Directed by Atom Egoyan
Starring Bob Hoskins, Elaine Cassidy, Arsinee Khanjian, Peter McDonald, Gerard McSorley, Brid Brennan.
Egoyan's thoughtful, intensely atmospheric film of the William Trevor novel features a remarkably expressive performance from the young Irish actress, Elaine Cassidy, as the naive, 17-year-old Felicia who travels from her Cork home to Birmingham in search of the boyfriend who has made her pregnant. Bob Hoskins is perfectly understated as the ostensibly mild-mannered bachelor who secretly preys on vulnerable young women and murders them in this eerie, chilling film permeated by foreboding and fear as the wily predator circles the gullible Felicia and cunningly gains her trust.
Run Lola Run/Lola Rennt
Directed by Tom Tykwer
Starring Franka Potente, Moritz Bleibtreu, Heino Ferch.
The setting for Tykwer's dazzling, witty and very inventive film is present-day Berlin as the athletic Lola has 20 minutes to raise 100,000 Deutschmarks, to replace money lost by her inept minor criminal boyfriend. His life is threatened if she fails. The clock is ticking but her moped has just been stolen, so she has to run - and run. Pumping up the adrenaline right from the opening shot, this ingeniously devised movie is an exhilarating entertainment which makes for even more satisfying viewing the second time around.
Runaway Bride
Directed by Garry Marshall
Starring Julia Roberts, Richard Gere
The stars and director of Pretty Woman are reunited for another light romantic comedy, this time featuring Roberts as a hardware store owner who has left three fiances standing at the altar, and Gere as the sacked USA Today columnist who decides to write an article about her behaviour. You don't have to be a clairvoyant to predict the long-signalled ending - which takes an inordinately long time to arrive.