Alice Through the Looking Glass 1998 TV, 90 min. Genre: Family / Fantasy
Director: John Henderson Cast: Kate Beckinsale, Ian Holm, Penelope Wilton, Michael Medwin, Geoffrey Palmer, Steve Coogan, Gary Olsen, Ian Richardson, Marc Warren, Sian Phillips, Rebecca R. Palmer, Greg Wise, Louise J. Taylor, Desmond Barrit, Jonathan Bailey
In this TV version of the Lewis Carroll classic, grown-up Alice (Kate Beckinsale) is transported through the looking glass while reading to her daughter. On the other side of the looking glass, Alice encounters the Red Queen (Sian Phillips) and sets off across a huge chessboard. She becomes the White Queen's (Penelope Wilton) pawn and is told that when she reaches the eighth square she will become a queen. Among the characters Alice meets while traveling along the chess board are the White Knight (Ian Holm), Tweedle Dum and Tweedle Dee (Gary Olsen and Marc Warren), Humpty Dumpty (Desmond Barrit), and the White King (Geoffrey Palmer). Alice's adventures are enhanced by a combination of live action, animation, and special effects.
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Anna and the King 1999 PG-13, 145 min. Genre: Drama / Romance
Director: Andy Tennant Cast: Jodie Foster, Yun-Fat Chow, Ling Bai, Tom Felton, Syed Alwi, Randall Duk Kim, Lim Kay Siu, Melissa Campbell, Keith Chin, Mano Maniam, Shanthini Venugopal, Deanna Yusoff, Geoffrey Palmer, Ann Firbank, Bill Stewart
In this classic story of Empire vs. Colonial cultures, Anna Leonowens (Jodie Foster) is a prim, widowed British schoolteacher who has been hired as a tutor for the King (Yun-Fat Chow) of Siam's oldest child. She travels miles from home and arrives in Siam with her young son Louis (Tom Felton). Now, Anna learns that the King has 26 wives and 53 children. She and the King begin with prejudices against the others' cultures, but both realize the importance of educating the children and begin to recognize the good qualities in each other.
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Beyond the Limit 1983 R, 103 min. Genre: Action / Drama / Romance
Director: John Mackenzie Cast: Michael Caine, Richard Gere, Bob Hoskins, Elpidia Carrillo, A Martinez, Joaquim de Almeida, Stephanie Cotsirilos, Domingo Ambriz, Eric F. Valdez, Nicolas Jasso, Geoffrey Palmer, Leonard Maguire, Jorge Russek, Erika Carlsen, Josefina Echanove
This film adaptation of Graham Greene's "The Honorary Consul" involves a love triangle between a British Doctor Eduardo Plarr (Richard Gere) and kidnapped diplomat Charley Fortnum (Michael Caine) and his ex-prostitute wife. All of the action takes place in hot, humid Argentina where revolutionaries are involved in a possible government takeover.
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A Fish Called Wanda 1988 R, 108 min. Genre: Comedy / Drama
Director: Charles Crichton, John Cleese Cast: John Cleese, Jamie Lee Curtis, Kevin Kline, Michael Palin, Maria Aitken, Tom Georgeson, Patricia Hayes, Geoffrey Palmer, Cynthia Cleese, Mark Elwes, Neville Phillips, Peter Jonfield, Ken Campbell, Roger Hume, Al Ashton
George (Tom Georgeson) and stuttering Ken Pile (Michael Palin) make up half of a quartet of jewelry thieves. Rounding out their little group is Wanda Gershwitz (Jamie Lee Curtis) who, as the means of grabbing the jewels for herself, finds a way to get her bumbling lover Otto (Kevin Kline) into the group. After the heist is completed, Wanda and Otto call the police, and George is arrested. But, George has hidden the jewels. As a way to find them, Wanda seduces George's lawyer, Archie Leach (John Cleese)–hoping that as part of George's plea he will reveal to Archie where the jewels are hidden. But, Wanda's tricks are turned when she falls for Archie. Kevin Kline carried away an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor.
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Mrs. Brown 1997 PG, 103 min. Genre: Drama
Director: John Madden Cast: Judi Dench, Billy Connolly, Geoffrey Palmer, Antony Sher, Gerard Butler, Richard Pasco, David Westhead, Bridget McConnell, Georgie Glen, Catherine O'Donnell
This is a rendition of Queen Victoria's poignant love story, which followed the death of her beloved Albert. She finds solace with a Scottish commoner. Judi Dench and Billy Connolly perform magnificently as the lovers. Dench received an Academy Award nomination.
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Peter Pan 2003 PG, 113 min. Genre: Family / Adventure / Fantasy / Romance
Director: P.J. Hogan Cast: Jason Isaacs, Jeremy Sumpter, Rachel Hurd-Wood, Lynn Redgrave, Richard Briers, Olivia Williams, Geoffrey Palmer, Harry Newell, Freddie Popplewell, Ludivine Sagnier, Theodore Chester, Rupert Simonian, George MacKay, Harry Eden, Patrick Gooch
This live action film–about the Darling family children's visit to Never Never Land as the guest of Peter Pan (Jeremy Sumpter)–compares well with the Disney animated version. Wendy (Rachel Hurd-Wood) and her brothers John and Michael (Harry Newell and Freddie Popplewell) join Peter Pan and the Lost Boys for a daring adventure that leads them to a showdown with the evil Captain Hook (Jason Isaacs–who also doubles as Wendy's father).
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The Pink Panther 2 2009 ', 92 min. Genre: Family / Comedy / Adventure / Mystery
Director: Harald Zwart Cast: Steve Martin, Jean Reno, Emily Mortimer, Andy Garcia, Alfred Molina, Yuki Matsuzaki, Aishwarya Rai, John Cleese, Lily Tomlin, Jeremy Irons, Johnny Hallyday, Geoffrey Palmer, Phillip Goodwin, Armel Bellec, Jack Metzger
Steve Martin is back in his role as Inspector Clouseau. This time around, a master thief, "The Tornado," has stolen the Magna Carta, the pope's ring, and the Pink Panther diamond. Chief Inspector Dreyfus (John Cleese) assigns Clouseau to head up an international "dream team"–Vincenzo (Andy Garcia), Pepperidge (Alfred Molina), Kenji (Yuki Matsuzaki), and Sonia (Aishwarya Rai)–and they set out to solve the case. Clouseau's partner Ponton (Jean Reno) and Clouseau's love interest, Nicole (Emily Mortimer), are also along on the trip from Paris to Rome and help in the bumbling search for the stolen artfacts.
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Rat 2000 PG, 88 min. Genre: Comedy / Drama / Fantasy
Director: Steve Barron Cast: Pete Postlethwaite, Imelda Staunton, Frank Kelly, David Wilmot, Kerry Condon, Andrew Lovern, Veronica Duffy, Ed Byrne, Niall Toibin, Peter Caffrey, Rita Hamill, Roxanna Williams, Geoffrey Palmer, Stanley Townsend, Simon Delaney
Hubert (Pete Postlethwaite) loves to drop by the pub for drinks and gambling in this Irish fable. One evening while on his way home he changes into a rat–a big white one. His long-suffering wife (Imelda Staunton) figures it's just another of his many tricks, but the others of his family and friends view his situation differently. Odd, but somewhat fun.
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Tomorrow Never Dies 1997 PG-13, 119 min. Genre: Action / Adventure / Thriller
Director: Roger Spottiswoode Cast: Pierce Brosnan, Jonathan Pryce, Michelle Yeoh, Teri Hatcher, Gotz Otto, Judi Dench, Desmond Llewelyn, Samantha Bond, Joe Don Baker, Vincent Schiavelli, Ricky Jay, Colin Salmon, Geoffrey Palmer, Julian Fellowes, Terence Rigby
This top-flight James Bond adventure stars Pierce Brosnan as Agent 007 battling media baron Elliot Carver (Jonathan Pryce) who will stop at nothing to boost his ratings–even starting World War III as he and his cohorts plot to sink a British naval ship and then place the blame on China. Bond teams up with Chinese External Security Force agent Wai Lin (Michelle Yeoh) to bring an end to Carver's madness. Carver is married to Paris (Teri Hatcher) who just happens to be one of Bond's former lovers, and his superior, M (Judi Dench), ensures that the past relationship is exploited as Bond and Wai Lin go after the ruthless Carver.
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| 1. Alice Through the Looking Glass (1998)
2. Anna and the King (1999)
3. Beyond the Limit (1983)
4. A Fish Called Wanda (1988)
5. Mrs. Brown (1997)
6. Peter Pan (2003)
7. The Pink Panther 2 (2009)
8. Rat (2000)
9. Tomorrow Never Dies (1997)
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