Stephen Tozer Movies

Out of gratitude for saving their temple, the Three Fates offer Xena (Lucy Lawless) anything she wants. She asks that the Fates alter history so that her brother Lyceas will not be killed -- and that she will never become the evil Warrior Princess she once was. The wish is granted, with one condition: Should Xena kill anyone in her "new life," all things will return to what they were before. But what of Xena's friend and traveling companion Gabrielle (Renee O'Connor), who has likewise been altered in this Alternate Reality? ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Princess Jana (Nicola Cliff), a friend of Xena (Lucy Lawless), has been kidnapped, an act that threatens to spark a terrible war. A duplicitous arms dealer who used to be one of Xena's cronies is responsible for the abduction. Can Xena trust another of her old acquaintances, her ex-lover Marcus (Bobby Hosea), to help her save Jana and avert the war? ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Enriched by a phalanx of deeply-etched characters straight out of New Zealand's finest folklore, this winning comedy by Kiwi director Ian Mune tells the story of two buddies out to ride a great horse-racing scam for as long as they can. Based on a story by the late writer Ronald Hugh Morrieson, the setting is around 1949 in rural New Zealand. Wes Pennington (Peter Bland) and his pal Cyril (Philip Gordon) are inveterate gamblers who have joined forces to bilk local bookies by taking advantage of delayed broadcasts of horse races. The duo do not linger long in each place, but when they arrive in Tainuia Junction, fate catches up with them. Through a series of unforeseen circumstances, Cyril and Wes get involved in uncovering a bootlegging ring, arson, murder, and other dastardly deeds. The townspeople are in a class of their own, but outstanding among them is the Tainuia Kid (Billy T. James) who is a kind of protector for the put-upon, gambling duo. The "Kid" is a mix of modern New Zealand ingenuity and traditional patriotic values, with a bit of humor thrown in as well. Viewers do not have to be from New Zealand to appreciate the story, the comedy, and the characters that emerge in this entertaining film. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide

Utu is the Maori word for "Retribution," which sums up the chief motivating factor of this New Zealand-produced drama. Set in the 1870s, the film details the exigencies of British Colonial rule. A Maori scout, Te Wheke (Anzac Wallace), stumbles across a native village that has been destroyed in a British raid. Since it is the scout's own village, he deserts the British army, the better to seek "utu." Leading a vigilante force consisting of his fellow Maoris, Te Wheke kills as many British settlers as he can get his hands on. The feverish conviction of his crusade is in stark contrast to the attitudes of the British, who seem more concerned with material possessions than with human beings. Popular down under star Bruno Lawrence is cast as a vengeance-driven settler who makes it his personal mission in life to end Te Wheke's reign of terror. The most expensive New Zealand-filmed project to date, Utu was an enormous success upon its first domestic release; the American version runs some 15 minutes shorter than the original. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide