Actress Miriam Margolyes (1941)

The Man Who Invented Christmas (2017) is a comedic-drama biopic about author Charles Dickens. Directed by Bharat Nalluri and written by Susan Coyne, the film is based on Les Standiford’s non-fiction book of the same title. Set in 1843, four years after Dickens’ successful novel Oliver Twist, the story follows his struggles with financial difficulties following the failure of his last three books. Despite being rejected by publishers, he decides to write and self-publish a new book to improve his financial ...

Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga’Hoole (2010) is a 2010 3D computer-animated fantasy adventure film directed by Zack Snyder. Soren, a young barn owl, resides in Tyto Forest with his family, where he enjoys listening to his father’s tales of the ‘Guardians of Ga’Hoole’ – noble owls who battled against the malevolent Pure Ones. However, Soren’s older brother Kludd grows envious when they are taught how to fly and pushes him off a branch, causing them both to plummet to the ground. They are then taken captive by Jatt and Jutt, minions of the Pure Ones, and transported to St. ...

Happy Feet (2006), an animated comedy directed, produced and written by George Miller, tells the story of emperor penguins and their unique ‘heartsongs’ used to attract a mate. When Norma Jean falls for Memphis, they become mates and lay an egg which Memphis cares for while Norma Jean goes to fish with the other females. During the harsh winter, Memphis accidentally drops the egg but thankfully it hatches into Mumble, who is unable to sing but can tap dance. Despite this difference, Mumble is captivated by Gloria, known as the most talented penguin in her age group. One day, Mumble encounters hostile skua ...

The biographical film, The Life and Death of Peter Sellers (2004), is based on Roger Lewis’s book and follows the journey of English comedian, Peter Sellers. It begins with him walking up to a director’s chair, before the unseen live audience breaks into applause. In 1950s London, he is already a well-known performer on The Goon Show but struggles to make a mark in film. After a disappointing audition, he seeks comfort at home with his family but receives pushy advice from his overbearing mother Peg to ‘bite the hand that feeds you’. Inspired by her words, Peter taps into his talent for ...

The fantasy film, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (2002), was directed by Chris Columbus and written by Steve Kloves, adapting J.K. Rowling’s novel of the same name from 1998. While spending the summer with the Dursleys, Harry Potter meets Dobby, a house-elf who warns him not to return to Hogwarts as danger is looming. Despite Dobby’s warning, Harry refuses to stay away and ends up getting locked up by his relatives. Luckily, Ron Weasley and his brothers Fred and George come to his rescue in their ...

Romeo + Juliet (1996) was directed, produced, and co-written by Baz Luhrmann. Set in Verona Beach, the story follows two rival business empires: the Capulets and Montagues. The younger generation of these families feel the animosity held by their elders, Fulgencio and Gloria Capulet and Ted and Caroline Montague. Things escalate when a shootout breaks out between Benvolio, Romeo’s cousin from the Montague family, and Tybalt, Juliet’s cousin from the Capulet family, causing chaos in the city. The Chief of Police, Captain Prince intervenes by arresting both Benvolio and Tybalt and reprimanding their ...

James and the Giant Peach (1996) is a musical fantasy animated film, based on Roald Dahl’s novel of the same name, and directed by Henry Selick. In the summer of 1948, James Henry Trotter, an English orphan, lives with his cruel aunts Spiker and Sponge after his parents were devoured by a flying rhinoceros on his birthday. One day, while saving a spider from his aunts’ wrath, James receives enchanted ‘crocodile tongues’ from a mysterious stranger. These magical objects have the ability to make anything they touch grow to enormous proportions. But ...

The Age of Innocence (1993), an American historical romantic drama film directed by Martin Scorsese, is an adaptation of Edith Wharton’s 1920 novel. Set in 1870s New York City, it follows the story of gentleman lawyer Newland Archer, who is engaged to the respectable young May Welland. May’s cousin, Countess Ellen Olenska, has returned to the city after a disastrous marriage to a dissolute Polish Count. Though initially ostracized and subjected to vicious rumors, the countess is eventually embraced by New York’s elite families thanks to May’s ...