Cheri 2009  R, 92 min.
Genre: Drama / Romance
Director: Stephen Frears
Cast: Michelle Pfeiffer, Kathy Bates, Rupert Friend, Felicity Jones, Frances Tomeltry, Anita Pallenberg, Harriet Walter, Iben Hjejle, Gaye Brown, Rollo Weeks, Joe Sheridan, Tom Burke
In Paris during the early 20th century, Lea de Lonval (Michelle Pfeiffer) is retiring from her life as a seductress when she begins a six-year, on-again-off-again love affair with Cheri (Rupert Friend) who happens to be the immature son of her former rival, Madame Charlotte Peloux (Kathy Bates). Along the way, Charlotte steps in and plots to separate Lea and Cheri by arranging a match between Cheri and 18-year-old Edmee (Felicity Jones).
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Dangerous Liaisons 1988  R, 120 min.
Genre: Drama / Romance
Director: Stephen Frears
Cast: Glenn Close, John Malkovich, Michelle Pfeiffer, Swoosie Kurtz, Keanu Reeves, Mildred Natwick, Uma Thurman, Peter Capaldi, Joe Sheridan, Valerie Gogan, Laura Benson, Joanna Pavlis
Upper-class 18th-century France with its social caste system and its attendant autocratic snobbery is depicted in this film. The Marquis de Mertereil (Glenn Close) and the Vicomte de Valmont (John Malkovich) are ex-lovers who plot and scheme against their victims. The film won three Oscars (Best Writing, Art Direction, and Costume Design) and was nominated for Best Picture, Actress (Close), and Supporting Actress (Michelle Pfeiffer).
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 Dirty Pretty Things 2002  R, 107 min.
Genre: Drama
Director: Stephen Frears
Cast: Chiwetel Ejiofor, Audrey Tautou, Sergi Lopez, Sophie Okonedo, Benedict Wong, Zlatko Buric, Kriss Dosanjh, Israel Aduramo, Yemi Ajibade, Nizwar Karanj
Problems faced by illegal immigrants are the focus of this story. Okwe (Chiwetel Ejiofor) was a Nigerian doctor who now ekes out a living in London working as a cab driver and hotel porter. Then there is his friend, Senay (Audrey Tautou), who is a Turkish illegal immigrant finding survival by offering sexual favors to her sweatshop boss. As if that's not enough, the hotel manager (Sergi Lopez) buys human kidneys from desperate donors, which he sells on the black market. Despite all, Okwe and Senay are survivors.
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Fail Safe 2000 TV, 95 min.
Genre: Drama / Thriller
Director: Stephen Frears
Cast: Richard Dreyfuss, Noah Wyle, Brian Dennehy, Sam Elliott, James Cromwell, John Diehl, Hank Azaria, Norman Lloyd, Bill Smitrovich, Don Cheadle, George Clooney, Harvey Keitel, Doris Belack, Grant Heslov, Tommy Hinkley
This remake of the 1964 film about the United States accidentally dropping a hydrogen bomb over the Soviet Union features George Clooney as Col. Jack Grady, the leader of the mission who was given faulty orders. As the plot unfolds, the U.S. President (Richard Dreyfuss) uses his translator (Noah Wyle) to try to convince the Soviet Premier that the whole operation is a mistake and that the United States does not want an all-out war.
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Gumshoe 1971 PG, 88 min.
Genre: Comedy / Drama / Mystery
Director: Stephen Frears
Cast: Albert Finney, Billie Whitelaw, Frank Finlay, Janice Rule, Carolyn Seymour, Fulton Mackay, George Innes, George Silver, Bill Dean, Wendy Richard, Maureen Lipman, Neville Smith, Oscar James, Joe Kenyon, Bert King
Comedian and nightclub bingo caller Eddie Ginley (Albert Finney) dreams of becoming a detective. Despite warnings from his brother and sister-in-law William and Ellen (Frank Finlay and Billie Whitelaw), Eddie uses a newspaper to advertise his services as a private-eye. He is hired by Jacob De Fries (George Silver) and soon finds himself involved in drug and gun smuggling as well as dealing with members of the South African liberation movement.
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 Hero 1992 PG-13, 112 min.
Genre: Comedy / Drama
aka: Accidental Hero
Director: Stephen Frears
Cast: Dustin Hoffman, Geena Davis, Andy Garcia, Joan Cusack, Kevin J. O'Connor, Maury Chaykin, Stephen Tobolowsky, Tom Arnold, Warren Berlinger, Christian Clemenson, Susie Cusack, Richard Riehle, Cady Huffman, James Madio, Daniel Baldwin
Andy Garcia plays John Bubber who takes credit and the $1,000,000 reward for the rescue effort of a burning airplane. In fact, the real hero is Bernie LaPlante (Dustin Hoffman) who is amazed at the attention and money Bubber receives.
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The Hi-Lo Country 1998 R, 114 min.
Genre: Drama
Director: Stephen Frears
Cast: Woody Harrelson, Billy Crudup, Patricia Arquette, Cole Hauser, James Gammon, Penelope Cruz, Darren E. Burrows, Jacob Vargas, Lane Smith, Katy Jurado
Texas cowboys–Big Boy Matson (Woody Harrelson) and Pete Calder (Billy Crudup)–try to adjust to life after returning from World War II and find life changing in the cattle world, which now involves womanizing, drinking, brawling, and card playing. These two veterans represent a dying breed of cowboy determined to hold out against the "civilized" corporate style of Hi-ho Country.
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 High Fidelity 2000 R, 110 min.
Genre: Comedy / Drama / Musical / Romance
Director: Stephen Frears
Cast: John Cusack, Iben Hjejle, Todd Louiso, Jack Black, Lisa Bonet, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Joan Cusack, Tim Robbins, Joelle Carter, Lili Taylor, Drake Bell, Ben Carr, Chris Rehmann, Natasha Gregson Wagner, Shannon Stillo
Set in the Chicago suburbs, this story is narrated by 30-something, record store owner Rob Gordon (John Cusack) who has not grown beyond the "obsession-with-music-and-chicks" stage. Rob's geeky co-owners of the record store are Barry (Jack Black) and Dick (Todd Louiso) who are so offbeat that they have been driving away customers. Meanwhile, Rob has other problems with his girlfriend Laura (Iben Hjejle) who tires of him and starts dating Rob's neighbor Ian (Tim Robbins). Rob's solution to handling that problem is to track down his ex-girlfriends to find answers to his lack of success with women. The story is a wry and witty offering about music geeks and the rhythm of their lives: commitment, jobs, and falling in love.
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The Hit 1984 R, 100 min.
Genre: Drama / Comedy
Director: Stephen Frears
Cast: Terence Stamp, John Hurt, Tim Roth, Laura del Sol, Bill Hunter, Fernando Rey, Carlos Lucena, Freddie Stuart, Ralph Brown, A.J. Clarke, Lennie Peters, Jim Broadbent, Bernie Searle, Brian Royal, Albie Woodington
Willie Parker (Terence Stamp) has led a quiet life in a small Spanish town for the last 10 years since he testified against his mobster ex-associates. But his life changes when hit men Braddock nd Myron (John Hurt and Tim Roth) kidnap Willie with orders to take him to Paris for execution. During the trip, Willie doesn't seem to worry about his fate as things don't go right for the hit men, including being stalked by a policeman. An offbeat comedy/drama with good storyline, acting, and sound track.
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Liam 2000 R, 90 min.
Genre: Drama
Director: Stephen Frears
Cast: Ian Hart, Claire Hackett, Anthony Borrows, David Hart, Megan Burns, Anne Reid, Russell Dixon, Julia Deakin, Andrew Schofield, Bernadette Shortt
Most of this story is told through the perspective of seven-year-old Liam (Anthony Borrows) whose Irish immigrant father (Ian Hart) lost his job at a Liverpool dock yard during the 1930s' Depression when dire economic times exacerbated problems between Jews and Catholics. The Jewish Samuels family, for example, owned the dock yard at which many Irish Catholics were working. Liam's sister, Teresa (Megan Burns), tried to solve the family's financial plight by finding work at the Samuels' estate, where she now finds herself serving as a look-out for Mrs. Samuels (June Gurnett) who is enjoying an illicit affair right under her husband's nose.
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 Mary Reilly 1996 R, 108 min.
Genre: Horror / Thriller
Director: Stephen Frears
Cast: Julia Roberts, John Malkovich, Glenn Close, George Cole, Michael Gambon, Kathy Staff, Bronagh Gallagher, Ciaran Hinds, Michael Sheen, Linda Bassett
Mary (Julia Roberts) is the chambermaid of Dr. Jekyll (John Malkovich), and this version of Robert Louis Stevenson's "The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde" is told through Mary's perspective. As a young woman who has endured cruel treatment from a drunken father, Mary loves the kind Dr. Jekyll in her present circumstances, while Mr. Hyde represents her past life with her father.
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Mrs. Henderson Presents 2005 R, 103 min.
Genre: Comedy / Drama
Director: Stephen Frears
Cast: Judi Dench, Bob Hoskins, Will Young, Kelly Reilly, Thelma Barlow, Christopher Guest, Natalia Tena, Elise Audeyev, Shona McWilliams, Doraly Rosen
Wealthy widow Laura Henderson (Judi Dench) buys a run-down theater in Soho and joins forces with Vivian Van Dam (Bob Hoskins) to produce shows featuring nude chorus girls who entertain British society throughout the German Blitzkrieg in the 1930s and 1940s. The film received two Academy Award nominations, including Best Actress (Judi Dench).
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My Beautiful Laundrette 1985 R, 93 min.
Genre: Drama / Romance
Director: Stephen Frears
Cast: Daniel Day-Lewis, Gordon Warnecke, Saeed Jaffrey, Roshan Seth, Shirley Anne Field, Rita Wolf, Richard Graham, Colin(3) Campbell, Derrick Branche, Souad Faress, Winston Graham, Charu Bala Chokshi
Omar (Gordon Warnecke), a young Pakistani, is given a run-down launderette in London. With help from his White friend Johnny (Daniel Day-Lewis), the launderette is turned into a very successful establishment. As luck would have it, a racist gang decides to ruin their playhouse and shut them down.
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Prick Up Your Ears 1987 R, 111 min.
Genre: Drama / Comedy
Director: Stephen Frears
Cast: Gary Oldman, Alfred Molina, Vanessa Redgrave, Wallace Shawn, Lindsay Duncan, Julie Walters, Frances Barber, Janet Dale, Bert Parnaby, Margaret Tyzack, Stephen Bill, Rosalind Knight, James Grant, Roger Lloyd-Pack, Helena Michell
This film is based on the biography of British playwright Joe Orton (Gary Oldman) who, despite financial success, lived for years in a small London room with Kenneth Halliwell (Alfred Molina). One night, Halliwell killed Orton and then committed suicide. This film relates the story behind the grisly crime. Interesting look at (illegal) homosexuality in England in the 1950s and 1960s.
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 The Queen 2006  PG-13, 103 min.
Genre: Drama
Director: Stephen Frears
Cast: Helen Mirren, Michael Sheen, James Cromwell, Alex Jennings, Mark Bazeley, Helen McCrory, Roger Allam, Sylvia Syms, Tim McMullan, Robin Soans, Lola Peploe, Douglas Reith, Joyce Henderson, Pat Laffan
This inside look at the struggle between HM Queen Elizabeth II (Helen Mirren) and recently elected Prime Minister Tony Blair (Michael Sheen) chronicles decisions made in the compromise between public mourning and private snubbing following Diana's tragic death that resulted in a state funeral. Helen Mirren won an Oscar for Best Actress, and the film received five other Oscar nominations including Best Picture and Director.
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Saigon: Year of the Cat 1983 TV, 100 min.
Genre: Drama
Director: Stephen Frears
Cast: Judi Dench, Frederic Forrest, E.G. Marshall, Josef Sommer, Wallace Shawn, Chic Murray, Yim Hoontrakul, Roger Rees, Manning Redwood, Andrew Winner
After the U.S. pull-out from South Vietnam, only a few Westerners remain–including CIA agent Bob Chesneau (Frederic Forrest) who meets and starts an affair with a British bank employee (Judi Dench). As their affair continues, Bob sees the high potential for the North Vietnamese to attack and take over Saigon, but the U.S. Ambassador does not heed Bob's warnings.
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The Snapper 1993 R, 90 min.
Genre: Comedy
Director: Stephen Frears
Cast: Tina Kellegher, Colm Meaney, Ruth McCabe, Eanna MacLiam, Peter Rowan, Joanne Gerrard, Colm O'Byrne, Ciara Duffy, Fionnuala Murphy, Dierdre O'Brien
In this adaptation of Roddy Doyle's second novel of his "Barrytown Trilogy" about working-class Dubliners, the people in small, closely packed houses on a small street in a little neighborhood live funny and heartwarming lives, where gossip is the name of the game. The movie was first made for British TV. The first film from Doyle's trilogy is "The Commitments," and the last one is "The Van."
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The Van 1996 R, 100 min.
Genre: Comedy / Drama
Director: Stephen Frears
Cast: Colm Meaney, Donal O'Kelly, Ger Ryan, Caroline Rothwell, Brendan O'Carroll, Stuart Dunne, Neili Conroy, Ruaidhri Conroy, Jack Lynch, Laurie Morton, Marie Mullen, Jon Kenny, Moses Rowen, Linda McGovern, Eoin Chaney
This third installment of Roddy Doyle's "Barrytown Trilogy" is about fired baker Bimbo (Donal O'Kelly) who, with his friend Larry (Colm Meaney), hatches a get-rich-quick plot to sell fish and chips from a van. They succeed financially, but will their friendship endure success? The previous films taken from Doyle's trilogy are "The Commitments" and "The Snapper."
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| 1. Cheri (2009)
2. Dangerous Liaisons (1988)
3. Dirty Pretty Things (2002)
4. Fail Safe (2000)
5. Gumshoe (1971)
6. Hero (1992)
aka: Accidental Hero
7. The Hi-Lo Country (1998)
8. High Fidelity (2000)
9. The Hit (1984)
10. Liam (2000)
11. Mary Reilly (1996)
12. Mrs. Henderson Presents (2005)
13. My Beautiful Laundrette (1985)
14. Prick Up Your Ears (1987)
15. The Queen (2006)
16. Saigon: Year of the Cat (1983)
17. The Snapper (1993)
18. The Van (1996)
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