David Horovitch Movies

Director Woody Allen continued to work in the dark mold of his 2005 thriller Match Point with this suspenseful tale of two brothers (Colin Farrell and Ewan McGregor) transformed into mortal enemies after scheming to alleviate their financial difficulties by turning to crime. Ian (McGregor) and Terry Blaine (Farrell) are two Cockney siblings whose lives seem to have simply fallen apart. While hard-drinking auto mechanic Terry lives with his girlfriend, Kate (Sally Hawkins), and suffers all the financial hardships that go with being a chronic gambler, his slightly more respectable sibling Ian helps their father maintain the family restaurant. Thanks to the steady income that the restaurant provides and the occasional help of their wealthy uncle Howard (Tom Wilkinson) the family has always managed to scrape by, but when Ian learns of a potentially lucrative California real estate deal, he can't help but dream about moving on to bigger and better things. One day, Terry wins big at the tracks by betting on a speedy greyhound named "Cassandra's Dream," and promptly uses his winnings to purchase a small yacht that he names after the winning dog. Right around the same time, things also start looking up for Ian -- who falls under the seductive spell of ambitious actress Angela (Hayley Atwell). But the brothers' good-luck spell doesn't last long, because when Terry winds up owing a tidy sum to some violent local loan sharks, he's given the option of promptly paying up or suffering some particularly painful consequences. Just then, Uncle Howard shows up in London looking to settle the score with a whistle-blowing business associate. While agreeing to take part in Uncle Howard's diabolical revenge scheme could easily earn Terry the cash needed to pay off his substantial debt, the consequences -- should he get caught -- will be far greater than those of any small-time scam he has ever resorted to in the past. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

This collection of skits from the fourth series of French & Saunders lives up to its title. Although the comedic duo takes aim at British culture, BBC TV, pop stars, and the Middle Ages, most of the material focuses on Hollywood parody. Dawn French takes on a pair of box-office villains as she pokes fun at Anthony Hopkins in Silence of the Lambs and Kathy Bates in Misery; partner Jennifer Saunders, meanwhile, essays the Jodie Foster and James Caan roles, respectively. French experiences the familiar progression from face-hugger to stomach-exploder in a send-up of Aliens that also features Kathy Burke standing in for Jenette Goldstein as Pvt. Vasquez. Thelma and Louise also gets the patented F&S treatment. Other sketches include faux music videos for the Mamas and the Papas, Guns N' Roses, and Shakespear's Sister; "Lucky Bitches," a parody of celebrity sisters Joan and Jackie Collins; and an elaborate re-creation of the historical soap House of Eliott, in which the show's original stars, Stella Gonet and Louise Lombard, appear. The DVD edition of French & Saunders: At the Movies also includes the duo's 1999 Christmas special French & Saunders: The Phantom Millennium, an elaborate parody of Star Wars: Episode I -- The Phantom Menace. ~ Brian J. Dillard, Rovi

Like the 1977 British children's comedy series of the same name, the 1994 effort Just William was based on a series of popular children's books by Richmal Crompton. Oliver Rokison starred as William Brown, the most mischievous schoolboy in the entire British Empire. Unlike the 1978 version, which was set in contemporary times, the later series returned the property to its original 1930s milieu. Still in attendance were William's beleaguered parents, and the boy's gang of troublemakers, the "Outlaws." Lasting 12 half-hour episodes, Just William was first seen on November 13, 1994, and last seen on December 17, 1995. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

This slight multi-national comedy concerns a young Polish woman who becomes engaged to a British doctor in Warsaw. When the doctor leaves the country, the woman travels to London to meet her fiancée and get married. But upon arrival in London she discovers his mother disapproves of the match and the doctor refuses to marry her. However, the spurned woman wants to stay in England and arranges a marriage of convenience with a small-time crook, who discovers his new bride is much more trouble than he expected. ~ Paul Brenner, Rovi

After the suicide of her friend and employer, who has been teaching her to be a detective, Cordelia Gray (Pippa Guard) takes over his business and begins an investigation of the apparent suicide of the son of a businessman. When the suicide turns out to be murder, what she discovers disrupts the entire family and puts Cordelia's life in danger. This off-beat British film is a moody, entertaining thriller, much in the tradition of film noir, but with an unusual and determined female detective. Nicely directed by Christopher Petit, and based on the wonderful novel of the same name by the acclaimed British mystery writer P. J. James, this film gives a fresh approach to the detective-film genre and introduces an intelligent and resourceful woman to a profession usually dominated by men. ~ Linda Rasmussen, Rovi