Tim Barlow Movies

Directed by Harley Cokliss, An Angel for May follows a modern boy (Matthew Beard) living in Yorkshire, England, and his dog, who cross through a brick wall leading directly into the early 1940's. Tom (Beard) looks very strange to Sam Wheeler (Tom Wilkinson), who owns the property which Tom managed to land on. Sam, who lives with his adult daughter, Alison (Julie Cox), also provides shelter for a traumatized waif named May (Charlotte Wakefiled). May, who had been buried under the rubble when her entire family was killed in a bombing raid, sleeps with the dog outside and refuses to come inside the house even for meals. However, after she spends some time with Tom, she quickly progresses. Tom, meanwhile, is intent on finding his way back to the future. However, once he gets there, he realizes that he left something very important back in the past. ~ Tracie Cooper, Rovi

The 1994 drama Once Were Warriors told a sad but compelling tale of violence and alcoholism in New Zealand's Maori community, and What Becomes of the Broken Hearted? picks up the story several years later, though the focus is less on an individual family than the spread of gang warfare among the modern-day Maori. Jake and Beth Heke (Temuera Morrison and Rena Owen), the combative couple in the first film, have now split up, Beth having lost her patience with Jake's alcoholism and violent temper. Beth has moved on and lives with her new boyfriend, and while Jake also has a new relationship, his binge drinking and violence have continued unabated. Jake's eldest son, Nig (Julian Arahanga) has fared little better in life, and dies in a fight with a member of a rival gang. At Nig's funeral, Jake is confronted by Beth and his younger son, Sonny (Clint Eruera), who feels Jake abandoned his family and doesn't mind telling him so. Sonny decides he must avenge Nig's death and joins forces with Nig's girlfriend Tania (Nancy Brunning) and his pal Mookie (Tammy Davis) to exact their own kind of justice. However, an unpleasant run-in with the Black Snakes gang only earns them more enemies. Jake, meanwhile, is dropped by his girlfriend and sinks even deeper into the abyss of his demons. What Becomes of the Broken Hearted? was directed by Ian Mune, continuing the story begun by filmmaker Lee Tamahori. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

Based on the novel by Valerie Martin, this gothic suspense story offers a fresh perspective on Robert Louis Stevenson's classic horror tale Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by presenting the material from a different viewpoint -- that of Mary Reilly (Julia Roberts), an Irish servant girl who has come to work for esteemed surgeon Dr. Henry Jekyll (John Malkovich). Mary is fascinated but also intimidated by her new employer, while the doctor seems to take a personal interest in her that goes beyond mere professional courtesy, much to the annoyance of Mr. Poole (George Cole), Jekyll's brutish manservant who also appears to have his eye on her. Jekyll's interest in Mary increases when he learns that she was abused as a child by her violent and repressive father. The doctor seems to take a keen interest in the violent and uncontrollable side of human nature. One day, he announces to his housekeeping staff that his new colleague, Edward Hyde, may be dropping by unexpectedly and not to be alarmed at his presence. Just as she's become attracted to the studious Dr. Jekyll, Mary is fascinated by the brash and impulsive Mr. Hyde, though he carries an air of danger with him at all times -- and Mary doesn't realize at first that he is merely a manifestation of the darker side of Jekyll's personality. Mary Reilly also features Glenn Close as the Madame Mrs. Farraday. Stephen Frears -- who previously worked with Close, Malkovich and screenwriter Christopher Hampton on 1988's Dangerous Liaisons -- directed. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

This kooky British comedy chronicles the zany and occasionally dramatic exploits of the Song and Dance Unit, Southeast Asia (SADUSEA, pronounced "sad-you-see") assigned to entertain troops stationed in the Malayan jungle during WW II. It is based on a play by Peter Nichols. The entertainers are led by the rigid Major Giles Flack. Much to Flack's discomfiture, most of his unit is gay and enjoys dressing up in drag. The film also contains a serious subplot about a treacherous cad in the group who gets the only real woman in the troupe pregnant and then abuses her. He also steals ammo and information to give to the enemy. In the end, a terrible battle ensues at his hands. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi

Lalla Ward, who had guest-starred as Princess Astra in the final 16th season adventure of Doctor Who, took over the role of Romana in the first adventure of the series' 17th season, "The Destiny of the Daleks." The Doctor and the newly regenerated Romana find themselves on Skaro, the now-desolate home planet of the Doctor's perennial enemies, the mutant Daleks. Threatened by the planet's dangerous radioactive levels, the two time-travellers are rescued by the robotic Movellas, who likewise have reason to despise their Dalek foes. Written by Terry Nation, episode one of the four-part "The Destiny of the Daleks" originally aired on September 1, 1979. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

In the conclusion of the four-part story "The Destiny of the Daleks," the Doctor (Tom Baker) and Romana (Lalla Ward) are still enmeshed in a power struggle between the Daleks and the Movellans on the planet Skaros. Though normally the sworn enemy of the Daleks, the Doctor comes to realize that the Movellans are no better than their enemies. But what to do about Davros (David Gooderson), the newly revived creator of the dreaded Daleks? Written by Terry Nation, "The Destiny of the Daleks, Episode 4" originally aired on September 22, 1979. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

John Sturges directed this taut adaptation of Jack Higgins' suspense novel about an attempted kidnapping of Winston Churchill by the German high command during World War II. When it is discovered that in November 1943 Winston Churchill is scheduled to spend a weekend in a country home in Norfolk, the Germans plan to kidnap him. Heinrich Himmler (Donald Pleasence), under orders from Hitler, assigns Nazi colonel Max Radl (Robert Duvall) the chore of sneaking the English-hating Irishman Liam Devlin (Donald Sutherland) into the British countryside and arranging for a 16-man task force to be parachuted into the English country town of Sudley Constable, under the auspices of Colonel Kurt Steiner (Michael Caine). The efficient planning works too well, and before long their exactingly perfect timetable begins to come apart. ~ Paul Brenner, Rovi