Eugene Simon Movies
History's most renowned ladies' man finally meets his match in this historical romance laced with comedy and adventure. In Venice in 1753, Giacomo Casanova (Heath Ledger) is a notorious playboy whose way with women goes too far when he's caught leaving the bedroom of a novice nun, and one of the leading prosecutors of the Inquisition, Pucci (Jeremy Irons), puts him on trial. The Doge (Tim McInnerny), Venice's political point man, is a friend of Casanova's and pulls strings to get him off the hook and allow him to stay in the city, but under one condition -- he must take a wife and remain faithful to her. Casanova sets his sights on Victoria (Natalie Dormer), a lovely young maiden who is obviously taken with the handsome ladykiller, but he's not the only one who wants her hand. Giovanni Bruni (Charlie Cox) is a young man who is very much in love with Victoria, and in order to move him out of the picture, Casanova challenges him to a duel. However, when Casanova is bested in swords in the challenge, he discovers he's actually been parrying with Giovanni's sister, Francesca (Sienna Miller). As Casanova gets to know Francesca, he discovers she's a gifted writer and a bright and independent woman as well as a good hand with a sword, and he comes to the realization that she's the woman he wants to take to the altar. However, Francesca has already been promised to the vain and chubby Papprizzio (Oliver Platt), a man she's never met, and she doesn't seem at all interested in the notorious Casanova. Casanova also stars Lena Olin, and Omid Djalili. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Starring:
- Heath Ledger, Sienna Miller, (more)
Author Gerald Durrell's childhood memoir comes to life in this Masterpiece Theater presentation starring Academy Award-nominee Imelda Staunton and detailing the journey of an eccentric family who seeks to escape the dreary English weather by making way to the sun-soaked Greek island of Corfu. Mrs. Durcell is a middle aged widow whose inability to lay down the law with her four adventuresome children has found her embarking on a series of strange adventures. Whether watching patiently as wild, avant-garde writer Larry rabble rouses with his unruly friends, ducking the buckshot of gun-obsessed Leslie, attempting to keep track of teen beauty Margot's bevy of boyfriends, or wondering at youngest son Gerald's amazing ability to bond with animals and insects, Mrs. Durcell is constantly playing catch-up with her energetic children in a household where "normal" is purely subjective and each new day brings a strange and wonderful adventure. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
The feature debut from writer/director Dan Wilde this British drama centers on a family split apart in the wake of its patriarch's death. Jennifer Ehle stars as widowed Alice, who eventually moves on and remarries, a move that has a devastating effect on her son Jack, played by Mark Wells. Years later, the family reunites and long-supressed feelings are finally revealed. Alpha Male also stars Danny Huston. ~ Matthew Tobey, Rovi
- Starring:
- Jennifer Ehle, Danny Huston, (more)
