Synopsis:
MEET JOE BLACK: This modern fantasy stars Anthony Hopkins as William Parrish, a wealthy New York City media mogul who suffers a heart attack on the eve of his 65th birthday; although he survives,...
MEET JOE BLACK: This modern fantasy stars Anthony Hopkins as William Parrish, a wealthy New York City media mogul who suffers a heart attack on the eve of his 65th birthday; although he survives, he senses that his death is near. On the same day, Parrish's younger daughter, Susan (Claire Forlani), meets a handsome young stranger (Brad Pitt) at a neighboring coffee shop and is instantly smitten. As they part, the young stranger is killed and his body is occupied by Death, who is coming to Earth to warn Parrish that his death is, indeed, imminent. Death enters the Parrish household disguised as Joe Black, the handsome stranger, and although Parrish understands Death's intentions he lets the family believe that Joe Black is a young business associate. Susan is shocked to find the familiar young man at her family dinner that evening, and, as she begins a passionate love affair with the debonaire stranger, she has no idea that she has fallen not for the young stranger from the coffee shop but for Death himself. In an effort to prolong his life and his daughter's happiness, William agrees to take Joe on a tour of human life that includes board meetings, family parties, and, ultimately, romance. As long as Joe falls in love, Parrish remains alive. This version was inspired by the Alberto Casella play DEATH TAKES A HOLIDAY and the subsequent 1934 film.
CAPTAIN CORELLI'S MANDOLIN: In keeping with Hollywood's time-honored tradition of turning celebrated novels into cinematic spectacles, director John Madden brings Louis de Bernière's acclaimed 1994 work, CORELLI'S MANDOLIN, to life. Set on the Greek island of Cephalonia in 1940, the film tells the story of the beautiful Pelagia (Penelope Cruz), who lives with her father, Dr. Iannis (John Hurt), and is engaged to a local fisherman, Mandras (Christian Bale). When Mandras leaves the island to fight for his country, Pelagia is left behind to worry, and to wait for a letter that never arrives. In the meantime, the Italian army occupies Cephalonia, and Pelagia and Dr. Iannis receive a new visitor into their home. Captain Antonio Corelli (Nicolas Cage), a romantic opera lover with a passion for playing the mandolin, annoys Pelagia with his free-spirited personality, but it's this charm that eventually wins her heart. Soon, the two are head over heels in love. Mandras's return adds friction to the situation, but when the Germans sweep in and begin to senselessly murder the town's locals, Captain Corelli and Mandras must place their differences aside in order to preserve the island. Exquisitely photographed by cinematographer John Toll, Madden's film boasts impassioned performances by Hurt and by the legendary actress Irene Papas.
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