Michael Legge Movies
In the era when local television programming thrived, two small-town horror hosts incur the wrath of a small-screen diva who is willing to resort to murder to maintain her ratings. The setting is the 1960s, and as an abundance of old horror and science fiction films are acquired for public broadcast, the so-called "horror host" becomes a staple of local television across the nation. In the small-town of Fibbia, Massachusetts, Dr. Dreck and Moaner entertain their viewers with ghoulish antics in between the commercial breaks. When the popularity of Dr. Dreck and Moaner's show forces grand dame Louise Morgan off the air, the stage is set for a horror host battle royal. Unfortunately for Mrs. Morgan, Dr. Dreck and Moaner don't just play the roles of mad scientist and zombie on television - they're actually the genuine article! ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Michael Legge, Lorna Nogueira, (more)
A young man who moves away from his hometown finds a variety of new ideas and dangerous temptations awaiting him in this comedy from first-time director David Gleeson. Shane (Michael Legge) is a man in his early twenties who leaves the small Irish town of his birth and gets a job in the comparatively big city of Limerick. However, he soon discovers that his new position bores him to distraction. Shane also has to get an apartment, and finds himself looking for flats with Vincent (Allen Leech), a stylishly gay college student studying a course in fashion design. While Shane isn't gay, he ends up sharing an apartment with Vincent, and finds himself admiring his confidence and sense of style, not to mention his close friendship with Gemma (Amy Shiels), a beautiful girl who works at a nearby diner. One day, Shane happens upon a cache of drugs, which belong to Keith (David Murray), a neighbor involved in the local heroin trade. Keith discovers that Shane has his dope and soon bullies him into joining his gang, running money and drugs between Limerick and Dublin. Shane is more than reluctant, but knows that working as Keith's mule will pay better than his old job and allow him to follow in Vincent's footsteps and attend art school. Cowboys & Angels was screened in competition at the 2004 Los Angeles Outfest, a festival of gay- and lesbian-themed films. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
Experience Shakespeare's classic tale of love and tragedy in an entirely new setting as the tale of Romeo and Juliet plays out against the backdrop of the Latin barrio in this moving crime drama from director Paul Wynne. Despite their status in rival gangs, Plato and Angelina's passion overpowers their gang loyalties, and the forbidden lovers are soon embarking on a dangerous and forbidden romance. When Plato kills Angelina's psychotic brother Rico's friend Santino in revenge for Rico's killing of Plato's sister in a pool-hall brawl, Angelina fakes her own death in hopes that she and Rico can escape to Venice and end the cycle of violence that threatens to consume them. Little do the tragic lovers realize that there is no escaping fate, and wherever they may run to their past is certain to catch up to them. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
- Starring:
- Chino XL, Sevier Crespo, (more)
- 1999
- R
Set during the swinging disco era in decidedly unswinging Sheffield, England, this oddball comedy is both a coming-of-age story about getting funky and a supernatural mystery. Vince (Michael Legge) is a Travolta-obsessed teenager who lives with his aspiring magician brother; his randy mom, who has a taste for young men; and his laid-back father Harold (Tom Courtenay). Vince longs for the young, vivacious Joanna Robinson (Laura Fraser), as Harold wows his family with his unnervingly accurate mind reading tricks. Later, when he makes headlines for inadvertently stopping the pacemakers of a couple of oldsters, Harold learns that he actually does have a telekinetic brain. That doesn't stop him from getting arrested, however, and soon Vince and Joanna's snotty boss (David Thewlis) is representing him in court. Meanwhile, Vince has been unable to summon the courage to ask out Joanna. While walking home one day, he is taken by a sexy young punkette who turns out to be none other than Joanna. Vince promptly dumps his disco stuff and buys a Sex Pistols album. Pete Hewitt, whose previous efforts include Bill and Ted's Bogus Journey, directed this film. ~ Jonathan Crow, Rovi
- Starring:
- Tom Courtenay, Stephen Fry, (more)
Based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning memoir by Frank McCourt, Angela's Ashes is an alternately funny and heartbreaking look at growing up in Ireland. Born in Brooklyn, NY, young Frank (Joe Breen) moves at an early age to Limerick, Ireland, with his parents Angela (Emily Watson) and Malachy (Robert Carlyle), who have been unable to support their family in America and are hoping for better prospects in their home country. But things hardly improve once they settle in Limerick; as McCourt puts it, "Worse than the ordinary miserable childhood is the miserable Irish childhood. Worse yet is the miserable Irish Catholic childhood." Illness and death are commonplace in Limerick, and Malachy's drinking and inability to hold a job make matters worse. Angela's Ashes was directed by Alan Parker, who previously looked at Irish life in The Commitments (1991); Laura Jones wrote the screenplay. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Starring:
- Emily Watson, Robert Carlyle, (more)
- 1999
A tense drama about a time of violence that may be a fantasy and may be the future, Straydogs takes place in a bunker as a war rages outside; at no time is it specified where or when the action occurs. Niko, a 16-year-old boy, stumbles upon the bunker while fleeing battle and looking for safety, only to discover three other teenagers, Thomas, Anna and Leo, are already living there. The three immediately seize Niko and start to torture him, but after a while they debate the possibility of letting him join their group. The three claim to be on assignment from a military leader at a distant command post; while they await orders, they survive by occasionally venturing out to forage for food and supplies, or by robbing corpses. Niko's presence, however, throws the group off balance -- should they force him to stay, or should they disband and leave when he leaves? While produced in Sweden by a Swedish production company and crew, Straydogs features a primarily British cast and was filmed in English. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Starring:
- Michael Legge, Sarah Jane Potts, (more)
- 1998
Michael Legge, who directed the silly lint-monster story in Creaturealm Demons Wake, returns with this low-budget sci-fi comedy about an alien rock which comes to Earth and sucks out people's brain-energy, leaving the victims as zombies with brains the size of raisins. Dr. Belinda Garland names the rock Garlandite, and spearheads the effort to stop it. Various elements attempt to use the alien for personal gain, including a mad Russian and a Goth "Spider-Woman" reminiscent of Boris and Natasha of The Bullwinkle Show. ~ Robert Firsching, Rovi
