Movies diary db

Just another WordPress weblog

UK movies

Ghost in the Shell (1995)

Friday, May 9th, 2008
Genres: Action | Animation | Fantasy | Sci-Fi | Thriller
Countries: Japan | UK
Actors: Atsuko Tanaka | Akio Ôtsuka | Tamio Ôki | Iemasa Kayumi | Kôichi Yamadera | Tesshô Genda | Richard Barnes | Steven Jay Blum | Steve Bulen | Richard Cansino | Tom Carlton | George Celik | Shigeru Chiba | Stephen Davis | Richard Epcar
Directors: Mamoru Oshii
Download: DVD iPod 

The year is 2029. The world has become intensively information oriented and humans are well-connected to the network. Crime has developed into a sophisticated stage by hacking into the interactive network. To prevent this, Section 9 is formed. These are cyborgs with incredible strengths and abilities that can access any network on Earth.

Elizabeth: The Golden Age (2007)

Monday, May 5th, 2008
Genres: Biography | Drama | History
Countries: France | UK
Actors: Jordi Mollà | Geoffrey Rush | Aimee King | Cate Blanchett | John Shrapnel | Susan Lynch | Elise McCave | Samantha Morton | Abbie Cornish | Penelope McGhie | Rhys Ifans | Eddie Redmayne | Stuart McLoughlin | Clive Owen | Adrian Scarborough
Directors: Shekhar Kapur
Download: DivX iPod 

Nearly a decade after Cate Blanchett drew the attention of audiences and critics alike with ELIZABETH, the Oscar-winning actress returns to the role of the Virgin Queen. Though the protestant ruler has been on the throne for decades in 1585, Elizabeth I’s reign is still under attack from both inside her country and from the continent. Her cousin, Mary, Queen of Scots (Samantha Morton), carries the favour of the nation’s Catholics as she schemes for the throne from prison, while Spain’s King Philip II (Jordi Molla) plots an invasion with the power of his famous armada. But Elizabeth is also concerned with the arrival of Sir Walter Raleigh (Clive Owen), a charming pirate and adventurer. Unable to reconcile her feelings with her crown, she encourages Bess (Abbie Cornish), her beloved lady-in-waiting, to pursue a relationship with Raleigh.
Nine years haven’t dulled Blanchett’s ability to play this—or any other—character with an impressive range of fire and tenderness. Her chemistry with the infinitely watchable Owen is one of the film’s highlights. As in ELIZABETH, director Shekhar Kapur doesn’t restrict himself from using artfully constructed shots that aren’t normally used in period dramas. It’s a modern retelling of history, and Kapur and his director of photograpy, Remi Adefarasin, aren’t content to let the film have the standard look of many films in the genre. Costume designer Alexandra Byrne follows the same logic, creating stunning dresses for Elizabeth that draw inspiration both from modernity and the time period. If Blanchett weren’t such a gifted actress, the gorgeous costumes might threaten to overtake her as the star of the film.

The Fly II (1989)

Monday, May 5th, 2008
Genres: Horror | Sci-Fi
Countries: Canada | UK | USA
Actors: Eric Stoltz | Daphne Zuniga | Lee Richardson | John Getz | Frank C. Turner | Ann Marie Lee | Gary Chalk | Saffron Henderson | Harley Cross | Matthew Moore | Rob Roy | Andrew Rhodes | Pat Bermel | William S. Taylor | Jerry Wasserman
Directors: Chris Walas
Download: DivX iPod 

Seth Brundle was a research scientist whose genes were fused with a housefly in a matter transmission experiment and he transformed into the terrifying mutant creature “Brundlefly” and the journalist who he fell in love with, Vernoica Quaife killed him by blowing out his brains with a shotgun. Veronica has died giving birth to Seth’s son Martin. Martin is raised by Seth’s evil employer Anton Bartok who requires Martin’s help to solve the problems of the Telepods, believing the Telepods are the key for worldwide domination. Growing at a accelerated rate and inheriting his father’s mutated genes, Martin finds himself suffering his father’s fate as he himself transforming into a even more fierce and terrifying “Brundlefly”. Befriend by beautiful computer specialist Beth Logan, Martin sets out a way to cure himself, as the answer lies within the Telepod which is his only chance of saving himself from a terrible death.

Sleeping Murder (1987)

Wednesday, April 30th, 2008
Genres: Crime | Drama | Mystery
Countries: Australia | UK
Actors: Joan Hickson | Geraldine Alexander | John Moulder-Brown | Frederick Treves | Jean Anderson | Terrence Hardiman | John Bennett | Geraldine Newman | Jack Watson | Joan Scott | Jean Heywood | Georgine Anderson | Edward Jewesbury | David McAllister | Amanda Boxer
Directors: John Davies
Download: DivX iPod 

BBC TV adaption of the Agatha Christie’s novel. A young recently married woman, Gwenda Reed, comes back to England after living most of her life in New Zealand. While her husband, Giles, is out of the country she buys a house for them and starts recalling memories which make her start to think that perhaps she had lived in the house before. It’s only then, while dining out with friends, that a chance remark triggered off a frightening memory, as a little girl, looking down at a woman’s body and the murderer with “monkey paws” hands. Gwenda is determined to find out the sources of this memory. The killer, thought that he/she was safe after eighteen years and is prepared to kill to cover up the past. But Gwenda has help as one of her dining friends is Raymond West, who has a very special Aunt who is willing to help Gwenda - Miss Jane Marple…

At Bertram’s Hotel (1987)

Wednesday, April 30th, 2008
Genres: Crime | Drama | Mystery
Countries: UK
Actors: Joan Hickson | Caroline Blakiston | Helena Michell | James Cossins | Joan Greenwood | George Baker | Douglas Milvain | Philip Bretherton | Preston Lockwood | Irene Sutcliffe | Brian McGrath | Neville Phillips | Robert Reynolds | Peter Baldwin | Randal Herley
Directors: Mary McMurray
Download: DivX iPod 

Miss Jane Marple is staying at an elegant hotel from her childhood compliments of her nephew Raymond. Also there is international adventurer Bess Sedgwick and Lady Selena Hazy (Joan Greenwood in her next to last performance). A doorman working at the hotel turns out to be from Bess’ past, and when he is killed, she is the prime suspect. But what does his murder have to do with the disappearance of an elderly vicar staying at the hotel, and a string of robberies over the last few months? Miss Marple must find out before the murderer strikes again!!!

Pocket Full of Rye, A (1985)

Wednesday, April 30th, 2008
Genres: Crime | Drama | Mystery
Countries: Australia | UK | USA
Actors: Joan Hickson | Timothy West | Fabia Drake | Clive Merrison | Rachel Bell | Peter Davison | Frances Low | Stacy Dorning | Martyn Stanbridge | Tom Wilkinson | Jon Glover | Selina Cadell | Annette Badland | Merelina Kendall | Frank Mills
Directors: Guy Slater
Download: DivX iPod 

Wealthy business man Rex Fortescue collapses when he reaches his office. It is determined that he was poisoned. No one seems too upset, as everyone agrees that Rex was a tyrant. Soon however Rex’s young wife also turns up poisoned. The maid, Gladyes, whom Miss Marple trained, writes to Miss Marple asking for help. Miss Marple arrives too late, as Gladyses’ body is found strangled and strung up on the clothes line. Now it’s personal, and Miss Marple is determined to see the murderer punished.

Murder Is Announced, A (1985)

Tuesday, April 29th, 2008
Genres: Crime | Drama | Mystery
Countries: Australia | UK | USA
Actors: Joan Hickson | Ursula Howells | Renée Asherson | Samantha Bond | Simon Shepherd | Nicola King | Elaine Ives-Cameron | Ralph Michael | Sylvia Syms | Matthew Solon | Mary Kerridge | Joan Sims | Paola Dionisotti | Vivienne Moore | David Collings
Directors: David Giles
Download: DivX iPod 

A murder is announced in the Chipping Cleghorne Gazette to take place on October 5th, 7 PM at Little Paddocks cottage. The people living there, retired secretary Miss Blacklock, her companion Miss Bunner, Miss Blacklock’s two distant cousins, Patrick and Julia and Mrs.Haymes, a gardener, have no idea what the ad is about. Several villagers arrive at the house under the false pretenses of “just walking by” or “Was in the neighborhood”. At exactly 7 PM, the lights go out, and a man enters the room, and shines a flashlight in everyone’s face. Then shots are heard. As the lights come back on, they find the man who entered the room has been shot. Miss Marple must unmask the killer but soon more murders turn up.

The Christmas Miracle of Jonathan Toomey (2007)

Tuesday, April 29th, 2008
Genres: Family
Countries: UK
Actors: Aran Bell | Tom Berenger | Benji Compston | Elliot Cowan | Sam Douglas | Benjamin Eli | Robert Jezek | Jack Montgomery | Ronald Pickup | Derek Riddell | Luke Ward-Wilkinson | Clare Burt | Jenny O'Hara | Joely Richardson | Saoirse Ronan
Directors: Bill Clark
Download: DivX iPod 

When a broken hearted boy loses the treasured wooden nativity set that links him to his dead father, his worried mother persuades a lonely ill-tempered woodcarver to create a replacement, and to allow her son to watch him work on it. The commission takes their relationship to unexpected places as the young client makes greater and more difficult demands of the woodcarver’s ability, and as Christmas approaches, the three struggle to come to terms with each other, their painful memories and the process of putting their unhappiness behind them.

Gladiatress (2004)

Tuesday, April 29th, 2008
Genres: Comedy
Countries: UK
Actors: Sally Phillips | Fiona Allen | Doon Mackichan | Ronan Vibert | Marcia Warren | Rory MacGregor
Directors: Brian Grant
Download: DivX iPod 

This sword and sandals movie is an off-the-wall comedy adventure about three unlikely heroines, who set out to save Celtic Britain, by thwarting the Roman invasion in their own unique and outrageous style.

The Commitments (1991)

Monday, April 28th, 2008
Genres: Comedy | Drama | Music
Countries: Ireland | UK | USA
Actors: Robert Arkins | Michael Aherne | Angeline Ball | Maria Doyle Kennedy | Dave Finnegan | Bronagh Gallagher | Félim Gormley | Glen Hansard | Dick Massey | Johnny Murphy | Ken McCluskey | Andrew Strong | Colm Meaney | Anne Kent | Andrea Corr
Directors: Alan Parker
Download: DivX iPod 

Jimmy Rabbitte, che vive di piccoli espedienti in un quartiere proletario di Dublino, si e’ messo in testa di organizzare una band musicale per rinverdire i fasti del rythm&blues e del soul. Grazie ad un annuncio sul giornale, Rabbitte comincia a selezionare giovani dal lavoro precario ma pieni di talento: Dean, Fay, Outspan, l’occhialuto Steven , Clifford, Deco, il ciccione senza buone maniere ma con una grande voce, Billy il batterista e Joey “The lips”, un bizzarro e maturo anziano suonatore di tromba che si vanta di aver suonato con famosi soul-singers. Aggrega anche Natalie, Imelda e Bernie, tre grintose ragazze, ottime coriste e molto sexy. Procuratisi a credito la strumentazione, cominciano le prove, massacranti, che impegnano tutti. Si inizia a suonare in pubblico, in capannoni e feste sociali: il gruppo sembra pervaso dal fuoco della musica e dell’ambizione. La band, pur se dilettantesca e provinciale, sembra lanciata verso il vertice e finisce invece nel fallimento: dissapori, piccole gelosie e contrasti umani ed artistici, sfaldano il gruppo. Il sogno di Jimmy evapora nel nulla e quel grande patrimonio di energia e bravura che poteva fruttare quattrini e successo siPL: disperde nel nulla.