Actress Glenn Close (1947)

Guardians of the Galaxy (2014) is a 2014 superhero film based on the titular Marvel Comics team. Produced by Marvel Studios and distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures, it is the 10th installment in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. In 1988, Peter Quill is taken from Earth by the Ravagers, a group of alien thieves led by Yondu Udonta, following his mother’s passing. Flash forward to 2014 on Morag, where Quill retrieves a mysterious Orb and faces off against Korath and his fanatical Kree cohorts, with Ronan at the helm. After escaping with the Orb, Yondu discovers Quill’s transgression and puts out a bounty for him while Ronan dispatches ...

The Shield (2002–2008), an acclaimed American crime drama television series starring Michael Chiklis, premiered on FX in the United States on March 12, 2002. It ended its successful seven-season run on November 25, 2008. Based loosely on the Rampart Division police scandal, the show’s Strike Team quickly gained recognition for its depiction of corrupt officers. Created by Shawn Ryan for Fox Television Studios and Sony Pictures Television, The Shield has been praised as one of the greatest TV series of all time. In fact, it won both a Golden Globe Award and ...

In Paradise Road (1997), an Australian war film directed by Bruce Beresford, a group of women from England, America, the Netherlands, and Australia are imprisoned by the Japanese in Sumatra during World War II. During a dance at the Raffles Hotel in Singapore for soldiers and their families, they are abruptly forced to flee when the Battle of Singapore breaks out and a bomb explodes outside. The women and children are quickly taken away on a boat for safety. However, the boat is soon bombed by Japanese fighter planes, causing them to jump into the water. Among them are three women – Adrienne Pargiter, Rosemary ...

The gothic horror film Mary Reilly (1996), directed by Stephen Frears, was adapted from Valerie Martin’s novel of the same name and written by Christopher Hampton. Upon her arrival as a maid in Dr. Henry Jekyll’s household, Mary develops a rapport with him and he starts relying on her help, much to the disapproval of his butler, Poole. Fascinated by the scars on Mary’s hand and neck, Jekyll examines them at her reluctance and learns they were caused by her abusive father locking her in a cupboard with rats ...

Mars Attacks! (1996), an American black comedy science fiction film, was directed by Tim Burton and co-produced by Larry J. Franco. When Earth is suddenly visited by a massive fleet of flying saucers from Mars, President James Dale addresses the nation. Among those following the developing story are talk show host Nathalie Lake and her boyfriend Jason Stone, who try to take advantage of the situation with an interview featuring Professor Donald Kessler, Dale’s scientific advisor. However, their plans are interrupted by a broadcast from the Martian leader. As the ...

The American comedy-drama film, The Paper (1994), directed by Ron Howard, follows Henry Hackett, a dedicated metro editor at The New York Sun. While he loves his job, Henry is tired of the long hours and low pay. He fears becoming like his work-obsessed boss, Bernie White, who neglects his family. When Bernie reveals his prostate cancer diagnosis, he tries to reconcile with his estranged daughter before it’s too late. Facing financial struggles, the paper’s owner enacts unpopular cutbacks under the supervision of Henry’s rival, managing editor Alicia Clark. At home, Henry clashes with his pregnant wife ...

The drama film Hamlet (1990), directed by Franco Zeffirelli, is an adaptation of the Shakespearean tragedy. After the death of his father, the King, Hamlet returns to Denmark where he discovers that his mother Gertrude has married his uncle Claudius, who is now the new King. Both Gertrude and Claudius encourage Hamlet to marry Ophelia, but soon he is visited by the ghost of his father. The ghost reveals that he was murdered by Claudius and Gertrude, leaving Hamlet with a difficult decision between passively accepting his fate or seeking revenge, which could have tragic ...

Dangerous Liaisons (1988) is an American romantic drama film set in pre-Revolution Paris. Directed by Stephen Frears and written by Christopher Hampton, it is based on Hampton’s play Les liaisons dangereuses, which was adapted from Pierre Choderlos de Laclos’ 1782 French novel of the same name. The story revolves around the Marquise de Merteuil seeking revenge on her ex-lover, the Comte de Bastide, who ended their relationship. In order to embarrass ...

The Big Chill (1983), an American comedy-drama directed by Lawrence Kasdan, follows a group of University of Michigan alumni and close friends as they gather at the Tidalholm plantation in Beaufort, South Carolina for the funeral of their friend Alex Marshall, who died by suicide. They all stay with Sarah and Harold Cooper during their visit. Along with Alex’s girlfriend Chloe, the group includes Sam Weber, a television actor; Meg Jones, a former public defender now working as a real-estate attorney; Michael Gold, a journalist for People magazine; Nick Carlton, a Vietnam vet struggling with drug addiction; Karen ...

The American comedy-drama film, The World According to Garp (1982), was produced and directed by George Roy Hill. Its main character, T.S. Garp, is the son of a strong-minded feminist named Jenny Fields, who desired a child but not a husband. Jenny was a nurse during World War II and met a dying ball turret gunner known only as Technical Sergeant Garp – after whom she named her child. As Garp grows up, he becomes passionate about wrestling and writing, subjects that do not interest his mother much. However, his writing catches the attention of Helen Holm – the daughter of the school’s wrestling coach ...