Imelda Staunton

The dowager countess inherits a villa in the south of France from a man she once knew. The family travels to France to find out why he willed it to her.

In The Pirates! Band of Misfits, Hugh Grant stars in his first animated role as the luxuriantly bearded Pirate Captain - a boundlessly enthusiastic, if somewhat less-than-successful, terror of the High Seas. With a rag-tag crew at his side (Martin Freeman, Brendan Gleeson, Russell Tovey, and Ashley Jensen), and seemingly blind to the impossible odds stacked against him, the Captain has one dream: to beat his bitter rivals Black Bellamy (Jeremy Piven) and Cutlass Liz (Salma Hayek) to the much coveted Pirate Of The Year Award. It`s a quest that takes our heroes from the shores of exotic Blood Island to the foggy streets of Victorian London. Along the way they battle a diabolical queen (Imelda Staunton) and team up with a haplessly smitten young scientist (David Tennant), but never lose sight of what a pirate loves best: adventure!

Taking Woodstock is the new film from Academy Award-winning director Ang Lee - and it`s a trip! Based on the memoirs of Elliot Tiber, the comedy stars Demetri Martin as Elliot, who inadvertently played a role in making 1969`s Woodstock Music and Arts Festival into the famed happening it was. Featuring a standout ensemble cast, and songs from a score of `60s musical icons including The Grateful Dead, The Doors, Jefferson Airplane, and Country Joe and the Fish - plus a new recording of ``Freedom`` from Richie Havens - Taking Woodstock is a joyous voyage to a moment in time when everything seemed possible.

Lord Voldemort has returned but the Ministry of Magic is keeping the wizarding world from the truth. The future of magic now depends on Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.

Erin Gruwell, a young teacher in a racially divided Los Angeles school, inspires her class of at-risk students, deemed incapable of learning, to learn tolerance, apply themselves, and pursue education beyond high school. It's 1994 in Long Beach, California. Idealistic Erin Gruwell is just starting her first teaching job, that as freshman and sophomore English teacher at Woodrow Wilson High School, which, two years earlier, implemented a voluntary integration program. For many of the existing teachers, the integration has ruined the school, whose previously stellar academic standing has been replaced with many students who will be lucky to graduate or even be literate. Despite choosing the school on purpose because of its integration program, Erin is unprepared for the nature of her classroom, whose students live by generations of strict moral codes of protecting their own at all cost. Many are in gangs and almost all know somebody that has been killed by gang violence. The Latinos hate the Cambodians who hate the blacks and so on. The only person the students hate more is Ms. Gruwell. It isn't until Erin holds an unsanctioned discussion about a recent drive-by shooting death that she fully begins to understand what she's up against. And it isn't until she provides an assignment of writing a daily journal - which will be not graded, and will remain unread by her unless they so choose - that the students begin to open up to her. As Erin tries harder and harder to have resources provided to teach properly (which often results in her needing to pay for them herself through working second and third jobs), she seems to face greater resistance, especially from her colleagues, such as Margaret Campbell, her section head, who lives by regulations and sees such resources as a waste, and Brian Gelford, who will protect his "priviledged" position of teaching the senior honors classes at all cost. Erin also finds that her teaching job is placing a strain on her marriage to Scott Casey, a man who seems to have lost his own idealistic way in life. —Huggo A young teacher inspires her class of at-risk students to learn tolerance, apply themselves and pursue education beyond high school. Woodrow Wilson High School is located in Long Beach, California. The school is voluntarily integrated, and it isn't working. The Asians, the blacks, the Latinos, and a very few whites not only don't get along but also stay within their cultural cliques and are part of protective and violent gangs. There isn't much teaching or learning going on at the school. It is a warehouse for young teenagers until they can drop out or are kicked out. —yusufpiskin

In the countryside of Yorkshire, the Tweedys, a middle-aged couple, run their chicken farm in Yorkshire, England. Mrs. Tweedy (Miranda Richardson) serves as the brains and temper, while Mr. Tweedy (Tony Haygarth) is rather slow but handles the manual work. The coop is run in the style of a World War II POW camp, with the chickens accountable for the number of eggs they lay daily. They kill and eat any chicken that is no longer able to lay eggs. The coop is like a prison with fences on all sides and locked gates. The dogs patrol the coop constantly. One chicken, Ginger (Julia Sawalha), has attempted numerous plans to flee the coop, aided by contraband smuggled into the coop by two rats, Nick (Timothy Spall) and Fetcher (Phil Daniels), but is always caught by Mr. Tweedy and his dogs, and is thrown into the solitary confinement numerous times. Ginger's plans include digging under the fence, or even digging a whole tunnel from the coop to the outside jungle, or even using a combination of chickens to create a human shaped object dressed like a human. Mr Tweedy suspects the chickens are organized and plotting resistance, but his wife dismisses his theories while being frustrated with making minuscule profits. The other chicken on the farm include Babs (Jane Horrocks) a chubby chicken who loves knitting, Bunty (Imelda Staunton) the champion egg-layer and Mac (Lynn Ferguson) Ginger's Scottish second in command. Meanwhile, Mrs. Tweedy realizes that her farm is failing and reads a catalog on an ambiguous method of increasing profits at her farm. Ginger, realizing something is wrong, attempts to convince the other hens to speed up their efforts to escape. However, she soon comes to the conclusion that the only escape route is to go over the fence, something chickens cannot do. Later the same night, as a depressed Ginger sits outside, a Rhode Island Red rooster named Rocky (Mel Gibson) seemingly flies over the fence and accidentally crashes into the coop. The hens fawn over the new arrival, who introduces himself as Rocky. The chickens put his sprained wing in a cast and hide him from the Tweedys, who have been promised a handsome reward by Rocky's owner for his return. Ginger is initially suspicious, til she finds the first half of a poster with Rocky on it. Showing it to the other hens and explaining how he came in, she claims that he can fly and attempts to convince Rocky to help her and the other hens escape by teaching them how to fly. However, Rocky's wing was injured, and he cannot show them immediately. Instead, Rocky puts them through a set of exercises that seem to have no purpose while assuring them that all the chickens are making progress. Meanwhile, a large machine arrives, and Mr. Tweedy begins assembling it. The crate contained the parts for a chicken pie machine that Mrs Tweedy has ordered as part of a plan to convert the farm into a profitable pie-making factory. At the same time, Tweedys increase the chickens' food rations and ignore the decline in egg production. Ginger unwisely proclaims that her intent is to fatten them up for something, causing a panic. After Ginger and Rocky get into an argument, Rocky holds a morale-boosting dance party during which it is revealed that his wing is healed. Ginger talks Rocky into agreeing to give a flying demonstration the next day. However, the machine is now complete, and Mr. Tweedy kidnaps Ginger for its first test. Rocky follows Ginger into the machine and rescues her, sabotaging the machine and giving them more time to work on their escape. Fowler (Benjamin Whitrow), an older rooster, gives Rocky his respect for rescuing Ginger and his old Royal Air Force (RAF) badge in tribute. Rocky decides to flee the farm the next day, leaving behind Fowler's medal and the second half of the poster, showing that he was a stunt rooster, only "flying" by being shot out of a cannon. This revelation outrages the other chickens, and a fight soon breaks out as morale falls. When Fowler arrives to restore order, he begins talking of his days in the RAF, leading Ginger to realize that she and the other chickens can build a plane made from Fowler's pictures and personal recollections. The chickens race against time to assemble their plane as Mr. Tweedy works to repair the pie machine. Meanwhile, Rocky comes across a billboard advertising Mrs Tweedy's chicken pies and returns to the farm out of guilt. The chickens finally finish their plane just as Mr. Tweedy completes the repairs of the pie machine and enters the coop to grab all the chickens. The chickens launch an open revolt, tying up and gagging Mr. Tweedy and readying the "crate", which Ginger persuades Fowler to pilot. As the chickens start to take off, Mr. Tweedy gets free and knocks down the ramp. Ginger jumps down while Fowler turns the plane around, knocking Mr. Tweedy unconscious. As Ginger struggles to lift the ramp, Mrs. Tweedy arrives with an ax and attacks Ginger. However, Rocky, having had a change of heart, flies over the fence and hits Mrs. Tweedy in her face aboard a tricycle. Rocky and Ginger grab onto a string of lights caught on the plane's landing gear. Mrs. Tweedy awakens, and grabs onto the lights, weighing down the crate. Ginger heads down the string to cut it, but loses the scissors. Realizing the only way to cut the lights, Ginger tricks Mrs. Tweedy by using the hatchet to sever the string. Mrs. Tweedy falls, crashing into the pie machine and plugging her into the safety valve. This causes the machine to explode, destroying the barn and covering most of the farm with a cloud of mushroom gravy. The chickens celebrate their victory after defeating the Tweedys while Ginger and Rocky kiss, and they fly to an island bird sanctuary where they make their home. Sometime later, the chickens have settled into their new home, and Rocky and Ginger have started a romantic relationship. Nick and Fetcher, two rats that have been helping the chickens throughout the escape, decide to set up their own egg farm, but they fall into a circular debate over whether they must use a chicken or egg to start it.

Don Pedro, prince of Medina (Denzel Washington), his resentful brother Don John (Keanu Reeves), and his noblemen Claudio (Robert Sean Leonard) and Benedick (screenwriter/director Kenneth Branagh) return from war, ready for merriment and love. Claudio loves Hero (Kate Beckinsale), the young daughter of the nobleman Leonato (Richard Briers), but Benedick hates Beatrice (Emma Thompson), Leonato's beautiful, witty, but sharp-tongued niece, who hates him back. Claudio and Hero are soon engaged; as they prepare for their wedding, they decide, with the help of Don Pedro, to trick Benedick and Beatrice into confessing their true love for each other. The plan works without a hitch, but trouble comes in the form of Don John, who is jealous of his brother's power and of his affection for Claudio. Don John devises a scheme where one of his lieutenants will make love to Hero's maid Margaret (Imelda Staunton) at Hero's window the night before the wedding--and call her Hero. Don John takes Don Pedro and Claudio to Leonato's house, where they see the encounter and are convinced the woman is Hero. The next day Claudio disgraces Hero publicly at the wedding and refuses to marry her. She faints and Leonato is persuaded to pretend that she is dead until the situation is sorted out. The foolish warden Dogberry (Michael Keaton) manages to arrest Don John's lieutenants and they confess to the plot. Claudio is crushed when he learns that he killed Hero with his false accusations. He begs Leonato to punish him and Leonato tells him his punishment is to marry his (other) niece, who closely resembles Hero. Claudio agrees but first spends a night mourning for Hero and proclaiming her innocence. Don John escapes Medina. The next morning Claudio marries the supposed niece, who removes her veil to reveal that she is Hero. They are very happy but Benedick and Beatrice almost break up when they discover they were tricked into admitting their love. In the end, Don John is arrested and brought back to face punishment, Benedick and Beatrice marry, and all dance around Leonato's garden singing "Noddy noddy."

New Years Eve, 1982 In England, we are introduced to Peter Morton (Stephen Fry), Andrew Benson (Kenneth Branagh), Roger Charleston (Hugh Laurie), Mary (Imelda Staunton), Maggie (Emma Thompson), and Sarah (Alphonsia Emmanuel), members of a Cambridge University acting troupe, who perform a silly and unconventional farewell revue for Peter's father (Richard Briers) and his unresponsive conservative guests at a New Year's Eve dinner ushering in the new year. They gather in the kitchen afterward and take a photograph to commemorate their last performance together. Ten years later; December 30, 1992. Peter has inherited his father's estate after Lord Morton's passing some months earlier. Uncertain if he will keep the mansion or sell it, Peter has invited his five friends for a New Year's Eve party for the weekend and convinces his stern housekeeper, Vera (Phyllida Law), to stay until the new year. Andrew, now a television writer/producer in Hollywood, California, flies to England with his American wife, Carol Benson (Rita Rudner), a famous actress and the star of his television comedy program. Roger and Mary are married TV commercial writers/producers living in suburban Birmingham, and she is worried about leaving their infant son, Ben, with a nanny. Frumpy Maggie, a struggling writer/publisher, asks an old lady neighbor of hers to look after her flat as she leaves pictures of herself for her pet cat, who appears unconcerned over her departure. On a train to Peter's estate, Sarah, now a costume designer living in London, has sex with her new lover, Brian (Tony Slattery), a stage actor that she works with in their cabin. The train arrives at the station where Sarah and Brian disembark and meet with Maggie, who has just arrived on the same train. Maggie, Sarah and Brian are soon greeted by Vera's teenage son, Paul (Alex Lowe), a chauffeur and handyman, who drives them to the estate, arriving just as Andrew and Carol arrive in a rented limo. Soon after, Roger and Mary arrive in their own car. Right after they arrive, Mary phones their nanny to check in. As everyone settles into their rooms, Sarah and Brian have sex once again, while Roger and Mary quarrel over whether she calls home too often. Meanwhile, Carol investigates Vera's cooking. Dismayed by the high-calorie rich food, Carol attempts to bribe Vera to accommodate her diet, to no avail. While Maggie and Andrew stroll the grounds, she reveals her lack of a love life. However, her company published a self-help book titled 'You May Already Know Your Mate', which claims friends can be marriage material. Although Maggie questions whether Peter is homosexual, she thinks he is the right man for her and plans to help him realize they should be together. At dinner, Carol and Sarah's boyfriend, Brian, both outsiders, are introduced to everyone, and Carol discovers that Brian is the only person who has seen her television show. As Peter toasts his friends, Brian and Sarah rudely ignore the others to focus on each other. She apologizes, claiming that she and Brian have not been together for very long and they get carried away with sex. As Mary excuses herself to call home yet again, Brian questions Roger about his work and learns that he and Mary are the top commercial jingle writers in England. When Mary returns, Brian asks if they use their twin children in their TV commercials. Mary rushes off crying and Brian learns that one of Roger and Mary's twins recently died. Later, as the friends drink coffee, Mary answers the telephone and announces that Brian's wife is calling. While he takes the call, Sarah reveals that he is married and has a child, but plans to divorce his wife. Although Sarah insists that Brian is different than her previous lovers, Mary is certain she is repeating her old pattern, and reminds everyone that Sarah was in love with Andrew until he dumped his girlfriend and asked Sarah to marry him, at which point she lost interest. This is news to Carol, who excuses herself. Brian returns and announces that he has just left his wife by telling her everything. Feeling vindicated, Sarah hugs him. Andrew joins his wife upstairs and Carol notes they planned to work out the difficulties in their marriage this weekend, and wonders why he never mentioned his past dalliance with Sarah. When he rejoins his friends downstairs, the group sings together again. Brian, left out of the singing, just watches. Minutes later, Mary receives a telephone call from the babysitter relating that her son has a slight cold, but the doctor says he is fine. Mary wants to leave, but Maggie convinces her to stay for the night and check on her son in the morning. Upstairs, Roger admits to Mary that although he still loves her, he has thought of ending their marriage because she blames him for their twin #1 son's death. Mary sobs that she knows she has been unreasonable, and Roger hugs her, promising to stay wit her. Meanwhile, Sarah is upset that Brian did not consult her before leaving his wife, noting they have only known each other for two weeks, and claims to be too tired to have sex with him. Later that night, Maggie goes to Peter's room, disrobes, and asks him to impregnate her. Peter is shocked and immediately turns her down. It is here that Peter reveals that he is bisexual, although he does not sleep with either men or women anymore. However, he insists that if he were having sex, Maggie would be high on his wish list. Embarrassed, Maggie begs him not to tell anyone. Downstairs in the kitchen, Maggie gets a drink and discovers Carol binge-eating leftover food. Maggie shares the story of her embarrassing visit to Peter's room, but believes there might still be hope since Peter is not sleeping with anyone. Carol insists Maggie is attractive beneath her frumpiness and offers to do a makeover, which Maggie accepts. The next morning, Carol leads Maggie into the kitchen, where Peter and Andrew admire her new look. Hearing sounds of lovemaking overhead, they assume it is Sarah and Brian. However, when Sarah enters the kitchen, everyone smiles as they realize the lovers are Roger and Mary. A little later, Carol receives a long-distance phone call from her agent in Hollywood and announces to Andrew and everyone else that she has been offered a film role which starts shooting right away on the day after New Years Day. Afterwards, Andrew asks if she will stay to work on their marriage, but she does not believe he will try. Outside, Sarah flirts with Vera's son, Paul, as he chops wood, but his attention is diverted when the newly made-over Maggie joins them. When Brian wanders outside, Sarah ignores him and rushes inside for a drink. She discovers that Andrew, a member of Alcoholics Anonymous, has abandoned his sobriety and is drinking whiskey. Andrew confides in Sarah that he thought his marriage to Carol would improve when they both stopped drinking, but everything became more complicated. He tells Sarah that she is addicted to romance, not reality, and that is why she abandons her lovers when they become available. A minute later, Sarah flirts with Andrew and as she kisses him, Carol walks into the room, sees them and becomes angry. She tells Andrew that she was going to refuse the film role, but now plans to leave again to catch the first plane back to California. Sarah heads upstairs, and sees Brian crying on the telephone as he talks to his son. When Brian joins her, Sarah admits the commitment issue is her problem and he should go back to his family. As she leaves, Sarah hears moans coming from Maggie's bedroom, and opens the door to discover Maggie having sex with Paul. Meanwhile, Roger and Mary continue to make love, and when the telephone rings, he wonders who is calling and Mary insists someone will let them know if it is for them. Downstairs, Peter helps Vera in the kitchen and learns she plans to retire. He wants her to stay if he keeps the house, but she declines because she disapproves of his lifestyle. Carol and Andrew have an argument where she declares that his unhappiness with himself is their primary marital problem, and she quickly packs up and leaves to return to Hollywood alone as the rented limo picks her up and drives away. Shortly afterword, Brian's wife picks him up in her car and they speed away. At dinner that evening, Roger and Mary join the others and admit they made love all day in their bedroom and only telephoned home twice. Andrew drunkenly joins the group where he profanely berates his friends, and turns his vitriol toward Peter, wondering if he invited them because everyone was having a difficult year and Peter wanted to "save" them. Here, Peter reveals he invited them because he wanted his closest friends to know that he was diagnosed as being HIV positive six months ago. Peter's sour revelation stuns everyone into heartbreaking silence as the midnight hour is upon them. As the clock strikes 12 midnight, Peter raises his glass and asks them to toast the new year of 1993. Peter's friends, Andrew, Roger, Mary, Maggie, and Sarah hesitate until Vera enters and toasts Peter. The others join the toast, and Andrew apologizes to everyone for his rude behavior. Peter reveals he does not have AIDS yet, and it is possible that a cure might be discovered in time to save him. Peter joins Vera in the kitchen and she asks why he did not tell her that he is HIV positive. Peter explains that he thought she, a highly religious person, would consider it a deserved punishment for his bisexual lifestyle, but Vera insists she has loved him since he was a child. In the final scene, Peter rejoins the others and brings out their funny group picture from 1982 (taken in the opening scene). The friends laugh as they sing together once again as the film ends.