Bowfinger/The Nutty Professor/Life

Eddie Murphy triple bill. In 'Bowfinger' (1999), Bobby Bowfinger (Steve Martin) is Hollywood's least successful director.

He figures that the only way to boost his flagging reputation is to make a film with megastar Kit Ramsey (Murphy).

However, the only way to get Kit into the movie is to film him surreptitiously, while actors approach him and say their lines.

Bowfinger also stumbles upon Kit's movie buff brother Jeff (Murphy again), whom he convinces to impersonate his befuddled brother.

Frank Oz directs from Steve Martin's original script. 'The Nutty Professor' is a remake of the 1963 film written by Jerry Lewis and Bill Richmond.

Sherman Klump (Murphy) is a shy, overweight chemistry professor who invents a slimming formula which transforms him into the svelte, fast-talking Buddy Love.

He can now date his colleague Carla Purty (Jada Pinkett), but when Buddy starts to take over, Sherman risks being lost forever.

Murphy plays Sherman, Buddy and five other roles in the film that revitalised his comedy career.

In 'Life' (1999), set in the 1930s deep South, conman Ray Gibson (Murphy) teams up with sober bank clerk Claude Banks (Martin Lawrence) when it transpires that both of them owe money to gang boss Spanky Johnson.

Sent to Mississippi to collect some bootleg liquor, the pair are framed by the local sheriff for his murder of card-sharp Winston Hancock, and are subsequently sentenced to life imprisonment.