronson Pinchot) who has poor English language skills. Weak farce.
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Comfort and Joy 1984  PG, 106 min.
Genre: Comedy
Director: Bill Forsyth
Cast: Bill Paterson, Eleanor David, Clare Grogan, Alex Norton, Patrick Malahide, Rikki Fulton, Roberto Bernardi, George Rossi, Peter Rossi, Billy McElhaney
Leave it to writer/director Bill Forsyth to come up with unusual films, and this is no exception. Bill Paterson is a popular disc jockey in Glasgow, Scotland, who gets involved in a war between rival ice cream businesses by trying to act as an on-air mediator. Good premise with some funny situations.
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The Count of Monte Cristo 2002 PG-13, 118 min.
Genre: Adventure
Director: Kevin Reynolds
Cast: James Caviezel, Guy Pearce, Richard Harris, Dagmara Dominczyk, Luis Guzman, Michael Wincott, James Frain, Albie Woodington, Alex Norton, Christopher Adamson
After his jealous friend, Fernand Mondego (Guy Pearce), denounced him, sailor Edmund Dantes (James Caviezel) is imprisoned during which time he is educated by a priest, Faria (Richard Harris), who also gives him a treasure map. Sixteen years later, a wealthy Dantes has assumed the name of the Count of Monte Cristo and, along with his loyal sidekick, Jacopo (Luis Guzman), determines to get revenge.
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Local Hero 1983  PG, 110 min.
Genre: Comedy / Drama
Director: Bill Forsyth
Cast: Peter Riegert, Burt Lancaster, Denis Lawson, Peter Capaldi, Fulton Mackay, Norman Chancer, Jenny Seagrove, Rikki Fulton, Alex Norton, Christopher Rozycki, Jennifer Black, John M. Jackson, Tam Dean Burn, Kenny Ireland, Harlan Jordan
Mac and Felix (Peter Riegert and Burt Lancaster) represent Knox Oil and Gas, a company whose officers want to buy out a quiet fishing village and turn it into an oil refinery. Most of the citizens want to take the money and run, BUT old Ben (Fulton Mackay) sees the error of their decisions and holds out. Very clever and fun.
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Orphans 1997  N/R, 101 min.
Genre: Comedy / Drama
Director: Peter Mullan
Cast: Gary Lewis, Douglas Henshall, Rosemarie Stevenson, Stephen McCole, Frank Gallagher, Alex Norton, Laura O'Donnell, Dave Anderson, Gilbert Martin, Lenny Mullan
Four siblings gather in Glasgow the night before their mother's funeral. Various adventures and misadventures occur in this black comedy/dark drama.
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Patriot Games 1992 R, 116 min.
Genre: Action / Drama / Thriller
Director: Phillip Noyce
Cast: Harrison Ford, Anne Archer, Patrick Bergin, Sean Bean, Thora Birch, James Fox, Samuel L. Jackson, Polly Walker, James Earl Jones, Richard Harris, J.E. Freeman, Alex Norton, David Threlfall, Alun Armstrong, Hugh Fraser
Former CIA analyst Jack Ryan (Harrison Ford) and his family–wife Cathy (Anne Archer) and daughter Sally (Thora Birch)–are on a vacation in England. While they are preparing to tour Buckingham Palace, an assassination attempt is foiled when Jack saves Lord Holmes (James Fox) from a terrorist attack. Later, the Ryans return to the family home in Maryland but do not resume their normal routines because now they are the targets of those same terrorists, and Jack must come to the rescue.
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 Robin Hood 1991 TV, 116 min.
Genre: Adventure / Action / Drama / Romance
Director: John Irvin
Cast: Patrick Bergin, Uma Thurman, Jeroen Krabbe, Jurgen Prochnow, Edward Fox, Owen Teale, Jeff Nuttal, David Morrissey, Alex Norton, Danny Webb, Conrad Asquith, Barry Stanton, Phelim McDermott, Carolyn Backhouse, Caspar De La Mare
This made-for-TV retelling of the classic tale is a good one– about as good as the other 1991 effort starring Kevin Costner. It stays close to historical accuracy in the tale of Robin Hood (Patrick Bergin) and his group of thieves who rob the rich and give to the poor. But, the film takes interesting liberties with some of the characters–including Uma Thurman's portrayal of Maid Marian as Marian is turned from the helpless maiden in distress into a bratty young woman. Good "mood" photography.
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Scandal 1989 R, 106 min.
Genre: Drama
Director: Michael Caton-Jones
Cast: John Hurt, Joanne Whalley, Bridget Fonda, Ian McKellen, Leslie Phillips, Britt Ekland, Jeroen Krabbe, Daniel Massey, Roland Gift, Jean Alexander, Alex Norton, Leslie Phillips
The sensational Profumo Affair scandal is chronicled in this film about showgirls Christine Keeler (Joanne Whalley) and Mandy Rice-Davis (Bridget Fonda)–affairs with top British government officials. There is the original X-rated version out there, too.
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Squanto: A Warrior's Tale 1994 PG, 101 min.
Genre: Adventure
Director: Xavier Koller
Cast: Adam Beach, Mandy Patinkin, Michael Gambon, Nathaniel Parker, Eric Schweig, Irene Bedard, Alex Norton, Stuart Pankin, Donal Donnelly, Mark Margolis
Native American Squanto (Adam Beach) was one of the first to greet the newly arrived Pilgrims in the 17th century. Squanto suffered many adversities at the hands of the Englishmen; however, he still tried to create a peaceful existence between the two nations. Disney creates history here just as in "Pocahontas."
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| 1. Beautiful Creatures (2000)
2. Blame It on the Bellboy (1992)
3. Comfort and Joy (1984)
4. The Count of Monte Cristo (2002)
5. Local Hero (1983)
6. Orphans (1997)
7. Patriot Games (1992)
8. Robin Hood (1991)
9. Scandal (1989)
10. Squanto: A Warrior's Tale (1994)
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