John Bennett Movies

A pair of naïve newlyweds find their honeymoon taking an unexpectedly morbid turn when they arrive at a remote country hotel to find that it has been overtaken by the annual Undertakers Convention in a hilarious comedy mystery starring Rik Mayall, Nick Moran, and Steve Huison. Edward and Samantha have just exchanged their wedding vows, and now they're off to celebrate their nuptials with a romantic stay at a majestic country house hotel. Their quest for quiet and romance is suddenly curbed, however, when they discover that a group of fun-loving undertakers have overrun the stately estate. When the Head of the Funeral Director's Association perishes under most suspicious circumstances, the race is on to reveal his killer before the body count begins to multiply. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

In this tribute to the man considered by many to be the father of the science fiction genre, a reporter interviewing author H.G. Wells makes a startling revelation that could forever change mankind's relationship with the universe. Upon arriving at Wells' London home on a fog enshrouded evening in 1946, newspaper reporter Ellen McGillivray is regaled with tales of time travel dating back to Wells' days at London's Imperial College of Science. It seems that Wells and colleague Jane Robbins stumbled across a previously undiscovered rift in time during a series of midnight experiments, and though the pair swore to keep the discovery a secret, the experience forever bonded the adventurous scientists. When Ellen accepts Wells' outlandish tales at face value, his shock at her lack of disbelief is countered by the revelation that she is an underground government agent posing as a reporter in hopes of discovering the secrets of a crystal orb rumored to hold the secrets of the entire universe. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

On January 2, 1995, Deep Space Nine belatedly rang in the New Year with part one of this two-part adventure. A transporter accident sends Sisko, Bashir, and Dax hurtling back to 21st Century San Francisco. Upon their arrival, they are forced to confront the plight of the city's homeless and to avoid contact with those unfortunates, lest they alter events that could profoundly and dangerously change the course of the Future. Part one of "Past Tense" was scripted by Robert Hewitt Wolfe from a story by Wolfe and Ira Steven Behr. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

A priest is torn between church dogma and his personal beliefs in this British drama. Father Greg (Linus Roache) is a Catholic priest who tends to a parish in Liverpool. Like his superior, Father Matthew (Tom Wilkinson), Father Greg is not dealing well with his vow of celibacy. While Matthew has been discreetly having an affair with his housekeeper, Greg is homosexual, and he occasionally slips out to gay clubs for anonymous encounters with strangers. One night, Father Greg meets a man named Graham (Robert Carlyle) at the bar; when he bumps into him on the street a few days later, he realizes that he's falling in love with him. As Father Greg struggles with his sexual and spiritual identity, he hears a confession from 14-year-old Lisa Unsworth (Christine Tremarco), who tells him that her father has been molesting her. Mr. Unsworth (Robert Pugh) confirms his daughter's allegation during confession, and he tells the priest that he will not stop his incestuous behavior. Should Father Greg violate the seal of the confessional to save Lisa from further abuse? Priest, which opened in America on Good Friday, generated considerable controversy, both with Catholic organizations (who denounced the picture) and the MPAA (the film had to be re-edited to gain an R rating for U.S. release). ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

Christmas may be a little late for Lt. Fancy (James McDaniel), who faces the wrath of Borough Commander Haverill (James Handy) -- until Sipowicz (Dennis Franz) unexpectedly come to the rescue. Elsewhere, the Yuletide season is rudely interrupted by the kidnapping of a wealthy young girl, and by Janice's (Amy Brenneman) ever-deepening involvement with the Mob. Things aren't quite so bleak for Martinez (Nicholas Turturro), who receives a very special gift. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

From director Beeban Kidron, Antonia & Jane is a look at an enduring friendship between a pair of decidedly opposite people. Beautiful, sophisticated, and self-assured, Antonia (Saskia Reeves) has it all -- or so it seems to the pudgy wallflower Jane (Imelda Staunton), who secretly resents the fact that her own inner light is invariably extinguished whenever her glamorous friend enters a room. The fact that Antonia stole and married Jane's first lover only makes matters worse. While Jane vents her feelings in her therapist's office, Antonia herself secretly longs to be more like Jane, who is always off in search of new adventures and experiences. Petricia Leventon and Alfred Hoffman also star. ~ Matthew Tobey, Rovi

Directed by Ken Russell, Prisoner of Honor is a made-for-cable retelling of the 1894 court-martial of French Army officer Alfred Dreyfus. The historical drama stars Richard Dreyfuss (no relation) as the head of counter-intelligence who uncovers several damning pieces of evidence. It turns out that the French government has sent an innocent man to prison for their own suspicious reasons, and Dreyfuss is the only man willing to fight for the prisoner's freedom. Prisoner of Honor also stars Oliver Reed and Peter Firth, as well as featuring Lindsay Anderson, Brian Blessed, Jeremy Kemp, and Peter Vaughan. ~ Tracie Cooper, Rovi

In this horror film, a vamp masquerades as a fashion model and uses her feminine wiles to suck the souls and life from wimpy men. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi

This British television miniseries centers around the Brett family, local darlings of London's theater world in the 1920s. Directed by Ronnie Wilson, David Reynolds, Bill Hays, and John Bruce, this two-disc collection includes the series' original eight episodes and features Barbara Murray, Norman Rodway, and George Winter, among others. ~ Tracie Cooper, Rovi

Having written the music and screenplay for this film, Paul McCartney also plays himself in the leading role. When the sole copy of McCartney's latest album is misplaced, he must discover its whereabouts in less than 24 hours or else risk losing his recording company to the lowlife Mr. Rath (John Bennett). McCartney performs three new songs, along with a number of classic Beatles' tunes. ~ Iotis Erlewine, Rovi

Like Watership Down, Plague Dogs is an animated cartoon feature based on a novel by Richard Adams and produced by Martin Rosen. And also like Watership Down, it is more appropriate for an older audience. Two dogs escape from a British government research lab. As the authorities hunt down the canine fugitives, the two dogs search for their original master and for a place where they'll be free from the iniquities and cruelties of Mankind. Plague Dogs was completed in 1982, but was not released in the US until two years later. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Angela Lansbury takes over the legacy of Margaret Rutherford as Agatha Christie's dogged sleuth Miss Marple in The Mirror Crack'd. The story takes place on a film set in a small British town in the 1950s. Elizabeth Taylor plays a washed-up actress trying to make a comeback but is plagued by a mysterious incident from her past. Unfortunately for her mental state, a collection of murders jar the quiet village where the movie is being made. Miss Marple arrives on the scene with her nephew, Inspector Craddock (Edward Fox), to investigate. In addition to Taylor, an assortment of other movie stars grace the roster of suspects, including Rock Hudson, Kim Novak, and Tony Curtis. ~ Paul Brenner, Rovi

Unique in the annals of animated films, Watership Down is a serious, even grim tale that many will find relentless and depressing and others will find poetic and moving. It doesn't pull any punches. Death -- violent, disturbing death -- is ever present, portrayed in a manner that is astonishingly honest for a cartoon. As a result, it is that rare animated film that really aims for a mature audience, despite its superficial funny animal trappings. It has a brilliant opening, most likely created by UPA veteran John Hubley, which in a primitive and simplistic style relates a creation myth as told by rabbits. The style changes thereafter, with beautiful watercolor backgrounds and a more natural approach to character animation. Unfortunately, the animation suffers somewhat from this point, becoming a bit sloppy, although it continues to portray the characters' movements as realistically as possible. The character designs themselves are rather too similar, with the result that it is sometimes difficult to tell the various rabbits apart. The story is also sometimes told in too-broad strokes, leaving those unfamiliar with the novel confused as to exactly what has happened and, more importantly, why. However, these flaws are redeemed by some unforgettable sequences, including a chilling segment detailing the destruction of the rabbits' warren and a devastatingly sad end sequence in which the Black Rabbit of Death gently takes one of the heroes away with it. Voiced by a fine cast, with stellar work from John Hurt and Richard Briers, Watership Down is an imperfect film with some of the most powerful moments ever created for the genre. ~ Craig Butler, Rovi