The Cook, the Thief, His Wife and Her Lover writer/director Peter Greenaway, who once trained as a painter, may only be second to Stanley Kubrick in his ability to bring captivating, memorable images to the screen. This film — starring Michael Gambon (post-Singing Detective) as a sadistic gangster and restaurant owner and Helen Mirren as his long-suffering wife — was, upon its release, extremely controversial for its violent and sexual content. But it's a Greenaway production, and is a masterful visual banquet — although the final course is a shock, and you may want to skip dessert.