Ruth Sheen

When a headstrong Italian nurse and a French socialite living in London discover that they have both been seeing the same guy, the pair reluctantly work together to blaze a trail across the city in pursuit of answers.

The movie Vanity Fair (2004) is based on one of the most beloved of all 19th century novels, by the same name, written by William Makepiece Thackeray, a contemporary and friend of Charles Dickens. The movie opens by introducing our two heroines, Rebecca Sharp and Amelia Sedley, who are the best of friends. The girls are about to graduate from an Academy for Young Ladies. Amelia, who comes from a rich family, is a kind and innocent person loved by her classmates and "sucked up to" by her teachers. (I think I just sensed Thackeray rolling over in his grave by my use of slang!) Backy is a poor orphan, who has only been allowed to stay at the school as an unpaid teacher of the French language. She is not called "Sharp" by accident. She has no friends except Amelia, and couldn't care less. Before Becky starts to look for work as a governess, she has been invited to stay for a while at the Sedley home. Here she meets 2 young men; one, Amelia's brother, Josiah is a figure of fun---he is home on a visit from India where he works as an administrator; the other, George is Amelia's fiancee. George has many faults; he is a dreadful snob, he is bored by Amelia and fails to appreciate her love (the two have been engaged since childhood.); he gambles recklessly with his father's money and in fact has been encouraged by dear old Dad to do anything that will raise him above his shameful background in "trade. "The 4 young people make up a party to go to a sort of pleasure garden. Becky sets her cap for Jos, and probably could have snatched him up, but George sneers to Jos that it would be dreadful for him(George) to have to tolerate having a lowly governess for a sister-in-law. Both men are very conscious of the opinion of the chaps at the club. So Becky's first try at entering society fails. George's father has bought him a commission in a military regiment. Through this connection, we are introduced to another Army man, Captain William Dobbin. Dobbin adored Amelia with the pure love

In a poor working class London home, Penny's love for her partner, taxi driver Phil, has run dry. When an unexpected tragedy occurs, they and their local community are brought back together. Penny's love for her partner, taxi driver Phil, has run dry. He is a gentle, philosophical guy, and she works on the checkout at a supermarket. Their daughter Rachel cleans in a home for elderly people, and their son Rory is unemployed and aggressive. The joy has gone out of Phil's and Penny's life, but when an unexpected tragedy occurs, they are brought together to rediscover their love. All or Nothing is set in a London working-class housing estate over a long weekend, and also tells the stories of a range of Phil and Penny's neighbors, some of whom become involved in the family's lives, and all of whom experience an emotional journey. —Press kit The dysfunctional lives of three working class families living in an apartment complex in south London are presented. Divorcée Maureen works as a cashier at a supermarket, while earning extra money doing laundry for neighbors. Her waitress daughter Donna of late has had a "none of your business" attitude with her mother, despite not yet realizing that she probably needs her mother's support more now, especially with regard to the abusive relationship she has with her boyfriend, Jason. Ron, a cabbie, and unemployed Carol's marriage is centered on drinking, Carol who is only barely functioning. Their unemployed daughter Samantha, who basically hangs around the apartment complex, is always at odds especially with her mother as she looks for some sort of attention from anyone. Samantha openly lusts after Jason, while she also secretly fosters the obsessive attention of a boy named Craig as an alternative. Phil, a cabbie at the same second rate company as Ron, and Penny, a fellow cashier at the same supermarket as Maureen, are in a long term common law relationship. Their relationship, which used to be a loving one, is in a catch-22 downward spiral as Penny, in an effort to ensure financial security and emotional stability for their family, continuously but quietly gripes at Phil, who doesn't work hard at his job as he has basically shut down out of his depression, which Penny does not realize. The nature of their family life affects their two children, somber Rachel, who works as a cleaner at a care facility, and unemployed Rory, an angry and overweight young man who is either sleeping, watching TV, eating or secretly smoking when he is not arguing especially with his mom, who he believes is always griping at him. A serious incident happens at the apartment complex. Beyond the negative aspect of the incident itself, it makes one of those families at least acknowledge the reason for their dysfunction, and thus potentially get out of it. —Huggo

A frustrated teenage girl creates her perfect man in a virtual reality machine and in a freak accident, gives him life. Desperate to find her perfect man Justine goes to a technology fair with her nerdy classmate Chas. It's not really her thing but is eventually persuaded to try a virtual reality makeover machine and discovers that she can create her perfect man even if it is only an electronic facsimile. The power surge from a freakish accident causes a part of her psyche to be copied into her virtual perfect man and he becomes real! Chas befriends the somewhat disoriented newly created man, who calls himself Jake, and he explains that it is really Justine inside. Justine is immediately attracted to Jake but he seems more interested in the voluptuous, man-eater known as "the Hoover" who seems to posses an innate ability to attract men without even trying! In sheer frustration Justine decides to date the sleazy Alex in an attempt to become a woman. As the day of the big date looms what will Chas and Jake do to thwart Justine and eventually what will become of Jake? —Mark Smith <msmith@osi.co.uk>