The Cherry Orchard 1999  N/R, 137 min.
Genre: Drama
Director: Michael Cacoyannis
Cast: Charlotte Rampling, Alan Bates, Katrin Cartlidge, Owen Teale, Tushka Bergen, Xander Berkeley, Gerard Butler, Andrew Howard, Melanie Lynskey, Ian McNeice
This film is based on one of Russian writer Anton Chekhov's greatest plays. Set in 1900 Russia, the story philosophizes about the fact that freeing the serfs has led to self-made businessmen while members of the aristocracy no longer can afford their accustomed lifestyles. Madame Ranyevskaya (Charlotte Rampling) is faced with a decision: sell the family's cherry orchard to a developer who will cut down all the trees–or risk losing everything.
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 Cleopatra 1999 TV, 139 min.
Genre: Drama
Director: Franc Roddam
Cast: Leonor Varela, Timothy Dalton, Billy Zane, Rupert Graves, John Bowe, Art Malik, Nadim Sawalha, Owen Teale, Bruce Payne, Sean Pertwee, Philip Quast, Daragh O'Malley, David Schofield, Kassandra Voyagis, Indra Ove
In this made-for-HBO miniseries, this is the story of the out-of-wedlock child produced by Julius Caesar and Cleopatra (Timothy Dalton and Leonor Varela), as well as their son's possible selection to be Caesar's successor. This sets off Caesar's assassination with Marc Antony (Billy Zane) and Octavian (Rupert Graves) left to divide the Roman Empire while Cleopatra casts her spell on Marc Antony.
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Conspiracy 2001  R, 96 min.
Genre: Drama
Director: Frank Pierson
Cast: Stanley Tucci, Kenneth Branagh, Colin Firth, Barnaby Kay, Ben Daniels, David Threlfall, Jonathan Coy, Brendan Coyle, Ian McNeice, Owen Teale, Nicholas Woodeson, Ewan Stewart, Kevin McNally, Brian Pettifer, Peter Sullivan
In 1942, Nazi leaders met in the Berlin suburb of Wannsee to discuss and decide actions to be taken to solve the Jewish "problem." Their conclusion: extermination. This HBO-produced film tells the story of that Wannsee Conference. Good cast, good film.
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The Hawk 1993 R, 86 min.
Genre: Drama / Thriller
Director: David Hayman
Cast: Helen Mirren, George Costigan, Owen Teale, Melanie Till, Rosemary Leach, Pooky Quesnel, Clive Russell, David Harewood, Marie Hamer, Christipher Madin, Helen Ryan, John Duttine
Annie Marsh (Helen Mirren) suspects that her husband Stephen (George Costigan) is the serial killer known as "The Hawk." After confiding in her friend Norma (Melanie Till), Annie goes to the police, but she fears that they will not believe her because she has spent time in a mental hospital.
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The Last Legion 2007   PG-13, 110 min.
Genre: Action / Adventure / Drama
Director: Doug Lefler
Cast: Colin Firth, Ben Kingsley, Aishwarya Rai, Peter Mullan, Kevin McKidd, John Hannah, Iain Glen, Thomas Sangster, Rupert Friend, Nonso Anozie, Owen Teale, Alexander Siddig, Robert Pugh, James Cosmo, Harry Van Gorkum
Odoacer (Peter Mullan) leads the Goth takeover, and Rome falls resulting in its last emperor, 12-year-old Romulus Augustus (Thomas Sangster), and his mentor and tutor Ambrosinus (Ben Kingsley) being exiled to Capri. On the isle, Romulus discovers the legendary sword of Julius Caesar, and he determines to save Rome. But he needs help, and help comes in the form of loyal legionnaire Aurelius (Colin Firth), his small group of loyal men, and a mysterious warrior (Aishwarya Rai) who help Romulus escape from the island and travel to Britannia in search of the last Roman Legion to aid in their stand against the Goths to regain Rome.
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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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| 1. The Cherry Orchard (1999)
2. Cleopatra (1999)
3. Conspiracy (2001)
4. The Hawk (1993)
5. The Last Legion (2007)
6. Robin Hood (1991)
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