Selma (2014)

Historical drama dealing with the 1965 Selma-to-Montgomery voting rights marches led by Martin Luther King. 

David Oyelowo stars as King, Tom Wilkinson is President Lyndon B. Johnson, and Tim Roth is George Wallace. 

It’s slow to get going and I wasn’t especially engaged until the second half. I would have liked more about MLK’s family – the kids are barely seen or mentioned, and even the scenes with his wife Coretta (Carmen Ejogo) seem to lack dynamism. There's too much of King the legend and not enough about the man, who must have felt so conflicted as he surely knew he wouldn’t be around for long.

Broken (2012)

Bleak, disturbing and brilliant drama about the inhabitants of a cul-de-sac in north London. 

It’s presented from the perspective of Emily "Skunk" Cunningham (Eloise Laurence), a diabetic girl who witnesses a violent act committed by one neighbour on another. 

Various threads relating to three families – all “broken” in various ways – are expertly woven together. It becomes increasingly harrowing to the point that it’s almost unbearable to watch. In a way it’s like a particularly well-constructed episode of Brookside. 

Rory Kinnear is superb as a desperate, angry father with psychopathic episodes. Tim Roth is fully convincing as Skunk's solicitor father Archie. And Cillian Murphy is believable as the well-meaning teacher Mike. 

By the end you feel quite shaken.

Rob Roy (1995)

Scotland, 1713. A Highlands clan chief guided by principles of honour (Liam Neeson) is happily married to Jessica Lange, but a financial loan from the Marquess of Montrose (John Hurt) backfires when he’s double-crossed by a nasty nobleman (Tim Roth). 

It’s entertaining fluff – well directed and highly watchable – with a surprisingly intelligent script wrapped around the story’s various twists and turns. 

The landscapes look terrific if you don’t mind the soupy “traditional” music that’s played whenever you see them. 

Neeson has charm and gravitas. Lange just has charm and handles a difficult role with great skill. Roth is compelling as a horribly corrupt schemer.