A wounded Confederate soldier named Inman struggles on a perilous journey home to Cold Mountain in North Carolina, as well as to Ada, the woman he left behind before going off to fight in the Civil War. Along the way, he meets a long line of interesting and colorful characters, while back at home, Ada learns the ropes of managing her deceased father's farm with Ruby, a scrappy drifter who assists and teaches Ada along the way.
Two fathers: Michael Sullivan, a hit man for the Irish mob in Depression-era Chicago; and Mr. John Rooney, Sullivan's boss, and the man who raised him as a son. Two sons: Michael Sullivan Jr. and Connor Rooney, each desperate to earn his father's favor. Jealousy and competition put them all on a collision course, ultimately bringing Sullivan's work into his private life and leading to the death of his beloved wife and youngest son, Peter. Now Michael Sullivan and his surviving son are set on a journey instigated by tragedy and fueled by revenge.
In the not-so-far future the polar icecaps have melted and the resulting raise of the ocean waters has drowned all the coastal cities of the world. Withdrawn to the interior of the continents, the human race keeps advancing, reaching to the point of creating realistic robots to serve him. One of the mecha-producing companies builds David, and artificial child which is the first to have real feelings, especially a never-ending love for his "mother", Monica. Monica is the woman who adopted him as a substitute for her real son, who remains in cryo-stasis, stricken by an incurable disease. David lives happily with Monica and her husband, but when their real son returns home after a cure is discovered, his life changes dramatically. A futuristic adaption of the tale Pinocchio, with David being the "fake" little boy who is desperate to become a "real" boy.
The year is 1942 and the Nazis are cutting a deadly swath through Russia. Under the leadership of Khrushchev (Bob Hoskins), the citizens of Stalingrad are mounting a brave resistance, spurred by the exploits of their local hero, Vassili Zaitsev (Jude Law). An expert sniper, Vassili's deeds have become legendary--thanks to propaganda produced by Vassili's best friend, a political officer named Danilov (Joseph Fiennes). To stop Vassili, the Germans dispatch their best sniper, Major Konig (Ed Harris), to Stalingrad. When Vassili and Danilov both fall in love with a beautiful soldier (Rachel Weisz), Danilov deserts his friend, leaving Vassili to face his German counterpart alone. As the city burns, Vassili and Konig begin a cunning game of cat and mouse, waging a private war for courage, honor, and country.
Ray runs North London's most powerful criminal gang, and his nephew Jude is a polished and successful member. Jude's boyhood friend Jonny comes to Jude with an idea he wants to pitch to Ray; Jude is reluctant to mix friendship with business (and family), but he does arrange a meeting. Ray takes Jonny on (he uses his job as a courier to steal credit cards), but Jonny soon finds himself bored: the gang is more interesting in goofing around and planning Ray's wedding than fighting, havoc, and mayhem. Jonny wants violence, so he repeatedly tries to start trouble with the South London equivalent of Ray's gang. Will he succeed? If he does, will he find glory in war?
