The Physician (15)

Based on Noah Gordon's 1986 historical novel, a blockbuster in Europe though not in his US homeland, this German production stars Ben Kingsley, Stellan Skarsgard and Tom Payne as (respectively) an 11th century Persian physician, an itinerant English barber-surgeon and the young boy with a gift for healing that both take under their wing. It originally screened on German TV, which accounts for its 148 minute running time.

The Choir

Red Violin director Francois Girard returns with another music-themed film, this one starring Dustin Hoffman as one of those hard-but-inspirational teachers so beloved of screenwriters. In this case he's the choirmaster at a prestigious music school. Kevin McHale (wheelchair-bound Artie Abrams in Glee) is the rebellious but gifted new arrival.

The Green Man (15)

Originally screened in 1990 as a BBC Two mini-series and based on Kingsley Amis's 1969 novel of the same name, The Green Man stars Albert Finney stars as a roguish hotel owner who's as fond of women and he is booze. He also enjoys a ghost story or two – the shade of a 17th century occultist is supposed to haunt his Green Man Inn – though when events take a turn for the supernatural, the stories don't seem quite so funny.