Maurice Roeves Movies

With Hallam Foe, British director Peter MacKenzie and scripter Ed Whitmore adapt the 2002 novel of the same name, a quirky, bittersweet, coming-of-age psychodrama by Peter Jinks. The titular character is the 17-year-old son (Jamie Bell) of a wealthy Scottish businessman (Ciarán Hinds). Still rattled by the death of his mom (who drowned in a nearby loch), Hallam retreats into a deep-seated fantasy world. He harbors amorous feelings for his new stepmother, Verity (Claire Forlani), until he gradually concludes that she murdered his biological mother. Hallam nonetheless lets himself be seduced into an affair with Verity, and is so repulsed by this transpiration that he flees to Edinburgh. His life turns a corner, however, when he spots -- and instantly becomes infatuated with -- Kate (Sophia Myles), a local girl who bears an uncanny resemblance to his mother. After he talks her into giving him a routine job in the kitchen of the hotel that she manages, they become romantically involved, ever so gradually, which spells trouble for Hallam's emotional state by thoroughly overwhelming and confusing him -- and deeper trouble still when Kate's married lover (Jamie Sives) discovers that Hallam has been spying diligently on Kate from his perch in a nearby bell tower. Ewen Bremner co-stars as the bellhop supervisor at the hotel. ~ Nathan Southern, All Movie Guide

Written and directed by May Miles Thomas, Solid Air centers around Robert Houston (Brian McCardie), whose life has been turned upside down in his pursuit of his father's (Maurice Roeves) case for financial compensation from the corporation responsible for giving him asbestosis. Rather than doing all of this out of love, however, Robert is putting himself out there because he himself is knee-deep in gambling debts. Complicating issues further is Nicola (Kathy Kiera Clarke), the lawyer on the corporation's side of the case. Nicola has no intention of marring her own record, for a good cause or otherwise, and soon falls into a conflict with Robert that goes much further than unjust corporate policies. ~ Tracie Cooper, All Movie Guide

In this contemporary thriller set in Scotland, two women, Dorothy (Susan Lynch) and Petula (Rachel Weisz), bond over a dangerous encounter. Petula is being routinely beaten by her boyfriend Brian (Tom Mannion); Dorothy, after having left her unstable relationship with Tony (Iain Glen), accidentally kills Brian in a fit of rage. In desperation, the two women forge a bizarre scheme to convince Brian's older, more powerful brother Ronnie (Maurice Roeves) that Brian has been kidnapped. Their plan hits a snag, however, when Detective Inspector Hepburn (Alex Norton) begins to suspect the women and offers to be on the take for their intended get-rich plan. Soon after, Tony also re-emerges and also wants in on the deal, leaving the two women to compose a different plan. A blackly comic film noir, Beautiful Creatures is the feature debut of director Bill Eagles. ~ Jason Clark, All Movie Guide

This adaptation of three stories from Irvine Welsh's short-story collection of the same name reunites Annie Louise Ross, Kevin McKidd, and Ewen Bremner from the author's previous cinematic success, Trainspotting, which was also set in the author's native North Edinburgh. In the Kafka-esque "The Granton Star Cause," a lazy amateur footballer (Stephen McCole) has a very, very bad day that culminates in God (Maurice Roeves) turning him into an insect. In "A Soft Touch," a young husband and father (McKidd) finds his life disrupted when a psychotic neighbor (Gary McCormack) takes up with his wife (Michelle Gomez) and invades his wretched tenement. And in "The Acid House," a druggie low-life (Bremner) experiences a Freaky Friday-style body switch with the infant son of a pair of self-involved yuppies. After "The Granton Star Cause" was screened separately at the Edinburgh Film Festival, the completed film was shown at Cannes in 1998. The title is a play on the term "acid house," a form of sinister dance music that emerged in Chicago in the mid-'80s and helped fuel the formative years of England's rave culture. Former Doctor Who actor Maurice Roeves, who plays God in "The Granton Star Cause," also has cameos in the other two segments. Jemma Redgrave, niece of Lynn and Vanessa Redgrave and cousin of Natasha and Joely Richardon, appears in the title segment and lends her Bjork-haired visage to the film's poster. ~ Brian J. Dillard, All Movie Guide

A violent, effects-heavy science fiction adventure, Judge Dredd depicts a nightmarish future in which overcrowded cities are terrorized by brutal gun battles and policed by "Judges," law officers who act as judge, jury, and executioner. Sylvester Stallone stars as Judge Dredd, a punishing enforcer with an unswerving dedication to law and order. Little does Dredd know that a nasty villain (Armand Assante) and a corrupt Judge (Jurgen Prochnow) are plotting to take over the city and plan to frame Dredd for murder in order to prevent him from interfering. Dredd winds up in prison, but he fights back with the help of Judge Hershey (Diane Lane), his partner and romantic interest, and Fergie (Rob Schneider), his friend and comic relief, developing a plan to clear his name and stop the bad guys. ~ Judd Blaise, All Movie Guide

After a two-week rerun cycle, Next Generation's sixth season resumed on May 1, 1993 with this first-run episode. The title refers to a competition involving the Enterprise, the Cardassians, the Klingons, and the Romulans. All four combatants race to solve a genetic puzzle that has remained inscrutable for four billion years. Alas, the solution of the puzzle may unleash a secret that will mean the end of the Galaxy. Veteran actors Norman Lloyd and Salome Jens guest star as, respectively, Picard's former archeology professor Galen and an enigmatic Humanoid; additionally, former Avengers regular Linda Thorson is seen as Gul Ocett. Directed by Jonathan Frakes, "The Chase" was written by Joe Menosky and Ronald D. Moore. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Director Michael Mann based this lushly romantic version of the James Fenimore Cooper novel more on his memory of the 1936 film version (starring Randolph Scott) than on Cooper's novel (in fact, Philip Dunne's 1936 screenplay is cited as source material for this film). Set in the 1750s during the French and Indian War, the story concerns Hawkeye (Daniel Day-Lewis), the European-born adopted son of Mohican scout Chingachgook (Russell Means). Hawkeye and his party, which also includes the Mohican Uncas (Eric Schweig), joins up with a group of Britons who have recently arrived in the Colonies. The group consists of Cora Munro (Madeleine Stowe) and her younger sister, Alice (Jodhi May), who are rescued from a Huron war party by Hawkeye. Hawkeye's band accompanies them to the British Fort William Henry, which is being besieged by a French and Huron force. The fort falls to the French, and Colonel Munro (Maurice Roeves) surrenders to French General Montcalm (Patrice Chéreau). The terms of the surrender are that the British merely abandon the fort and return to their homes. However, the French's bloodthirsty ally, the Huron warrior Magua (Wes Studi), has made no such agreement, and, as the British retreat from the fort, he plans to massacre them in a terrible Huron attack. ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide

This political thriller is set against the backdrop of Northern Ireland's "Troubles" and directed in the documentary fashion common to British filmmaker Ken Loach's films. Paul Sullivan (Brad Dourif) and Ingrid Jessner (Frances McDormand) are American attorneys serving on a human rights group working to monitor cases of prisoner mistreatment in war-torn Belfast. When Paul learns of some information that may be injurious to the Thatcher government, he is killed, and a top-secret tape disappears. Assigned to the case, Inspector Kerrigan (Brian Cox) is joined by Ingrid in probing Paul's death, which seems to be related to rumors of a high-ranking cabal within the British government working to undermine the Irish Republican Army and liberal policies toward Irish separatists through violent and illegal means. Ingrid meets with Harris (Maurice Roeves), a former British Secret Service agent who's now turned on his former cronies. Together, they look for the top-secret tape. ~ Karl Williams, All Movie Guide

While dictating his memoirs, Higgins (John Hillerman) flashes back to 1976, the time of his last meeting with his old friend and fellow British secret agent David Worth (played by Patrick Macnee of The Avengers fame). Unfortunately, David seems to have gone a bit balmy, and is now convinced that he is none other than Sherlock Holmes, on a mission to solve a murder. Humoring David along, Higgins agrees to act as his "Dr. Watson"--only to discover that the murder is all too real, and that he and David may be next on the hit list! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Beginning with its first episode on March 8, 1984, the four-part Doctor Who adventure "The Caves of Androzani" marked yet another milestone in the life of the venerable Doctor, played by Peter Davison (at least at the beginning of the story). Arriving on the planet Androzani Minor, the Doctor and his new companion, Peri (Nicola Bryant), investigate a set of strange tracks leading to a cave -- and promptly become infected with a bizarre "miracle" drug. "The Caves of Androzani, Episode 1" was written by Robert Holmes. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In the third episode of the pivotal four-part story "The Caves of Androzani," the planet of Androzani Minor continues to be the setting for a three-pronged power struggle between a mad doctor, a corrupt businessman, and an insurrectionist. The catalyst for all the carnage is a drug called Spectrox, which purportedly prolongs life. Both infected with Spectrox, the Doctor (Peter Davison) and Peri (Nicola Bryant) learn to their horror that Spectrox has the exact opposite of the desired effect. Originally telecast on March 15, 1984, "The Caves of Androzani, Episode 3" was written by Robert Holmes. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

John Huston directed this exciting World War II action film, which culminates in a rousing soccer game. In a German prisoner of war camp, Major Karl von Steiner (Max Von Sydow), the camp commander, once a member of the German national soccer team, decides to put together a soccer match between a team of Allied prisoners, led by Captain John Colby (Michael Caine), a former English international soccer player. The game is to be played in Colombes Stadium in Paris and exploited for maximum propaganda effect by the Nazi publicity machine. Robert Hatch (Sylvester Stallone) is enlisted to assist the Allied prisoners to train for the event. But, in fact, the Allies are planning a risky escape during the soccer match. Famed Brazilian soccer great Pele makes an appearance in the film, along with Bobby Moore, the captain of Britain's 1966 World Cup champions, and Argentine soccer star Osvaldo Ardiles. ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide