News

S.W.A.T. fans, we’ve got a fresh off the press preview for the new Season 7 Episode 9 episode titled Honeytrap!

Find out everything you need to know about the Honeytrap episode of S.W.A.T., including a full preview, videos, release date, cast information and how to watch!

S.W.A.T. Honeytrap Season 7 Episode 9 Preview

Get ready for an action-packed episode of “S.W.A.T.” titled “Honeytrap,” airing on CBS at 8:00 Pm on April 19, 2024. In this thrilling installment, viewers will be taken on a gripping journey as a Los Angeles S.W.A.T. lieutenant navigates the delicate balance between loyalty to his job and the streets where he was raised.

Starring in this adrenaline-fueled drama are Shemar Moore as Daniel “Hondo” Harrelson, the dedicated leader of the S.W.A.T. team, and Stephanie Sigman as Jessica Cortez, the confident captain of the Special Weapons and Tactics unit. Together with their team of elite officers,...

Get ready for an action-packed episode of “S.W.A.T.” as Season 7 Episode 9, titled “Honeytrap,” hits the screens on CBS at 8:00 Pm this Friday, April 19th. In this thrilling installment, viewers will be taken on a rollercoaster ride as a Los Angeles S.W.A.T. lieutenant grapples with the delicate balance between loyalty to his job and his roots in the streets where he grew up.

As tensions rise and loyalties are put to the test, the team must navigate through a web of challenges and dangers to uphold justice and protect their community. With high-stakes operations and pulse-pounding action sequences, “Honeytrap” promises to keep viewers on the edge of their seats from start to finish.

Join the elite S.W.A.T. team as they confront the complexities of duty, honor, and loyalty in a city where the line between right and wrong is often blurred. Tune in at 8:00 Pm on Friday,...

Throughout "Star Trek," Captain Picard (Patrick Stewart) has engaged in precious few romances. Early in "Star Trek: The Next Generation," he reunited with an old flame (Michelle Phillips) in the episode "We'll Always Have Paris," and it was implied that he had a fling years earlier with a lawyer (Amanda McBroom) in "The Measure of a Man," but those relationships concluded before "Next Generation" began. Of course, Picard had a wild dalliance with Vash (Jennifer Hetrick) in "Captain's Holiday," lived out a life with his imagined wife (Margot Rose) in "The Inner Light," had a time-travel fling with a classmate (J.C. Brandy) in "Tapestry," and had a very palpable romance with Lieutenant Commander Nella Darren (Wendy Hughes) in "Lessons." 

Oh yes, and Picard was very clearly attracted to Lwaxana Troi (Majel Barrett), and throughout "Next Generation," Picard and Dr. Crusher (Gates McFadden) shared a professional regard through a definite romantic undercurrent.

Chakotay's first romance on Star Trek: Voyager showed why dating Captain Janeway would have been a bad idea due to their power dynamic and need to maintain professionalism. Chakotay pursued other romances on the show, including an ill-fated relationship with Seven of Nine and a doomed romance with Seska. Star Trek: The Next Generation explored the issue of captains dating subordinate officers, setting the precedent for why Janeway and Chakotay's relationship would not have worked.

Chakotay's (Robert Beltran) first romance on Star Trek: Voyager laid the groundwork for why his dating Captain Janeway (Kate Mulgrew) would have been a bad idea. Chakotay was the USS Voyager's First Officer and a former Maquis rebel. Janeway promoted him to First Officer after the ship became stranded in the Delta Quadrant, and the two of them ended up developing a close working relationship and friendship as the show progressed. Although there was an...

Starfleet has a rule that starship captains can't be emotionally compromised, but Star Trek: Discovery's Captain Michael Burnham (Sonequa Martin-Green) breaks it constantly and gets away with it. This rule, Regulation 619, states that a commanding officer is required to relieve themselves of command if their current mission left them emotionally compromised and unable to make rational decisions. Regulation 619 has been evident throughout the various Star Trek TV series and movies, but it was most dramatically implemented in J.J. Abrams' Star Trek 2009.

James T. Kirk (Chris Pine) became Acting Captain of the USS Enterprise when he coerced Spock (Zachary Quinto) into violently demonstrating he was emotionally compromised by the destruction of Vulcan. However, Star Trek: Discovery's Captain Burnham, maintains command of the USS Discovery-a even when she is emotionally compromised, which happens often. This was never more evident than in Star Trek: Discovery season 4 when Burnham was at odds with her lover,...

With more years behind him than ahead, Star Trek: Picard’s eponymous captain will need to address important, unanswered questions about himself when the Paramount+ series returns for Season 2 this Thursday.

New episodes find Picard and his crew traveling back to the 21st century in the hopes of saving the galaxy’s future. As he encounters familiar faces and new friends, he’ll also be forced to look inward and reexamine some of the choices he’s made — specifically when it comes to matters of the heart.

More from TVLineStar Trek: Picard: Whoopi Goldberg to Return as Next Generation's Guinan...

Barbara Leane has been remembered by friends and colleagues as a trailblazing talent agent, an astute businesswoman and a mentor to countless actors and young agents.

Leane died on Friday on the Gold Coast after being diagnosed with cancer in January. Her age was a ‘state secret.’

Barbara Leane Management mentored some of the country’s most successful actors including Luke Ford, Wendy Hughes, Max Cullen, Kerry Armstrong, Peter Phelps, Bruce Spence, Anne Looby, Ian Stenlake and Susan Prior.

Phelps was 18 and making his debut on The Restless Years when legendary actor John Ewart asked him about his agent. “What do they do?” Phelps asked, so Ewart urged him to approach Leane, who went on to represent him for 25 years until she retired.

“Barbara was the den mother to every one of her beloved actor cubs,” Phelps tells If. “She chose her client actors on who that person was as...

Bong Joon-ho at the awards.

If the consensus views of the 200 members of Aacta’s International chapter are a bellwether of the Academy Awards, it could be a memorable night for Korean director Bong Joon-ho’s black comedy/thriller Parasite, Quentin Tarantino, Saoirse Ronan and Margot Robbie.

Parasite beat Martin Scorsese’s The Irishman, Todd Phillips’ The Joker, David Michôd’s The King and Taraninto’s Once Upon a Time…in Hollywood to win best film at the Aacta International Awards presented in Los Angeles on Saturday.

Tarantino was named best director while Taiki Waititi’s Nazi satire Jojo Rabbit took the screenplay prize.

The best lead actor and actress gongs went to Marriage Story’s Adam Driver and Little Women’s Saoirse Ronan.

Brad Pitt was judged best supporting actor for Once Upon a Time…in Hollywood and Margot Robbie best supporting actress for her performance as Kayla Pospisil,...

Stars: Judy Davis, Sam Neill, Wendy Hughes, Robert Grubb, Peter Whitford | Written by Eleanor Whitcombe | Directed by Gillian Armstrong

In the 19th century, on a remote Australian farm, teenager Sybylla (Judy Davis) dreams of a life of culture. Definitely a dreamer rather than a doer, she is shipped around various pockets of her extended family, mostly with a view to finding a matriarch who can curtail her “godless” behaviour. Everyone fails; and when she meets Harry (Sam Neill), she finds a muse for her mischievous energy. The obvious next step is marriage, particularly when you consider that the moneyed Harry is willing to wait years for Sybylla’s hand. But marriage is not Sybylla’s way. She is a young firebrand who is fiercely defensive of her independence. The push and pull between duty and independence is the basis for what becomes a very nuanced and involving character study.

It...

Gill(ian) Armstrong’s breakthrough feature does a leapfrog over stories like Little Women, with heroines that prevail even when adhering to the Meek Sex role of their time. Judy Davis’s Sybylla Melvin knows that she’s a freckle-faced pain in the neck: despite being proud that she’s attracted the local male catch, her every sinew is committed to her goal of artistic expression and self-fulfillment. The setting is the turn-of-the-century Australian Outback but the story is universal. Sam Neill suffers through the best ‘thankless’ romantic role ever.

My Brilliant Career

Blu-ray

The Criterion Collection 973

1979 / Color / 1:85 widescreen / 100 min. / available through The Criterion Collection / Street Date April 30, 2019 / 39.95

Starring: Judy Davis, Sam Neill, Wendy Hughes, Robert Grubb, Aileen Britton, Patricia Kennedy.

Cinematography: Donald McAlpine

Production Designer: Luciana Arrighi

Film Editor: Nicholas Beauman

Original Music: Nathan Waks

Written by Eleanor Witcombe from the novel by Miles Franklin

Produced by Margaret Fink...

Australian filmmaker Paul Cox, whose films Lonely Hearts and Man of Flowers earned him acclaim as the father of Australia’s indie cinema, has died. His passing was confirmed by the Australian Directors Guild. Though no cause of death was given, Cox had long battled cancer and underwent a liver transplant in 2009. Cox’s cinematic breakthrough came in 1981 with Lonely Hearts, a romantic comedy starring Wendy Hughes and Norman Kaye that won the AFI Award for best film. A…...

Wendy Hughes and Norman Kaye star as the odd but appealing couple in Paul Cox’s early career-defining and AFI-award-winning film

The latest film from veteran Dutch-born writer/director Paul Cox, Force of Destiny, stars David Wenham as a lovesick artist who finds soul-revitalising romance late in life, after being diagnosed with liver cancer. Known for his naturalistic, character-oriented and occasionally improvisational style, Cox explored similar themes – albeit in softer and more humorous ways – in an early career-defining work: 1981’s deeply memorable romantic drama Lonely Hearts.

Co-written by Cox and comedian John Clarke and produced by Phillip Adams, the film is about two social misfits who connect via a dating service. Peter (Norman Kaye) is an oddball fellow, a piano tuner pushing 50 who has never married and walks around in a slight daze, belying a sometimes scheming personality. He wears a new Hong Kong-imported rug on his head, a flamboyant...

Kino Lorber and Scorpion Releasing Announce First Eight Titles to be Released Under New Multi-Year Distribution Deal

in August

Kino Lorber and Scorpion Releasing have announces the inaugural releases of eight films under the companies' new multi-year distribution deal. Over the next year and after, there will be additional releases by Kino Lorber from the Scorpion library, including new acquisitions that will be available for the first time.

Among the first selection of titles to be released in August are Green Ice, starring Ryan O'Neal and Omar Sharif; Grizzly, starring Christopher George (both out on DVD August 5th); A Summer Story, starring Susannah York (out g August 12th), the award-winning Australian drama Careful He Might Hear You (out on August 12th), Jack Hill's Sorceress, produced by Roger Corman (out on August 19th); The Girl in a Swing, starring Meg Tilly (out on DVD on August 19th); the acclaimed drama Friendly Fire, starring Carol Burnett, and the 1982 TV movie version of The Elephant Man (both streeting on DVD on August 26th)

"Green Ice"(1981)

Director: Ernest Day

Cast: Ryan O'Neal, Anne Archer, Omar Sharif, John Larroquette

In the Andes mountains a group of archaeologists are murdered after they discover uncut emeralds. Back in New York, Joseph Wiley (Ryan O'Neal, "Love Story") is down on his luck and runs off to Mexico where he meets Lilian Holbrook (Anne Archer, "Fatal Attraction"). The two are instantly attracted to each other, but Lilian is on her way to meet Meno Argenti (Omar Sharif, "Doctor Zhivago"), the man who intends to marry her. Wiley is mistakenly drawn into perilous adventure when a mysterious caller tells him to look at the samples - stolen emeralds. Lilian's sister is killed and, suspecting Argenti, Wiley and Lilian, in a bid to avenge her murder, plan a daring raid on Argenti's vault of emeralds - green ice. Also starring John Larroquette (TV's Night Court).

"Grizzly" (1976)

Director: William Girdler

Cast: Christopher George, Andre Prine, Richard Jackel, Joan McCall

When an eighteen-foot, two-thousand-pound grizzly bear starts mauling campers and hikers at a state park, a park ranger (Christopher George, "The Exterminator") springs into action. But the job is too big to tackle alone, so he enlists the aid of a naturalist (Richard Jaeckel, "The Dirty Dozen") and a helicopter pilot (Andrew Prine, "The Evil") to take this freak of nature down. Meanwhile, the giant grizzly, not content with picnic baskets, continues to kill indiscriminately, leaving pools of blood and piles of body parts in his wake. Can the ranger and his cronies end the grizzly's reign of terror without resorting to excessively extreme measures? This post-Jaws, nature-runs-rampant thriller was directed by William Girdler ("Day of the Animals"), and was a box office hit and the top-grossing independent film of 1976.

"A Summer Story" (1988)

Director: Piers Haggard

Cast: James Wilby, Susannah York, Jerome Flynn

A country girl has a brief, life-shattering moment when she falls for a young lawyer. Adapted from John Galsworthy'sThe Apple Tree, the film tells of the relationship between a young London lawyer, Frank Ashton (James Wilby,"Handful of Dust") and Megan David (Imogen Stubbs, "True Colors"), the innocent girl who helps him during his recovery from a twisted ankle at the farm where she lives. The attraction between the two is overpowering; they make love in the farm hayloft and vow never to be parted. But Frank goes to Torquay where he meets an old schoolfriend and his lovely sister Stella (Sophie Ward). Thus, Frank's plans become muddled and Megan comes looking for him. A Summer Story of young love. Also starring Susannah York (Tom Jones) and Jerome Flynn (TV's Game of Thrones).

"Careful, He Might Hear You" (1983)

Director: Carl Schultz

Cast: Wendy Hughes, Robyn Nevin, Nicholas Gledhill

Winner of 8 Australian Film Institute Awards - Nominated for 5 more - National Board of Reviews: Winner (Top 10 Films)

Set in Australia in the 1930s, this drama stars Nicholas Gledhill as P.S., a six-year old boy who lives with his Aunt Lila (Robyn Nevin, "The Matrix Reloaded," "The Matrix Revolutions") and Uncle George (Peter Whitford, "Strictly Ballroom"). P.S.'s mother died in childbirth, so her sister Lila took him in, and while George and Lila don't have much money, they always done the best they could to the give the boy a good home. One day, Lila's older sister, Venessa (Wendy Hughes, "My Brilliant Career") arrives from a trip around the world; Vanessa is quiet wealthy, and upon her return to Australia, she expresses interest in taking custody of the child. Lila is willing to let the boy meet his aunt, but decides to fight her in court when she decides that she wants the boy full time. The case becomes more complicated by the arrival of the boy's long-absent father, Logan (John Hargreaves, "Emerald City"), an alcoholic who loves his son, but is incapable of caring for him. Careful He Might Hear You won 8 Australian Film Institute Awards, including Best Picture, Best Actress (Hughes) and Best Supporting Actor (Hargreaves).

"Sorceress" (1982)

Director: Jack Hill

Cast: Leigh Harris, Lynette Harris, David Millbern

From legendary producer Roger Corman ("Bloody Mama") comes the box office hit of 1982, "Sorceress." When an evil Wizard Traigon makes a pact with the dark forces to sacrifice his first born to his God Caligara to gain the highest degree of power, but things get complicated when his gives birth to twin. Having knowledge of her husband's plan she runs away and her two daughters grow up to be beautiful warriors played by playboy playmates Leigh and Lynette Harris. After the death of their mother and adopted families at the hands of Traigon and his army, the twins blessed with the forces of light and strength given to them by the magical warrior Krona, join forces with Baldar the Viking and Erlik the Barbarian to take down Traigon and avenge their mother's death. Standing in their way is all sorts of Traigon's minions, from an army of ape man to undead zombies which leads us to a climax in an all out battle between good and evil! Now watch this cult classic, not only from a brand new HD master, but from a previously never-before-seen longer version!

"The Girl in a Swing" (1988)

Director: Gordon Hessler

Cast: Meg Tilly, Rupert Frazer, Nicholas Le Prevost, Elspet Gray

A London art broker (Rupert Frazer, "Empire of the Sun") goes to Copenhagen where he requires the services of a secretary fluent in Danish, English, and German. He falls deeply in love with the woman (Meg Tilly, "The Big Chill"), despite the fact that he knows virtually nothing about her. She insists on not being married in a church, and after they are married, some bad things from her past begin surfacing in subtly supernatural ways, and he must find the best way to deal with them without destroying their relationship. Based on the best selling novel by Richard Adams ("Watership Down") and directed by horror specialist Gordon Hessler ("Cry of the Banshee," "The Oblong Box").

 "Friendly Fire" (1979 TV Movie)

Director: David Greene

Cast: Carol Burnett, Ned Beatty, Sam Waterston, Timothy Hutton, David Keith

 The true story of Peg (Carol Burnett, "The Four Seasons") and Gene Mullen (Ned

Beatty, "Deliverance") who pursue the truth over their son's death in Vietnam. After their son is killed in Vietnam the couple's on-going inquiries eventually establish he was killed by 'artillery fire from friendly forces'. This beautifully orchestrated, harrowing story, assembled with uncommon sensitivity, is one of the most dramatic works ever made about the Vietnam War. Directed by David Greene ("Hard Country") and based on the novel by C.D.B. Bryan ("So Much Unfairness of Things") The wonderful cast includes Sam Waterston ("The Killing Fields"), Timothy Hutton ("Ordinary People") and David Keith ("An Officer and a Gentleman"). Winner of 4 Emmy Award® including Best Director and nominated for 3 more including Best Actor and Best Actress. 1980 Peabody Award Winner and DGA nominee foe Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Specials or Movies Made for TV.

"The Elephant Man " (1982 TV Movie )

Director: Jack Hofsiss

Cast: Philip Anglim, Kevin Conwak, Glenn Clsoe 

The story of John Merrick (Philip Anglim), The Elephant Man, and of his triumph over his terrible affliction. It is a story of life and the affirmation of life; timeless, tragic, uplifting and heroic; an exultation of the humanity of a man trapped inside the twisted, lesion-ridden grip of a terminally disfiguring disease. We see John Merrick as a man with many admirers, beginning with the witty and beautiful actress, Mrs. Kendal (Penny Fuller), who, so taken with Merrick, brought a who's who of English society to visit him regularly. The stellar cast includes Glenn Close as Princess Alexandra and Kevin Conway. Directed by DGA nominee Jack Hofsiss (1984 TV Movie, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof). Winner of 1 Emmy Award® for Best Supporting Actress (Fuller) and nominated for 3 more including Best Actor, Philip Anglim who also received a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actor in a Mini-Series or Made for TV Motion Picture.

Larry Charles ("Borat") has been hired to write and potentially direct a "re-imagining" of the 2001 Australian feature comedy "The Man Who Sued God" for New Films International.

Scottish comedian Billy Connolly, Judy Davis, Wendy Hughes and Emily Browning starred in the original about an ex-lawyer who files a claim against God after his insurance company dismisses the destruction of his boat as an "act of God."

Clark is expected to put his own spin on the original film's premise. The original film has also already spawned a Bollywood remake.

Source: Deadline...

It was revealed today that Larry Charles (Borat, The Dictator, TV's Seinfeld, Curb Your Enthusiasm) will write a reimagined version of the cult Australian hit The Man Who Sued God for New Films International (Nfi) with an eye toward directing.

Nfi founder and President Nesim Hason and Mace Neufeld (The Hunt for Red October, Patriot Games, Sony's upcoming The Equalizer with Denzel Washington) are producing the new project with Sixth Sense Productions principals Richard Harding and Sam Feuer (The First Grader).

Charles' take on The Man Who Sued God is expected to veer from the original premise, which involves a former lawyer who had found happiness with a simpler life and career - until a natural disaster strikes and he is denied insurance money because it was 'an act of God'. He re-registers as a lawyer and sues the insurance company and the church under the guise of God, defending himself.

There wil be a celebration of the life of actress Wendy Hughes in Melbourne on Sunday June 1.

The venue is the Melbourne Theatre Company, Southbank Theatre Foyer, 140 Southbank Boulevard, Southbank.

The event will begin at 3 pm..

Hughes, who passed away in Sydney in March, aged 61, won the AFI award for best actress for Careful, He Might Hear You in 1983 and was nominated on six other occasions, for Newsfront, My Brilliant Career, Lonely Hearts, My First Wife, Echoes of Paradise and Boundaries of the Heart.

To all dear friends and industry colleagues of Wendy Hughes, there will be a celebration of her life at 4:00Pm, Sunday 23rd March, 2014.

The venue is:

The Theatre Bar At The End Of The Wharf Sydney Theatre Company Pier 4 Hickson Rd Walsh Bay To assist us in preparing for the celebration, please RSVP to rsvp@marqueemgt.com.au by this Thursday, 20th March, 2014. .

To all dear friends and industry colleagues of Wendy Hughes, there will be a celebration of her life at 11:00am, Sunday 23rd March, 2014 at - The Theatre Bar At The End Of The Wharf Sydney Theatre Company Pier 4 Hickson Rd Walsh Bay To assist us in preparing for the celebration, please RSVP to rsvp@marqueemgt.com.au by this Thursday, 20th March, 2014. .

Actor Chris Haywood today issued a statement on the passing of his former wife Wendy Hughes. Wendy was "furious" life was coming to an end too quickly. She had so much more to do. Two weeks before her death she was planning a trip to Paris. She died peacefully a little after 4 am on Saturday morning. Charlotte and Jay, her two children, were with her as were her sister Jan and her brother Tony and myself. She was at home as she wished, overlooking the ocean. After her gallant battle with cancer she finally came to rest to the sound of the waves breaking on the rocks a short distance from her window. She leaves behind her three treasured grandchildren, Isobelle, Oberon and Lennox. The Hughes, Haywood and Juillet families would sincerely like to thank the palliative care service of the Illawarra district and Dr. Annette Beaufils for their caring support.

Australian actress Wendy Hughes dead at 61 (photo: Wendy Hughes in ‘Newsfront’) Australian film, television, and stage actress Wendy Hughes, best known internationally for the big-screen dramas My Brilliant Career and Careful, He Might Hear You, died of cancer early today, March 8, 2014, in Sydney. Hughes (born on July 29, 1952, in Melbourne) was 61. Wendy Hughes’ film career kicked off in the mid-’70s, with Tim Burstall’s psychological drama ‘Jock’ Petersen / Petersen (1974), in which she plays the wife of a college professor who becomes romantically involved with a married student (Jack Thompson). "I spent a lot of the time naked and doing sex scenes," Hughes would later recall about her work in ‘Jock’ Petersen, "because in the seventies you all had to do that." In 1979, Hughes landed a key supporting role in the international arthouse hit My Brilliant Career, Gillian Armstrong’s late 19th-century-set tale of an independent-minded young woman (a Katharine Hepburn...

Wendy Hughes, who has died in Sydney aged 61, will be remembered by her peers as one of the finest actors of her generation.

Hughes won the AFI award for best actress for Careful, He Might Hear You in 1983 and was nominated on six other occasions, for Newsfront, My Brilliant Career, Lonely Hearts, My First Wife, Echoes of Paradise and Boundaries of the Heart.

.She was a brilliant actress who set the standard and was pioneering for her era,. filmmaker Philippe Mora, who was a close friend in the 1980s and early 1990s, told If.

.In my opinion without Wendy there would have been no Judy Davis, no Nicole Kidman and no Cate Blanchett. If timing had been different she would have been a major international star. As it is she leaves a legacy of perfect performances as one of Australia's greatest actresses..

Mora wanted to cast Hughes as the female...

Family Demons: The Ghost as Domestic Inheritance by Donna McRae

Low cinematic genres – (as Clover, Williams and Robin Wood and others) have often pointed out – often handle explosive social material that mainstream cinema is reluctant to touch. — Joan Hawkins (1)

Can you make a film about the aftermath of incest and child abuse and its effect on three generations of women in the same family? Would this film contain an inherited ghost running through the narrative that could represent repressed feelings of colonial guilt on another level? Could this film prick the conscience of a nation that might be shuddering in silence for all its past sins? Would you get funding for this film from an Australian funding agency if you didn't have a track record? Would this very serious film fill cinemas, especially Australian ones? Could you get international profile actors to star in your film? Or would Australian film actors like Gracie Otto,...

Onward Production and Black Swan State Theatre Company’s anthology evening Seven Deadly Sins, Four Deadly Sinners, which they are presenting at The Playhouse Theatre between 21 October and 1 November.

Seven Deadly Sins, Four Deadly Sinners is an anthology evening of wicked comedy, heavenly drama, devilishly tall tales, enchanting poetry and seductive stories. Starring four deadly beautiful temptresses, who will enlighten you on how to survive, or even live by, the Seven Deadly Sins!

Seven Deadly Sins, Four Deadly Sinners has been compiled from the works of nearly everyone with a sense of humour (sometimes unintentional!) - from Chaucer to Victoria Wood, from Woody Allen to Oscar Wilde via Flanders & Swann, Joyce Grenfell, Steven Berkoff and Noel Coward - by the award-winning scriptwriter and author of the first six of the Carry On... films, Norman Hudis.

Wendy Hughes, one of Australia's best known stage, TV and film actresses (My Brilliant Career,...

For no reason whatsoever I have declared today 1984 day! It's a 25th Anniversary Jamboree or some such. (Don't ask questions. Just go with it) Herewith a tripled top ten: What the public liked, what Oscar liked, what I liked from the year that was. All movie title links go to their Netflix page in case you're interested in giving them a looksie. First a little historical entertainment context: Vanessa Williams was not starring on Ugly Betty but resigning her Miss America tiara due to nude photos (the more things change...), Ricky Martin was a new member of Menudo, people were just discovering what Madonna looked like on MTV, and Scarlett Johansson was fresh out of the womb.

What Oscar Liked

The Oscar nominees for Best Picture were the Mozart bio Amadeus (11 noms / 8 wins), the legendary David Lean's swan song A Passage to India (11 noms / 2 wins), Roland Joffé's war...

MONTREAL -- The marketing people at TriStar will have their work cut out for them with this specialized and awkwardly titled British entry, but it won't be for any lack of quality on the film's part. Michael Austin's ''Princess Caraboo, '' which received its world premiere at the Montreal Film Festival, is the kind of witty, sophisticated comedy that is rarely made anymore.

Years ago, it would have starred Peter Sellers and Alec Guinness, and the film would have lived up to even their talents.

Based loosely on a true story, the picture has the quality of a fable. Set in the early 19th century in a small English village, the story's events are set in motion by the appearance of a mysterious and exotic beauty, speaking an indecipherable language. She is presumed to be an Oriental princess who has been rescued from a shipwreck, and is taken into the household of the kindly Mrs. Worrall (Wendy Hughes) and her boorish, financially scheming husband (Jim Broadbent).

Princess Caraboo (Phoebe Cates), as she comes to be called, is regarded with suspicion by the Greek servant Frixos (Kevin Kline) and by Gutch (Stephen Rea), a local journalist. Gutch even calls in a language expert, hilariously played by John Lithgow, in an effort to discredit her.

But Princess Caraboo defies all explication, and despite their best efforts, all the men are drawn into her spell. Ultimately, we learn the secret of Princess Caraboo, and the results are no less intriguing.

For much of the way, the film is witty and amusing, helped by the expert comic performances of Kline (working again in a broader mode) and Broadbent. ''Princess Caraboo'' is less compelling when it turns more serious about two-thirds of the way through, but it is ultimately a charming and moving tale.

The film looks gorgeous with its sumptuous period settings and costumes.

The performances are all fine, with Cates' dark beauty and Rea's rumpled charm used to excellent advantage.

PRINCESS CARABOO

A TriStar Release

Presented by TriStar Pictures and Beacon

A Longfellow Pictures & Artisan Films Production

Director Michael Austin

Screenplay Michael Austin, John Wells

Producers Andrew Karsch, Simon Bosanquet

Exec producers Armyan Bernstein, Tom Rosenberg, Marc Abraham

Director of photography Freddie Francis

Production designer Michael Howells

Film editor George Akers

Cast:

Mr. Worrall Jim Broadbent

Princess Caraboo/Mary Phoebe Cates

Mrs. Worrall Wendy Hughes

Frixos Kevin Kline

Professor Wilkinson John Lithgow

Gutch Stephen Rea

Running time -- 97 minutes

MPAA Rating: PG

(c) The Hollywood Reporter...