 Hamlet 1996   PG-13, 238 min.
Genre: Drama / Romance / Thriller
Director: Kenneth Branagh
Cast: Kenneth Branagh, Derek Jacobi, Julie Christie, Kate Winslet, Charlton Heston, Robin Williams, Jack Lemmon, Billy Crystal, Gerard Depardieu, John Gielgud, Richard Briers, Nicholas Farrell, Michael Maloney, Brian Blessed, Judi Dench
"Hamlet," the melancholy Dane, is directed by and stars Kenneth Branagh in this–indeed unique–innovative presentation of Shakespeare's classic. Branagh uses Shakespeare's entire text to uncover the layers behind the Bard of Avon's words in his play about Hamlet (Branagh) seeking revenge for his father the king's murder. Julie Christie plays Gertrude, Hamlet's mother who marries her brother-in-law Claudius (Derek Jacobi) soon after her husband's murder. His father's ghost (Brian Blessed) appears and tells Hamlet to be kind to Gertrude but to kill Claudius who had murdered him. Now, insanity takes over resulting in homicide and suicide.
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 Hamlet 1990 PG, 135 min.
Genre: Drama / Romance
Director: Franco Zeffirelli
Cast: Mel Gibson, Glenn Close, Alan Bates, Paul Scofield, Ian Holm, Helena Bonham Carter, Stephen Dillane, John McEnery, Vernon Dobtcheff, Pete Postlethwaite, Nathaniel Parker, Sean Murray, Michael Maloney, Trevor Peacock, Christien Anholt
Hamlet (Mel Gibson), the Prince of Denmark, finds his life changing after his father's murder. Soon after Hamlet's father dies, his mother, Queen Gertrude (Glenn Close) marries her brother-in-law Claudius (Alan Bates). When his father's ghost (Paul Schofield) appears, he tells Hamlet that it was Claudius who killed him and orders Hamlet to avenge his murder. Hamlet fakes madness to avoid suspicion, and the death toll rises. Victims include Claudius, Hamlet's friends and family, and even Hamlet. A very good remake of the Shakespeare classic.
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Notes on a Scandal 2006  R, 92 min.
Genre: Drama
Director: Richard Eyre
Cast: Judi Dench, Cate Blanchett, Bill Nighy, Andrew Simpson, Philip Davis, Michael Maloney, Juno Temple, Max Lewis, Joanna Scanlan, Julia McKenzie, Shaun Parkes, Tom Georgeson, Emma Kennedy, Tameka Empson, Wendy Nottingham
New art teacher Sheba Hart (Cate Blanchett) makes friends with elderly spinster, history teacher Barbara Covett (Judi Dench). As the school year progresses, Barbara learns that Sheba is having an affair with 15-year-old Steven (Andrew Simpson). The unstable Barbara tells Sheba that she will keep her secret only if she will immediately end the affair with Steven. This offer could lead to Sheba becoming Barbara's best friend, but will this kind of friendship survive? The film received four Oscar nominations, including Best Actress (Judi Dench) and Supporting Actress (Cate Blanchett).
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Othello 1995  R, 125 min.
Genre: Drama
Director: Oliver Parker
Cast: Laurence Fishburne, Nathaniel Parker, Kenneth Branagh, Irene Jacob, Michael Maloney, Anna Patrick, Nicholas Farrell, Indra Ove
Shakespeare's famous play is again brought to the screen; this time Laurence Fishburne plays the title role of the Moor who is manipulated by the evil Iago (Kenneth Branagh) until he believes that his new wife, Desdemona (Irene Jacob), has been unfaithful.
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Sherlock Holmes and the Baker Street Irregulars 2007 TV, 90 min.
Genre: Family / Drama / Mystery
aka: Baker Street Irregulars
Director: Julian Kemp
Cast: Jonathan Pryce, Bill Paterson, Anna Chancellor, Michael Maloney, Aaron Johnson, Benjamin Smith, Mia Fernandez, Brendan Patricks, Dean Gibbons, Alice Hewkin, Megan Jones
In this made-for-TV production, Sherlock Holmes (Jonathan Pryce) is helping police Inspector Stirling (Michael Maloney) investigate the death of a policeman. Another officer is killed, and Holmes is put under house arrest for the murders after police find stolen jade spoons in his attic. Meanwhile, two members of the Baker Street Irregulars are kidnapped, and those street kids work with Holmes to free the kidnap victims, solve the murder Holmes is accused of committing, and prevent a heist in the process.
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Truly, Madly, Deeply 1991 PG, 106 min.
Genre: Drama
Director: Anthony Minghella
Cast: Juliet Stevenson, Alan Rickman, Bill Paterson, Michael Maloney, Jenny Howe, Carolyn Choa, Christopher Rozycki, Keith Bartlett, David Ryall, Stella Maris
Nina (Juliet Stevenson) and Jamie (Alan Rickman) were devoted lovers and also enjoyed their musical life together. When Jamie dies, Nina can't get over it despite the attempts to cheer her up by friends and neighbors. Then Jamie's ghost shows up, and the couple takes up life again. An interesting little twist on the ghost theme. 1 User Review
| User Review |
| | Beautiful, tender, nuanced, funny, poignant, original | Anonymous 03/11/2007 | | |
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| 1. Hamlet (1996)
2. Hamlet (1990)
3. Notes on a Scandal (2006)
4. Othello (1995)
5. Sherlock Holmes and the Baker Street Irregulars (2007)
aka: Baker Street Irregulars
6. Truly, Madly, Deeply (1991)
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