Atonement 2007  R, 126 min.
Genre: Drama / Romance
Director: Joe Wright
Cast: James McAvoy, Keira Knightley, Saoirse Ronan, Brenda Blethyn, Romola Garai, Vanessa Redgrave, Benedict Cumberbatch, Harriet Walter, Daniel Mays, Juno Temple, Nonso Anozie, Julia West
The story begins in Surrey, England, during 1935 when an aspiring writer, 13-year-old Briony Tallis, falsely accuses her sister Cecilia's (Keira Knightley) boyfriend Robbie (James McAvoy) of a rape that he did not commit. Robbie is sent to prison. Five years later, World War II has begun, Robbie is released from prison and sent to fight in France, and Robbie and Cecilia have not forgotten each other. Briony is now an 18 year old in nurses training, realizes the mistake she made in her accusation five years ago, and will spend most of the rest of her life trying to atone for that mistake. Vanessa Redgrave takes the role of the older Briony as she suffers because of her earlier action. The film received an Academy Award for Best Original Score; six other nominations nominations included Best Picture and Supporting Actress (Saoirse Ronan).
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Becoming Jane 2007  PG, 120 min.
Genre: Drama / Romance
Director: Julian Jarrold
Cast: Anne Hathaway, James McAvoy, Julie Walters, James Cromwell, Maggie Smith, Joe Anderson, Lucy Cohu, Laurence Fox, Ian Richardson, Anna Maxwell Martin, Leo Bill, Jessica Ashworth, Eleanor Methven, Michael James Ford
In Steventon, Hampshire, during 1795, 20-year-old Jane Austen's (Anne Hathaway) parents (James Cromwell and Julie Walters) are looking for a wealthy aristocrat for Jane to marry and have chosen Mr. Wisley (Laurence Fox). But, Jane is attracted to law student Tom Lefroy (James McAvoy) who has nothing to offer her financially. Now Tom and Jane must make the decision of whether or not to marry for love and risk alienating family and friends.
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 Bright Young Things 2003 R, 105 min.
Genre: Comedy
Director: Stephen Fry
Cast: Stephen Campbell Moore, Emily Mortimer, David Tennant, Fenella Woolgar, James McAvoy, Julia McKenzie, Stockard Channing, Alex Barclay, Simon Callow, Dan Aykroyd, Bill Paterson, Imelda Staunton
Adapted from Evelyn Waugh's "Vile Bodies," this tale satirizes the lifestyles of upper-crust Londoners during the late 1930s.
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 Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe 2005 PG, 140 min.
Genre: Adventure / Fantasy
Director: Andrew Adamson
Cast: Georgie Henley, Skandar Keynes, William Moseley, Anna Popplewell, Tilda Swinton, James McAvoy, Jim Broadbent, Liam Neeson, Kiran Shah, James Cosmo, Elizabeth Hawthorne, Judy McIntosh
For their own protection during the air raids of World War II, four London children–Lucy (Georgie Henley), Edmund (Skandar Keynes), Peter (William Moseley), and Susan (Anna Popplewell)–are sent to the country home of Professor Kirke (Jim Broadbent). While exploring the house, the children discover a wardrobe that leads to the magical world of Narnia. Once there, they encounter the evil White Witch (Tilda Swinton), but they get help from Aslan the Lion (Liam Neeson) and work together to rid Narnia of the White Witch. The film received an Academy Award for Best Makeup and received two additional nominations.
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Inside I'm Dancing 2004 R, 104 min.
Genre: Drama / Comedy
aka: Rory O'Shea Was Here
Director: Damien O'Donnell
Cast: James McAvoy, Steven Robertson, Romola Garai, Gerard McSorley, Tom Hickey, Brenda Fricker, Alan King, Ruth McCabe, Pat Shortt, Anna Healy
Wheelchair-bound Rory O'Shea (James McAvoy) moves into a home for the disabled, befriends cerebral palsy victim Michael (Steven Robertson), and opens up a new world of possibilities for Michael when they leave the institution, move into their own home, and hire a caretaker.
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The Last King of Scotland 2006 R, 121 min.
Genre: Drama
Director: Kevin Macdonald
Cast: Forest Whitaker, James McAvoy, Kerry Washington, Gillian Anderson, Simon McBurney, David Oyelowo, Abby Mikiibi Nkaaga, Adam Kotz, Sam Okello, Stephen Rwangyezi, Barbara Rafferty, David Ashton
While on a medical mission to Uganda, young Dr. Nicholas Garrigan (James McAvoy) is chosen by new President Idi Amin (Forest Whitaker) to serve as his personal physician. Amin is impressed with Garrigan's medical abilities and also with his Scottish heritage. Garrigan enjoys his new position and apparently is oblivious to the tortures and murders of those opposed to Amin–until he is clued in by British Agent Nigel Stone (Simon McBurney). Garrigan now sees the error of his ways and tries to escape from Uganda alive. Forest Whitaker received an Academy Award Best Actor.
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Penelope 2007 PG, 102 min.
Genre: Comedy / Fantasy / Romance
Director: Mark Palansky
Cast: Christina Ricci, James McAvoy, Catherine O'Hara, Reese Witherspoon, Peter Dinklage, Richard E. Grant, Simon Woods, Ronni Ancona, Jason Thornton, Michael Feast, Paul Herbert, Nick Frost, Lenny Henry
Penelope was born into a wealthy family with one problem: a family curse was thrown by a witch years ago that caused Penelope to be born with a nose that resembles that of a pig. The only way to break the curse is for Penelope to find true love with "one of her own kind." Every prospective suitor heads for the door after seeing Penelope's nose, but gambler Max (James McAvoy) is an exception. Max is paid by reporter Lemon (Peter Dinklage) and would-be-bridegroom Edward Vanderman, Jr. (Simon Woods) to woo Penelope and take a picture of her. Now, will Max turn out to be Penelope's Prince Charming, and will they live happily ever after?
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Wanted 2008 R, 110 min.
Genre: Action / Drama / Thriller
Director: Timur Bekmambetov
Cast: James McAvoy, Morgan Freeman, Angelina Jolie, Terence Stamp, Thomas Kretschmann, Common, Kristen Hager, Marc Warren, David O'Hara, Konstantin Khabensky, Dato Bakhtadze, Chris Pratt, Lorna Scott
Fox (Angelina Jolie) recruits Wesley Gibson (James McAvoy) into an assassination club, The Fraternity, that devotes itself to maintaining a good balance in life through assassinations. Fox tells Wesley that his father had been a member, and Wesley learns that his father was brutally murdered. The Fraternity leader Sloan (Morgan Freeman) wants Wesley to avenge his father's death. Now, Wesley goes through rigorous training with guns, fists, knives, cars crashing, and blood spewing until he is prepared for his mission. In the process of learning how to destroy lives, will Wesley learn how to control his own destiny?
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| 1. Atonement (2007)
2. Becoming Jane (2007)
3. Bright Young Things (2003)
4. Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe (2005)
5. Inside I'm Dancing (2004)
aka: Rory O'Shea Was Here
6. The Last King of Scotland (2006)
7. Penelope (2007)
8. Wanted (2008)
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