Tessa Ross Movies

Three friends (Colin Farrell, Christopher Walken, and Sam Rockwell) incur the wrath of a violent L.A. gangster (Woody Harrelson) by kidnapping his prized shih tzu in this black comedy from In Bruges director Martin McDonagh. Aspiring screenwriter Marty (Farrell) has a brilliant screenplay called Seven Psychopaths floating around in his head; unfortunately he's usually to hungover to make any real progress on it. Meanwhile, Marty's best friend Billy (Rockwell) has some great ideas for the story, but he's reluctant to offer input without invitation. A down-on-his-luck actor, Billy pays his rent by running a lucrative dognapping scam with smooth-talking Hans (Walken). Just when frustrated Marty begins to fear that all of his ideas have dried up, however, Billy shows up with an adorable shih zhu swiped from a quick-tempered gangster (Harrelson), and a desperate trip into the desert finds the ideas flowing like drinks at an open bar. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

Producer/director Roger Michell teams with screenwriter Richard Nelson to adapt Nelson's BBC radio play chronicling the extramarital affair between President Franklin Delano Roosevelt (Bill Murray) and his distant cousin, Daisy (Laura Linney), which comes to light during a royal visit from the King and Queen of England (Samuel West and Olivia Colman) at his home in Hyde Park. As war engulfs Europe and the king seeks the support of the American government, President Roosevelt struggles to balance his domestic affairs with his international obligations as Commander in Chief. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

Two-time Oscar-winner Meryl Streep steps into the role of English prime minister Margaret Thatcher in this biopic from director Phyllida Lloyd (Mamma Mia!), and screenwriter Abi Morgan (Tsunami: The Aftermath, Brick Lane). Jim Broadbent, Richard E. Grant, and Anthony Head co-star. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

A writer stranded in Paris falls into a strange relationship with a mysterious woman in this drama from writer and director Pawel Pawlikowski. Tom Ricks (Ethan Hawke) is an American novelist who has been wrestling with writers' block since the publication of his first book. Tom is married to Nathalie (Delphine Chuillot) but their relationship has taken a turn for the worse, and after she goes home to France with their daughter Chloe (Julie Papillon) in tow, Tom flies there in hopes of reconciling with her. However, Tom is robbed shortly after arriving, and is stuck with no money and nowhere to go. He is befriended by Sezer (Samir Guesmi), who gives him a job as a night watchman and a room in a cheap hotel, but for all his generosity, Tom isn't sure he trusts his benefactor. He then meets Margit (Kristin Scott Thomas), a beautiful woman with a literary bent, and ends up spending the night with her. But what begins as a passing fling takes on a more sinister cast as Margit sends Tom through a series of increasingly bizarre experiences in the interest of reawakening his muse. La Femme du 5e (aka The Woman in the Fifth) received its North American debut at the 2011 Toronto International Film Festival. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

Writer/director Richard Ayoade adapts author Joe Dunthorne's acerbic coming-of-age novel to the big screen with this comedy centered on the efforts of precocious Welsh 15-year-old Oliver Tate (Craig Roberts) to lose his virginity before his next birthday, and to prevent his mother (Sally Hawkins) from having an affair with a smooth-talking spiritual guru (Paddy Considine) after his morose father (Noah Taylor) loses the will to fight for his marriage. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

Adapted from author David Nicholls' critically acclaimed novel of the same name, director Lone Scherfig's One Day stars Anne Hathaway as a principled working-class girl who forges a unique bond with a wealthy jet-setter that spans two decades. July 15, 1988: Emma (Hathaway) is about to enter the real world. An idealist from humble upbringings, she dreams of making the world a better place for everyone. On the night of her graduation, Emma (Hathaway) meets Dexter (Jim Sturgess), a wealthy flirt without a care in the world. Dexter is also graduating, though unlike Emma he looks forward to a future of comfort and privilege. By checking back with Emma and Dexter every July 15th for the next 20 years, we experience their happiness, hardships, and heartache as they strive to live out their dreams, and find meaning in a world that's constantly changing. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

A handful of young men set out to take on the decadent West but are more of a threat to themselves than anyone else in this black comedy from director Chris Morris. Omar (Riz Ahmed) is a devout Muslim living in the United Kingdom who has decided to form a terrorist cell to bring forth a jihad against a culture he believes is dominated by the sinful and ignorant. However, Omar isn't much of leader, and he's assembled an unimpressive team of fellow terrorists, among them Waj (Kayvan Novak), who lacks the brainpower to come up with ideas or direction on his own; Faisal (Adeel Akhtar), who is shy and doesn't have much to say; and Barry (Nigel Lindsay), a recent convert to Islam who tries to make up for his lack of practical knowledge with fierce passion. As Omar and his comrades debate both doctrine and methods, they ponder such notions as using birds as explosive devices, creating video communiqués with a hip-hop flavor, and attacking mosques in an effort to provoke nonviolent Muslims. But are Omar and his partners a legitimate threat to the safety of Great Britain, or just four half-bright twentysomethings with more bluster than imagination? Four Lions received its world premiere at the 2010 Sundance Film Festival. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

British filmmaker Mike Leigh delivers another emotionally honest portrait of ordinary people trying to make sense of their lives in this comedy drama. Tom (Jim Broadbent) and Gerri (Ruth Sheen) are a couple who are drifting past middle age into their sixties; he's a geologist and she's a psychotherapist. Tom and Gerri have a stable and happy marriage and a grown son, Joe (Oliver Maltman), an activist lawyer who hasn't settled down yet, much to his mother's chagrin. One of Gerri's co-workers and close friends is Mary (Lesley Manville), who puts up a facade of desperate good cheer despite the fact she's been very lonely since her husband left her and has been drowning her anxieties in wine. Gerri has unsuccessfully tried to fix Mary up with Tom's sloppy but good natured pal Ken (Peter Wight), and she's startled when Mary begins openly flirting with Joe, more than 20 years her junior. Mary's troubles only grow worse when she stops by Tom and Gerri's place only to be introduced to Katie (Karina Fernandez), Joe's new girlfriend. Another Year received its world premiere at the 2010 Cannes Film Festival. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

Accused of cheating and desperate to prove his innocence, an eighteen-year-old orphan from the slums of Mumbai reflects back on his tumultuous life while competing to win 20 million rupees on India's Who Wants to Be a Millionaire in Danny Boyle's inspirational drama. Jamal Malik (Dev Patel) may not have a penny to his name, but that could all change in a matter of hours. He's one question away from taking the top prize on India's most popular television game show, but as with everything else in Jamal's life, it isn't going to be easy. Arrested by police under suspicion of cheating, Jamal is interrogated by the authorities. The police simply can't believe that a common "slumdog" could possibly possess the knowledge to get this far in the game, and in order to convince them of how he gained such knowledge, Jamal begins reflecting back on his childhood. As young boys, Jamal and his older brother, Salim, lived in squalor, and lost their mother in a mob attack on Muslims. Subsequently forced to rely on their own wits to survive, the desperate siblings fell back on petty crime, eventually befriending adorable yet feisty young Latika as they sought out food and shelter on the unforgiving streets of Mumbai. Though life on the streets was never easy, Jamal's experiences ultimately instilled in him the knowledge he needed to answer the tough questions posed to him on Who Wants to Be a Millionaire. And though Jamal makes a convincing case for himself, one question still remains: why would a young man with no apparent desire for wealth or fame be so determined to win big on a national game show? Of course, it won't be long until everyone finds out the answer to this burning question, because as Jamal sits down to find out whether he will be rich beyond his wildest dreams, 60 million viewers remain transfixed to their televisions eager to see if he'll correctly answer the final question. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

A woman wrestles with grief, betrayal and redemption in this psychological drama from director Sharon Maguire. One afternoon, a young woman (Michelle Williams) sends her husband and young son off to see a football game, and while they're gone for the afternoon she enjoys a tryst with her lover (Ewan McGregor), an opportunistic reporter. While the woman is making love to another man, she hears a news report that a suicide bomber made their way into the stadium, and that hundreds of people are dead. The woman is horrified to learn that her husband and child were among the victims, and as she struggles to sort out the pieces of her life, she begins having second thoughts about her illicit relationship while struggling with her feelings about Terrence Butcher (Matthew Macfadyen), a police officer looking into the attack. As the woman tries to come to terms with her grief, she befriends a young boy (Usman Khokhar) whose father happened to be involved in the attacks. Adapted from the acclaimed novel by Chris Cleave, Incendiary received its world premiere at the 2008 Sundance Film Festival. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

Having just carried out a particularly difficult hit in London, two hitmen seek shelter in Bruges, Belgium, only to find their views on life and death permanently altered by their interactions with the locals, the tourists, and a film crew. Colin Farrell, Brendan Gleeson, and Ralph Fiennes star in an action comedy from director Martin McDonagh. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

The simple existence of a woman and a young girl is unexpectedly disrupted by the sudden arrival of a mysterious soldier. Sean Bean, Michelle Yeoh, and Michelle Krusiec star in a film written and co-written by Asif Kapadia and Tim Miller, and directed by Kapadia. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi