 Babel 2006   R, 142 min.
Genre: Drama / Thriller
Director: Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu
Cast: Brad Pitt, Cate Blanchett, Adriana Barraza, Gael Garcia Bernal, Rinko Kikuchi, Koji Yakusho, Elle Fanning, Nathan Gamble, Mohamed Akhzam, Mustapha Amhita, Peter Wight, Harriet Walter, Boubker Ait El Caid
This story involves people in four cities showing how we are all interconnected despite differences in geography and race. It begins with a random shooting in Morocco by a young boy that leaves Susan (Cate Blanchett) bleeding badly. As American tourists, Susan and husband Richard (Brad Pitt) are on a trip hoping to repair their marriage, and now Richard fights to keep Susan alive. The scene switches to Tokyo where deaf-mute teenager Chieko (Rinko Kikuchi) engages in sexual acts as a outlet to deal with her mother's suicide. Finally, the scene cuts back to San Diego where Richard and Susan's illegal alien housekeeper Amelia (Adriana Barraza) faces the problem of what to do with their children who she is tending while Richard and Susan are away. Amelia's son is getting married in Mexico, and she opts to take the American children across the border for the wedding. But, as luck would have it, problems present themselves when the group attempts to re-cross the border. The film received an Oscar for Best Original Score; five other nominations were received, including Best Picture, Director, Supporting Actor (Rinko Kikuchi), and Supporting Actress (Adriana Barraza).
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Heidi 2005  N/R, 104 min.
Genre: Family / Drama / Adventure
Director: Paul Marcus
Cast: Emma Bolger, Max von Sydow, Geraldine Chaplin, Pauline McLynn, Diana Rigg, Del Synnott, Oliver Ford Davies, Jessica Claridge, Robert Bathurst, Sam Friend, Kellie Shirley, Caroline Pegg, Jessica James, Peter Wight
Aunt Detie (Pauline McLynn) drops young orphan Heidi (Emma Bolger) off to live with her Grandfather (Max von Sydow) in the Swiss Alps. Heidi loves her new life with the goats and neighbor boy Peter (Sam Friend)–until Aunt Detie reappears on the scene and takes Heidi to Frankfort where she is supposed to be a companion to wheelchair-bound Clara (Jessica Claridge). Clara's kindly Grandmamma (Diana Rigg) teaches Heidi to read, but Heidi is still homesick for Grandfather, Peter, and the goats.
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 Hot Fuzz 2007   R, 121 min.
Genre: Action / Comedy / Drama
Director: Edgar Wright
Cast: Simon Pegg, Nick Frost, Jim Broadbent, Paddy Considine, Timothy Dalton, Bill Nighy, Billie Whitelaw, Martin Freeman, Robert Popper, Eric Mason, Timothy Barlow, Steve Coogan, Edward Woodward, Olivia Colman, Peter Wight
Sergeant Nicholas Angel (Simon Pegg) annoys his fellow London police officers with his by-the-book procedures and an arrest record that is 400% higher than any of the other officers. As a result, Angel is sent to the quiet village of Sandford, which is far away from the London police force. In Sandford, Angel is partnered with very eager Danny Butterman (Nick Frost) who is the son of Sandford's police chief Frank Butterman (Jim Broadbent). As an action-movie fan, Danny is excited about being teamed up with someone of Angel's reputation, but the rest of the Sandford police do not appreciate having Angel on its force. Angel is not convinced that the quiet town of Sandford is what it seems, and when a crime wave involving accidents hits Sandford, Angel rises to the occasion–with Danny close behind.
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Lucky Break 2001  PG-13, 107 min.
Genre: Comedy / Drama
Director: Peter Cattaneo
Cast: James Nesbitt, Olivia Williams, Timothy Spall, Bill Nighy, Lennie James, Ron Cook, Frank Harper, Christopher Plummer, Raymond Waring, Julian Barratt, Peter Wight, Celia Imrie, Ram John Holder
Jimmy Hands (James Nesbitt) and his friend Rudy (Lennie James) fail in their attempted bank robbery and end up in prison. Now, they plot an escape when they perform in an in-house play, "Nelson: The Musical," that is written by amateur playwright Graham Mortimer (Christopher Plummer) who just happens to be the prison warden. Complications develop as opening night draws near.
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Meantime 1984 N/R, 104 min.
Genre: Comedy / Drama
Director: Mike Leigh
Cast: Marion Bailey, Phil Daniels, Tim Roth, Gary Oldman, Pam Ferris, Jeff Robert, Alfred Molina, Paul Daly, Tilly Vosburgh, Peter Wight, Leila Bertrand, Hepburn Graham, Eileen Davies, Herbert Norville, Brian Hoskin
In this made-for-British-TV film, the Pollack family–Frank (Jeff Robert), Mavis (Pam Ferris), and their sons Mark (Phil Daniels) and Colin (Tim Roth)–live in a run-down flat in London's East End. Frank is unemployed as are his sons–until Mavis' sister Barbara (Marion Bailey) offers Colin a job wallpapering her home. Mark is jealous of the offer and tries to talk Colin out of taking the job–and problems continue as other family members also manipulate each other.
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Naked 1993 N/R, 126 min.
Genre: Drama / Comedy
Director: Mike Leigh
Cast: David Thewlis, Lesley Sharp, Katrin Cartlidge, Greg Cruttwell, Claire Skinner, Peter Wight, Elizabeth Berrington, Ewen Bremner, Susan Vidler, Deborah MacLaren, Gina McKee, Carolina Giammetta, Peter Whitman, David Foxxe, Toby Jones
Johnny (David Thewlis) is a drifter who heads to London to escape from the family whose daughter he has raped. He looks up his old girlfriend Louise (Lesley Sharp), seduces her roommate Sophie (Katrin Cartlidge), and then roams London's streets where he meets people who seem to be living on or over the edge. Finally, Johnny returns to Sophie's home and meets Jeremy (Greg Cruttwell) whose life is a mirror image of his own defiant lifestyle. There is comedy mixed with pathos in this well-acted, philosophical story that exposes the deeper psychological sides of its characters.
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The Return of the Native 1994 PG, 100 min.
Genre: Drama
Director: Jack Gold
Cast: Catherine Zeta-Jones, Ray Stevenson, Clive Owen, Joan Plowright, Steven Mackintosh, Claire Skinner, Paul Rogers, Celia Imrie, Peter Wight, Gregg Saunders
Beautiful Eustacia (Catherine Zeta-Jones) lives in rustic Egdon Heath, but she dreams of living in Paris and thinks she has found her escape by marrying a Paris jeweler, Clym (Ray Stevenson), Plans go awry when Clym, for health reasons, opts to remain at Egdon Heath, but, undaunted, Eustacia now sets her sights on the rogue, Damon (Clive Owen).
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Vera Drake 2004 R, 125 min.
Genre: Drama
Director: Mike Leigh
Cast: Imelda Staunton, Philip Davis, Peter Wight, Adrian Scarborough, Heather Craney, Daniel Mays, Alex Kelley, Eddie Marsan, Richard Graham, Ruth Sheen, Helen Coker, Allan Corduner
In 1950s' England, devoted wife/daughter/mother/housekeeper Vera (Imelda Staunton) also works on the side as an abortionist helping women in need of her services in her blue-collar town. When one of her "patients" ends up in the hospital, Vera and her family pay the consequences. Three Academy Award nominations were received, including Best Actress (Imelda Staunton) and Director.
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| 1. Babel (2006)
2. Heidi (2005)
3. Hot Fuzz (2007)
4. Lucky Break (2001)
5. Meantime (1984)
6. Naked (1993)
7. The Return of the Native (1994)
8. Vera Drake (2004)
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