David Yip Movies
- 2001
William Shakespeare's King Lear is transposed into a modern-dress British crime drama in this tense tale of family ties and the lust for power. Sandeman (Richard Harris) is the elderly leader of a Liverpool crime syndicate who is fiercely loyal to his wife Mandy (Lynn Redgrave) and his daughters Jo (Emma Catherwood), Tracy (Lorraine Pilkington), and Kath (Louise Lombard). When Mandy is shot dead during a street robbery, Sandeman is shattered, and decides it's time to turn the business over to one of his daughters. Jo, the middle child, has long been Sandeman's favorite, and he decides to give her control of the business, as well as the lion's share of his estate when he dies. Loyal Jo, however, does not want to get involved in her father's dealings, which leads to a heated battle between Tracy and Kath over Sandeman's empire; adding fuel to the fire are Dean (Paul McGann), a strong-arm man for Sandeman who's married to Kath, and Jug (Jimi Mistry), Tracy's spouse and a notorious drug dealer. As a civil war rages among Sandeman's family and associates over control of his syndicate, police officer Puttnam (Aidan Gillen) and customs agent Quick (Tom Bell) make one last attempt to put Sandeman behind bars before he retires from his life of crime. My Kingdom isn't the first gangland drama to be based on the work of William Shakespeare; another of the Bard's tragedies received similar treatment in 1955's Joe Macbeth. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Richard Harris, Lynn Redgrave, (more)
- 2001
To qualify as a contestant on the British martial-arts game show Masters of Combat, one had to be recruited from a "combat school" somewhere in the U.K. The players -- two teams of four each -- were garbed in combat outfits and presented with fearsome-looking (but basically harmless) weapons. Entering the Gateless Kingdom en route the Supreme Masters' Domain, the combatants were obliged to climb the Eight Steps of Enlightenment (each step with a higher cash value), but only after successfully completing six rounds (three were verbal tests, and three were physical challenges). Created by famed martial arts expert Neil Axe, Masters of Combat first aired in 2001. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Cecil Cheng, Gail Porter, (more)
Stewart Sugg made his directorial debut with this low-budget British comedy-drama. Returning home to London after a long absence, Benny (Douglas Henshall) can't find the proper footing in an ever-changing world. He's in contact with phone-sex talker Letitia (Emily Woof), meets her, and learns she's actually his childhood sweetheart, Claudia, daughter of the local shop owner. Chaos reigns when Benny's buddies look for loot hidden in the shop by a gangster (Miles Anderson). Shown at the 1998 Cannes Film Festival. ~ Bhob Stewart, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Douglas Henshall, Emily Woof, (more)
At least the 22nd time William Shakespeare's most famous tragedy has been brought to the screen, Kenneth Branagh's film adaptation of Hamlet was the first to preserve Shakespeare's entire text, uncut and unabridged. Moving the action into the 19th century, Branagh cast himself in the title role and, as in his adaptation of Much Ado About Nothing, assembled an eclectic group of actors that mixed veteran Shakespearean performers (including John Mills, Judi Dench, John Gielgud, and Derek Jacobi) with Hollywood stars not known for interpreting the Bard's work (among them Robin Williams, Charlton Heston, Billy Crystal, and Jack Lemmon). However, unlike most interpretations, it's the women who really carry the show, with the two best performances delivered by Kate Winslet as Ophelia and Julie Christie as Gertrude. As usual, Hamlet finds himself torn over what to do after the death of his father and his mother's hasty remarriage. Branagh's version of Hamlet was also notable on a technical level, as it was filmed in the 70-mm format for increased visual clarity and detail. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Richard Attenborough, Kenneth Branagh, (more)
- 1991
In this futuristic sci-fi political drama, the minerals of the moon are being exploited by both Russian and American mining companies. When a terrorist threatens an American mining company, a KGB agent teams up with a NASA investigator to stop them. The two agents are attracted to each other and this nearly derails their assignment. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1988
In this amusing comedy, Sharon (Sharon Fryer) is upset when her unemployed boyfriend Anthony (Gary Webster) announces his intention to join the police force. She ends up insulting the chief of police at a local dinner, following him into the men's room to finish her train of thought. When her friend Billy (Pete Lee-Wilson) lands in jail for using the phone at work to make a request to a disc jockey, she decides to help him get out. Cameos from popular British television stars are added effectively throughout the feature. ~ Dan Pavlides, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Gary Webster, Sharon Fryer, (more)
- 1986
- PG
Pleasant and unpresumptuous, this modest comedy drama is about Elaine (Lucy Sheen), a young female lawyer in London and how she tries to do her duty by executing the last will and testament of a Chinese VIP. The heirs to the man's fortune argue among themselves, creating more headaches for Elaine as she tries to figure out the will. At the same time, Elaine finds herself attracted to the eldest heir, Mike (David Yip), and eventually Elaine and Mike enter into a romantic liaison. Meanwhile, another problem surfaces; the deceased insisted he be buried in his native village in mainland China, but no one wants to accompany the body. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- David Yip, Lucy Sheen, (more)
Secret Agent 007 must stop a megalomaniacal technology mogul from destroying Silicon Valley in this unexceptional entry in the James Bond series. Computer baron Max Zorin (Christopher Walken) is planning to trigger a major California earthquake in order to wipe out his competitors. Bond is assigned to stop him, but first he must do battle with Zorin's statuesque partner in crime, May Day (Grace Jones). The expected high-wire confrontations ensue, as Bond battles the villains at international landmarks like the Eiffel Tower and takes the occasional break to romance an attractive geologist. Unfortunately, nothing fresh is brought to the familiar formula, and even the well-staged action sequences prove less than exciting. Indeed, this otherwise by-the-numbers production is most notable for the fact that it marked the final appearance of Roger Moore as the dashing Bond. ~ Judd Blaise, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Roger Moore, Christopher Walken, (more)
- 1984
- PG
- Add Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom to QueueAdd Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom to top of Queue
The second of the George Lucas/Steven Spielberg Indiana Jones epics is set a year or so before the events in Raiders of the Lost Ark (1984). After a brief brouhaha involving a precious vial and a wild ride down a raging Himalyan river, Indy (Harrison Ford) gets down to the problem at hand: retrieving a precious gem and several kidnapped young boys on behalf of a remote East Indian village. His companions this time around include a dimbulbed, easily frightened nightclub chanteuse (Kate Capshaw), and a feisty 12-year-old kid named Short Round (Quan Ke Huy). Throughout, the plot takes second place to the thrills, which include a harrowing rollercoaster ride in an abandoned mineshaft and Indy's rescue of the heroine from a ritual sacrifice. There are also a couple of cute references to Raiders of the Lost Ark, notably a funny variation of Indy's shooting of the Sherpa warrior. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Harrison Ford, Kate Capshaw, (more)
- 1979
In the second episode of the four-part story "The Destiny of the Daleks," the Doctor (Tom Baker) and Romana (Lalla Ward) are the guests of the robotic Movellans on the Daleks' home planet of Skaro. Locked in an ages-old war against the Daleks, the Movellans are able to anticipate their enemy's every move -- and (unfortunately) vice-versa. Both the Daleks and the Movellans hope to revive the Daleks' creator, Davros (David Gooderson), but though the Movellans' motivations seem pure, the Doctor is highly suspicious. Written by Terry Nation, "The Destiny of the Daleks, Episode 2" originally aired on September 8, 1979. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Tom Baker, Lalla Ward, (more)
- 1979
In the conclusion of the four-part story "The Destiny of the Daleks," the Doctor (Tom Baker) and Romana (Lalla Ward) are still enmeshed in a power struggle between the Daleks and the Movellans on the planet Skaros. Though normally the sworn enemy of the Daleks, the Doctor comes to realize that the Movellans are no better than their enemies. But what to do about Davros (David Gooderson), the newly revived creator of the dreaded Daleks? Written by Terry Nation, "The Destiny of the Daleks, Episode 4" originally aired on September 22, 1979. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Tom Baker, Lalla Ward, (more)
