Michael Cristofer

The late 19th century Cuba during the Spanish rule, and a woman awaiting her execution by garrote while telling her story to a priest, to the actual events of that story. Luis Vargas (Antonio Banderas), a wealthy Hispanic Cuban businessman, sends for American Julia Russell (Angelina Jolie) to sail to his country to be his bride. Julia departs from the ship, looking nothing like the photos she's sent prior to her voyage. Julia explains she wants more than a man who is interested in a pretty face, and that's why she's been deceptive - substituting a plain-looking woman in place of her own picture. Luis also admits to deception; he's been misleading her into believing he's a poor working man, instead of the rich owner of a coffee company. Julia says that they both have something in common: that both are not to be trusted. But they assure each other that they will try to understand and trust each other in life. Luis and Julia wed within hours of her setting foot in Cuba. Luis and Julia make a stunning couple. Luis would not force himself on Julia and promises to come to her only when she wants him to. Luis falls passionately in love with his new wife, while Julia seems to be fighting inner demons. Luis lives in a huge estate with many servants and workers. Luis is a kind man who treats everyone very well. Luis gives Julia a tour of his vast business interests. The sex between Luis and Julia is amazing and, in his arms, Julia becomes a different woman. At an opera, Julia wanders off during half-time and Luis finds her backstage seemingly talking to a stranger. But by the time he could get to her, the stranger had vanished. Sometimes in the middle of the night, Julia wakes up kicking and screaming. Luis finds cut marks on the back of Julia's shoulder. Meanwhile, Julia's sister Emily (Cordelia Richards) has been trying to contact her, worried about her after such a long trip to a strange land. She sends an emotional letter asking about her welfare. Luis forces Julia to write back, fearing that if Julia continues to ignore Emily's letters, Emily will assume something terrible has befallen her sister and might send the authorities to check on her welfare. Holding off as long as possible, Julia finally pens a letter to her sister. In order to assure that his wife has everything she wants, Luis adds Julia to his business and personal bank accounts, giving her free rein to spend as she pleases. A detective, Walter Downs, arrives from Wilmington and tells Luis that he has been hired by Emily to find her sister Julia and would like to see her on the coming Sunday. Luis informs Julia about this, and she gets upset. Emily arrives in Cuba to meet Luis and shows the letter Julia wrote to her. Emily is adamant that the person who wrote the letter is not her sister Julia as the handwriting does not match. She informs Luis that she believes Julia to be an impostor and that her sister may be dead. Luis discovers Julia has run off with nearly all of his fortune. Luis opens the trunk brought by Julia and realizes that it belonged to the real Julia, implying that the impostor disposed of the real Julia on the ship to Cuba. Luis falls into a spell of depression and visits brothels to have sex with prostitutes to channel his rage. Walter approaches Luis in a bar, where he was drowning in sorrow and makes him realizes that Luis has not had closure with Julia. Luis says that he wants to kill Julia. Luis then teams up with detective Walter Downs (Thomas Jane) to find Julia. Walter reveals to Luis he believes Julia to be an impostor and the intended wife to be dead by her hand, and that she may be working with someone. The two set out together looking for her. Luis finds Julia and discovers she is actually working with Walter. Luis believes she loves him and lies to Walter, but when confronted by him a fight breaks out and Luis shoots Walter. Julia coldly tells Luis to go and buy them tickets home, but the minute he leaves, Walter gets to his feet; he had loaded the gun with blanks. Julia appears to love Luis, but Walter has too much control over her, so she continues to work for him as she and Luis run off to live in secret with the supposedly dead Walter on their tail. Walter turns out to be Julia's (Bonny's) old lover and partner, Billy. Billy makes a cut on Bonny's back before having sex with her, as he did during their previous encounters. Luis throws away his promising future and opens himself to living a lie with Julia. One night Luis follows Julia and discovers Walter is alive and the two are still working together; she is apparently going to poison her husband that very night. He returns home and waits for her, and when she arrives reveals, he knows of the plan, confesses his love for her once more and swallows the poisoned drink. Julia flees with the dying Luis, with Walter close behind. They run into him at a train station; Walter is furious that Julia has betrayed him. While Walter holds a knife to her throat, Luis shoots and wounds him, with Julia finishing him off. Back in the end scene, Julia finishes her story and asks the priest to pray with her. The next morning the guards come to her cell to take her to her execution, only to find the priest in her clothing. In Morocco, Julia is watching a card game. She walks around the table occupied by gamblers - including Luis - and thanks them for allowing her to watch. As Julia signals Luis about the other players' cards, he begins telling them the story of how they got there.

A tale of the mysterious, but necessary, mating ritual between men and women of today and everything they think about sex but are afraid to say. Four hip women get ready for Friday night in LA: they dress, talk about sex, and hit a bar before meeting four men at a rave. The men prepare by talking about sex and drinking. Rick and Jean, two attorneys, have set up the evening, connect at the club, and have a good time. The pairings of Shawn, Trent, Whitney and Emma are more serendipitous. But it's Mike and Sara's night that has serious repercussions: he's an NFL player, loud, swaggering; she's a party animal who drinks a lot early that evening. At 4 AM, she appears at Jean's, disheveled and bruised, saying Mike raped her. Arrested, he says he's innocent, and in flashbacks we see both sides of the story. —<jhailey@hotmail.com>

After being arrested during a manic episode, a man who suffers from bipolar disorder is treated by a psychiatrist who begins to develop romantic feelings towards him. The story about the relationship between a manic depressive man, Mr Jones, and the female doctor who takes more than a professional interest in his treatment. —Rob Hartill

Alexandra Medford, Jane Spofford and Sukie Ridgemont are three dissatisfied women living in the small town of Eastwick, New England. Alexandra is a sculptress and single mother, Jane is a newly divorced music teacher incapable of having children, and Sukie is an extremely fertile woman with six children and also works as a journalist at the "Eastwick Word". Besides an everlasting friendship, these three women share similar misfortunes of being abandoned by their husbands. Not knowing of themselves as being Witches, the women unwittingly form a coven of which consists of weekly get-togethers, during which they drink, play cards, and share their fantasies about ideal men. The day after one such meeting, a mysterious man arrives in the town and immediately stirs up trouble by buying the city's landmark property, the Lennox mansion. The arrival of this enigmatic stranger causes fascination among the townfolks, all except local townswoman Felicia Alden, the Christian wife of newspaper editor Clyde Alden. Clyde is the boss of Sukie (who Felicia does not like). Although Felicia is not a Witch, she is somehow able to sense that this man, whose name is easily forgotten by everyone, is up to no good. One night, at Jane's music recital, the man appears and makes a spectacle of himself, which leads to more gossip among the people. After the recital Jane receives flowers and a personal note from the man, signed with the initial "D". This then sparks Sukie's memory, finally revealing the man's name to be Daryl Van Horne. At the very moment of Sukie remembering his name, her beaded necklace inexplicably breaks and falls to the floor, causing Felicia, who had mocked Daryl's name, to trip down a large staircase, breaking her leg. Daryl begins to seduce the women one by one, beginning with self-assured Alexandra, who is at first appalled by his arrogance and bravado, but then allows him into her heart. He moves on to Jane, who is seen as being very shy and reserved. Jane explains to Daryl that the home he lives in was once said to be an area where people were burned alive after being accused of witchcraft. Daryl then encourages Jane to stop living a life of doubt and learn to enjoy herself. She takes his advice and begins to act and live recklessly. The next day Daryl invites all three women over to the mansion, which allows him to finally turn his attentions on Sukie. A jealous rivalry emerges between the women, leading to a supernatural game of tennis, where the tennis ball begins to behave oddly--floating, stopping in mid-air--in response to their mood. This shared telekinesis reveals to the women their magical abilities. The women decide to forgo competition and share Daryl, and have the most fun they've ever had in their entire lives. Their frequent presence at Daryl's mansion leads to gossip and rumors spread by Felicia. Alex, Sukie, and Jane become outcasts of the city; the women of Eastwick acknowledge the trio with nasty looks and snotty comments. The Witches begin to have second thoughts on whether or not they should continue to see each other, which then motivates Daryl into causing the girls to unknowingly cast a spell on Felicia, causing her to projectile vomit cherry stones. Felicia is finally killed by husband, who beats her with a fire poker after being horrified when seeing his wife so incredibly ill. Terrified of the dangerous effects of their relationship with Daryl, they agree among each other to never see Daryl or each other for a long period of time. This upsets Daryl, causing him to use his powers against the girls, bringing their worst fears to life. Alex awakens into a bed of snakes, Jane begins to lose her youth transforming into a old woman, and Sukie is forced to feel intense pain. The women reconcile with Daryl in order to get in his good graces again. Realizing that the only way to rid Daryl from their lives is by using Witchcraft against him, the girls trick Daryl into going to town for a while as they practice a banishing spell to make him go away forever. Sukie goes to Daryl's office and takes a spell book he kept locked in a glass chest. Jane gathered some of Daryl's personal belongings such as hair, clothing, and pictures of him. Alex created a Voodoo doll out of wax that resembled Daryl. Meanwhile, as Daryl was in town shopping for the girls, he began to feel painful sharp aches in his body from the girls sticking pins and needles into the doll. Daryl becomes infuriated with the girls betrayal, and as he made his way home, Daryl's devilish figure was beginning to reveal itself more and more. Now terrified of what Daryl is capable of doing to them, the girls throw the Voodoo into the flames of a fire then causing Daryl to disappear. Eighteen months later, Alex, Jane, and Sukie are now the mothers of Daryl's sons. They still have their Magic powers and they now live together in Daryl's mansion. Daryl appears on television screen and talks to the boys, but the women catch him and turn the TV off.

On Christmas Eve, commercial artist Molly Gilmore and architectural engineer Frank Raftis are last-minute Christmas shopping in Manhattan. Frank meets his colleague Ed for drinks; Ed tells Frank he is getting divorced. Molly sees her friend Isabelle, who is married, but plans to spend Christmas with another man; Molly also visits her sick father. Later that day, at the counter in a hectic bookstore, Frank and Molly get their packages mixed up, and on Christmas Day, Molly's husband, Brian, and Frank's wife, Ann, each opens the book that was meant for the other. Three months later, Frank and Molly, who commute into Manhattan from adjacent stops on the Metro-North Hudson Line, run into each other on the morning train. They struggle to place each other, but eventually Frank remembers, and reminds her of the confusion over the books. Later that day, Frank's boss asks him to take a post in Houston. Molly visits her father in hospital. Molly tells Isabelle about Frank; Frank tells Ed about Molly. That evening, Frank waits for Molly at Grand Central Terminal. They talk, and agree to meet on the morning train later that week. Against their better judgement, Frank and Molly grow closer. They see more and more of each other until, one afternoon, Frank takes Molly to Ed's apartment. They begin to make love, but Molly cannot go through with it. They agree that they must stop seeing each other. When Molly returns home that day, Brian gives her the news that her father has died. At the funeral, she has a panic attack. Convalescing, she tells Isabelle that it isn't grief for her father that she is suffering, but the loss of Frank. Meanwhile, Frank agrees to take the job in Houston. He tells Ann about Molly, throwing the future of their marriage into question. On the night he is due to leave, Frank calls Molly at home. Frank asks to see her before he goes, but as Brian stands listening, she ends the call. Unable to resist, she tells Brian she must see Frank one more time, and rushes to her car. Driving fast in the pouring rain, she nearly collides with a train at a crossing, and misses her chance. Meanwhile Frank tries to call her again but her husband answers the phone and says she doesn't want to talk to Frank. Some time later, once more in the run up to Christmas, Frank meets Ed and tells him that he and Ann are now separated. Molly meets Isabelle, and it is clear from their conversation that her marriage to Brian has failed too. Frank makes a stop at the bookstore where he and Molly first met. Molly is there at the same time. They talk but, uncertain how things now stand between them, go their separate ways. Walking away from the store, Frank stops, turns, and runs after her. A short time later on a crowded train out of Grand Central, he finds her again. They embrace.

In a small Norwegian town, Catherine Stockmann, the wife of Dr. Thomas "Tom" Stockmann, prepares to entertain prominent members of the community, including the People's Daily Messenger newspaper editors, Hovstad and Billing. Tom returns home with his two young sons, Morten and Ejlif, as well as his friend, Captain Forster, who is included among the dinner guests. Before the event begins, Tom's brother, Peter Stockmann, arrives for a routine medical examination. As the town's judge and mayor, Peter also serves as chairman of Kirsten Springs, the community's new tourist destination and the foundation of its economy. Tom, who is the Springs' medical examiner, has recently conducted a study of the water and is awaiting its results; Peter is pleased to learn that Hovstad and Billing will publish Tom's findings before the summer season to promote tourism. Hovstad credits Tom with originating the plan to capitalize on the town's natural resources, but Peter claims that he alone had the wherewithal to establish the business and leaves the house in anger. As guests sit down to dinner, the Stockmann's eldest child, Petra, runs to the table with mail for her father. After reviewing the letter's report in his office, Tom returns to his family and friends with terrible news: Kirsten Springs is polluted with bacteria from a nearby tannery owned by his eccentric father-in-law, Morten Kiil. Before construction began, Tom warned that it was unsafe to build a pipeline so close to a mill that dumps waste into a nearby river, but Peter prioritized cost reduction and expediency. Although the town's water is now contaminated, Tom is convinced that conditions can change for the better with a new waterworks system. Placing the report and his article in an envelope, Tom has his maid, Randine, deliver the findings to Peter. Meanwhile, Hovstad and Billing insist on including the story in the following day's newspaper, even though the official report is in Peter's possession. Later that evening, Tom receives a reply from Peter, but tucks the report away before Catherine can see it. In the morning, her father, Morten Kiil, visits the Stockmann home, skeptical about Tom's findings. Later that day at a tavern, Tom meets Hovstad, who intends to portray the story as a scandal involving the town's corrupt bureaucrats. Just then, the People's Daily Messenger publisher, Mr. Aslaksen, joins the table and promises to galvanize the community with a public demonstration, but Hovstad suspects Peter Stockmann will try to cover up his brother's findings and turn the town against him. Upholding Peter's integrity, Tom gives Hovstad the report in good faith, promising that it is fit for print once he has discussed the data with his brother. Back at the Stockmann home, Peter antagonizes Tom and declares that the decontamination plan will cost 300,000 kroner. Peter appeals for Tom's "discretion" in revealing his findings, but Tom warns that the danger to human life could reach epic proportions if the truth is suppressed. He also reveals that Hovstad and Billing are preparing to print the report. Threatening Tom's career and family, Peter orders his brother to publicly denounce the article and endorse the Kirsten Springs board. Tom later visits the People's Daily Messenger and consents to the publication of his report. When he leaves, publisher Aslaksen suggests a moderate approach toward the article, since it could create a backlash against the newspaper. Shortly thereafter, Peter arrives at the office, claiming he will tax poor and middle-class townspeople to pay for the new waterworks, even though Kirsten Springs is a privately owned corporation. Peter claims that his brother fabricated the report to defy authority, and Aslaksen fears the town's economy will collapse under the new taxation. As Peter procures an alternate "report," the publisher agrees to cover up Tom's findings to save the town from financial ruin. Just then, Tom returns to the office and Peter hides to conceal his arrangement with the newspaper. When Tom sees his brother's walking stick, he realizes his allies have been swayed. He retrieves his report and insists on leading a town meeting the next day. By the time of the gathering, however, the townspeople have already been biased in favor of Peter's false report. The mayor declares that his brother is a threat to democracy, and promises that the springs will bring prosperity to rich and poor members of the community. When Peter argues that his brother should not have the right to read his report, Aslaksen calls for a vote. Realizing the town has turned against him, Tom declines to present his data. Instead, he warns that democracy is not foolproof, since the decisions of the majority can ultimately be wrong. As the crowd responds with rage, Aslaksen reads a motion to proclaim Tom an "Enemy of the People." With the exception of Captain Forster, all citizens agree to deny the doctor's civil rights. Upon returning home in a snowstorm, the Stockmanns are greeted with stones thrown through their windows and an eviction notice. Tom plans to move his family to the U.S. on Forster's ship, but Catherine does not want to leave. Meanwhile, Petra is dismissed from school for being a "radical." Just then, Peter arrives with news that Tom has lost his job, but he can re-establish his career by retracting the report. Tom also learns that his father-in-law, Morten Kiil, has spent the day amassing Kirsten Springs stock for half its original value. Noting that Morten is capitalizing on the repercussions of Tom's report, Peter threatens to punish his brother as a conspirator, but Tom refuses to give in. Sometime later, Morten visits his son-in-law with a fist full of Kirsten Springs bonds. Reminding Tom that the Kiil family has owned the polluting tannery for generations, Morten declares that he used Catherine's inheritance to purchase Kirsten Springs shares. In Morten's blackmail scheme, Tom must accept the bonds to retain his family's wealth. In doing so, however, he will own an enormous stake in Kirsten Springs, and is therefore obligated to recant his report to protect his investment. As Morten leaves, Hovstad and Aslaksen arrive to suggest a new approach to the crisis. Since Morten bought the Kirsten Springs bonds in the Stockmann family name, the People's Daily Messenger can publish articles that convey Tom as a hero, showing townspeople that he purchased the stock to implement his changes. In return, Hovstad requests payment from Tom to cover the newspaper's financial loses. Realizing that the only way to clear his name is to become corrupt, Tom declares that the community is as poisoned as its water. After chasing Hovstad and Aslaksen from his home, Tom announces that the family will stay put and fight for the truth. While the Stockmanns cover their broken windows, a barrage of rocks are hurled through the windows of Tom's office.