A Midsummer Night's Dream

(Fox)

Set in the mythical Tuscan hill town of Monte Athena at the turn of the century, Michael Hoffman's Dream makes Shakespeare look and sound as natural as situation comedy, with Anna Friel, Calista Flockhart (the standout, even for Ally-phobes), Dominic West, and Christian Bale as the lovers, Stanley Tucci is a world-weary but still curious Puck, Michelle Pfeiffer as a sly, seductive Titania, and Kevin Kline as a Nick Bottom who's not just a ham actor but a wistful romantic.