Opening 1/18/08

For showtimes select your theatre under the SHOWIMES AT: header in the left column. Weekend times normally start appearing on Wednesday.

27 DRESSES PG-13 Comedy/Romance Trailer Cast: Katherine Heigl, James Marsden, Malin Akerman, Ed Burns, Melora Hardin, Judy Greer. Plot: A young woman who's made a career of being a bridesmaid but never a bride faces her worst nightmare when her sister becomes engaged to the man of her dreams. Luckily, the wedding brings around the man who will change her bridesmaid status for good. Showing at: Derby Plaza, Movie Machine, Northrock, 13th Avenue Warren, 21st St. Warren.

CLOVERFIELD [PG-13] 1 hr. 25 min. Sci-Fi/Drama/Thriller Trailer Cast: Michael Stahl-David, Mike Vogel, Odette Yustman, Lizzy Caplan, Jessica Lucas, T.J. Miller. Plot: five young New Yorkers throw a friend a going-away party the night a monster the size of a skyscraper descends upon the city. Told from the point of view of their video camera (gee, unknown cast, handheld camera; you think this might be another Blair Witch Project?), the film is a document of their attempt to survive the most surreal, horrifying event of their lives. Showing at: Derby Plaza, Movie Machine, Northrock, 13th Avenue Warren, Warren Old Town, 21st St. Warren.

THE KITE RUNNER [PG-13] 2 hrs. 10 min. Drama Trailer Cast: Khalid Abdalla, Homayoun Ershadi, Atossa Leoni, Zekiria Ebrahimi, Ahmad Khan Mahmoodzada, Wali Razaqi, Said Taghmaoui, Shaun Toub, Nasser Memarzia. Plot: based one on of the most acclaimed novels in recent memory; a profoundly emotional tale of friendship, family, devastating mistakes and redeeming love. Showing at: 13th Avenue Warren exclusively.

MAD MONEY [PG-13] 1 hr. 40 min. Crime/Adventure/Comedy Trailer Cast: Diane Keaton, Queen Latifah, Katie Holmes, Ted Danson, Adam Rothenberg, Stephen Root, Roger Cross, Christopher McDonald, Finesse Mitchell. Plot: three ordinary women form an unlikely friendship and decide to rob one of the most secure banks in the world by smuggling soon-to-be destroyed currency out of the supposedly airtight Reserve. It looks like they've pulled off the perfect crime—until a minor misstep alerts the authorities. Showing at: Northrock, 13th Avenue Warren, 21st St. Warren.

Leaving 1/17/2008

Derby Plaza - One Missed Call, P.S. I Love You, I Am Legend
Movie Machine - National Treasure: Book Of Secrets, I Am Legend, The Water Horse
Northrock 14 -
Palace West - Saw IV, Tyler Perry's Why Did I Get Married, American Gangster
Starlite Drive-In - Closed until Spring
Warren East 13th - Golden Compass, AVP: Requiem, Enchanted, The Great Debaters
Warren Old Town - Charlie Wilson's War
Warren West 21st - Golden Compass, AVP: Requiem, Enchanted, The Great Debaters

Worthwhile (or not) 1/11/08

This is kind of a blah week for movies although one does stand out. The Orphanage with 72/100 is easily the top ranked film of the week but it's hard to imagine it will find a large audience since it's a Spanish horror film with English subtitles. The Pirates Who Don't Do Anything: A VeggieTales Movie with 46/100, First Sunday with 43/100 and The Bucket List with 41/100 are kind of bunched together as far as their rating is concerned although their plots are widely varied. Finally, In the Name of the King: A Dungeon Siege Tale has no ratings as of this writing which tells me it wasn't screened for viewers, and tells you all you need to know about it's potential desirability.

If you want to know more about these films take the Metacritic links above.

THE BUCKET LIST **½

This comedy/drama stars Jack Nicholson, Morgan Freeman and Sean Hayes. Directed by Rob Reiner, it is one hour and 35 minutes long and is rated PG-13 for language, including a sexual reference.

The story is about a corporate billionaire and a working class mechanic who are both dying of cancer, share a hospital room, and discover they have a desire to spend the time they have left doing everything they ever wanted to do. They embark on the road trip of a lifetime in order to achieve that desire and end up enriching each other's life in the process.

This film is a little more than the sum of its parts. It has a very formulaic plot without a shred of ingenuity. It has Nicholson hamming his way throughout although he isn't as bad about that as I had feared. For the most part the plot isn't really believable. But, it does feature a good performance by Freeman, some nice scenic views, and quite a few laughs throughout. It's a film middle aged and older couples will enjoy a great deal more than the critics. It's not a film that must be seen in a theatre, a DVD will do quite nicely. However, if you're in the mood for a pleasant hour and a half with two of our better known actors, this will fill the bill nicely.

Opening 1/11/08

For showtimes select your theatre under the SHOWIMES AT: header in the left column. Weekend times normally start appearing on Wednesday.

THE BUCKET LIST [PG-13] 1 hr. 35 min. Comedy/Drama Trailer Cast: Jack Nicholson, Morgan Freeman, Sean Hayes, Rob Morrow. Plot: a corporate billionaire and a working class mechanic share a hospital room and discover they have two things in common: a desire to spend the time they have left doing everything they ever wanted to do and an unrealized need to come to terms with who they are. Together they embark on the road trip of a lifetime. Showing at: Derby Plaza, Movie Machine, Northrock, 13th Avenue Warren, Warren Old Town, 21st Street Warren.

FIRST SUNDAY [PG-13] 1 hr. 40 min. Comedy Trailer Cast: Ice Cube, Katt Williams, Tracy Morgan, Loretta Devine, Michael Beach, Keith David, Regina Hall, Malinda Williams, Clifton Powell, Nick Turturro, Chi McBride. Plot: two bumbling petty criminals come up with a desperate scheme to rob their neighborhood church. Instead, they end up spending the night in the presence of the Lord and are forced to deal with much more than they bargained for. Showing at: Northrock, 13th Avenue Warren, 21st Street Warren.

IN THE NAME OF THE KING: A DUNGEON SIEGE TALE [PG-13] 2 hrs. 5 min. Adventure/Fantasy Trailer Cast: Jason Statham, Leelee Sobieski, John Rhys-Davies, Ray Liotta, Matthew Lillard, Burt Reynolds, Will Sanderson, Ron Perlman, Claire Forlani, Brian J. White, Kristanna Loken, Gabrielle Rose. Plot: a simple family man is forced to take up arms after an evil sorcerer unleashes an army of bloodthirsty beasts that destroy his small village and capture his beautiful wife. The once peace-loving peasant and his two companions venture into perilous, uncharted terrain on a daring rescue mission in this breathtaking fantasy adventure which conjures up a medieval world filled with royal treachery, dark magic and spectacular battles. Showing at: Northrock, 13th Avenue Warren, 21st Street Warren.

THE ORPHANAGE [R] 1 hr. 40 min. Drama/Horror/Thriller Trailer Cast: Belén Rueda, Fernando Cayo, Geraldine Chaplin, Montserrat Carulla, Mabel Rivera, Andrés Gertrúdix. Plot: a woman purchases her beloved childhood orphanage with dreams of restoring and reopening the long abandoned facility as a place for disabled children. Once there, she discovers the new environment awakens her son's imagination, but the ongoing fantasy games he plays with an invisible friend quickly turn into something more disturbing. She looks to a group of parapsychologists for help in unraveling the mystery that has taken over the place. Showing At: 13th Avenue Warren.

THE PIRATES WHO DON'T DO ANYTHING: A VEGGIE TALES MOVIE [G] 1 hr. 25 min. Animated adventure Trailer Plot: in a new story of heroism in the beloved VeggieTales' world we follow the comic misadventures of three animated veggie pals who reluctantly set sail for adventure and discover that real heroes don't have to be tall, strong, handsome...or even human. Showing at: Derby Plaza, 13th Avenue Warren, 21st Street Warren.

Leaving 1/10/2008

Derby Plaza - Water Horse, Charlie Wilson's War
Movie Machine - Nothing
Northrock 14 - Alien Vs. Predator: Requiem, Enchanted, Walk Hard:The Dewey Cox Story
Palace West - Nothing
Starlite Drive-In - Closed until Spring
Warren East 13th - Walk Hard:The Dewey Cox Story
Warren Old Town - Walk Hard:The Dewey Cox Story, Alien Vs. Predator: Requiem
Warren West 21st - Walk Hard:The Dewey Cox Story

Worthwhile (or not) 1/4/08

Evidently the company releasing ONE MISSED CALL decided not to risk screening this epic for the reviewers. They were right in doing so but that should tell you all you need to know about the film.

Sorry I haven't written any reviews lately. I saw several films but didn't seem to find the time to actually write a review. Here's a quick summary of the holiday films I've seen to date:

ALIEN VS. PREDATOR * (and that's being generous). Strictly for teen males who find blood and gore more necessary than a plot.

ATONEMENT ***½ Very definitely an "art" film but it will hold your attention throughout. A little hard to follow but all is made clear at the end.

CHARLIE WILSON'S WAR ***½ Manages to achieve the impossible...make history laugh-out-loud funny.

NATIONAL TREASURE 2 *** About as silly historically as the first one but just as enjoyable.

ONE MISSED CALL *

Directed by Eric Valette and starring Shannyn Sossamon and Ed Burns, this supernatural thriller is 1 hr. and 25 min. long and is rated PG-13 for intense sequences of violence and terror, frightening images, some sexual material and thematic elements.

A chain of people receive terrifying cell phone messages of their own final fatal moments. In each case the date and time of the phone call is in the future, the precise time of the recipient's death. Together, a woman whose friends have died after the calls and a police detective whose sister died in the same manner work feverishly to unravel the mystery behind the ominous calls.

I enjoy a good horror movie. I didn't enjoy this one. The cast is fine and there are a few eerie moments throughout, but no real "grabbers." The problem is when it's all over you're left in the auditorium saying, "huh?" Perhaps if you choose to go you'll see it differently, but to me the director was so intent in leaving a link to a potential sequel he forgot to conclude this first installment. I'd save my money on this one. It'll be on the Sci-Fi Channel before you know it.

Opening 1/4/08

For showtimes select your theatre under the SHOWIMES AT: header in the left column. Weekend times normally start appearing on Wednesday.

ONE MISSED CALL [PG-13] 1 hr. 25 min. Supernatural thriller Trailer Cast: Shannyn Sossamon, Ed Burns, Ana Claudia Talancon, Ray Wise, Azura Skye. Plot: a chain of people receive terrifying cell phone messages of their own final fatal moments. Together, a woman whose friends have died after the calls and a police detective work feverishly to unravel the mystery behind the ominous calls. But even as they get closer to the truth, the woman's cell phone begins to ring with an eerie tune, and the readout says One Missed Call... Showing at: Northrock, 13th Avenue Warren, 21st Street Warren.

Leaving 1/3/2008

Derby Plaza -
Movie Machine - nothing
Northrock 14 - The Golden Compass, Charlie Wilson's War, Alien vs. Predator
Palace West - We Own The Night, Across The Universe
Starlite Drive-In - Closed until Spring
Warren East 13th - This Christmas, Fred Claus
Warren Old Town - Nothing
Warren West 21st - Fred Claus

Opening 12/21/07

For showtimes select your theatre under the SHOWIMES AT: header in the left column. Weekend times normally start appearing on Wednesday.

CHARLIE WILSON'S WAR [R] 1 hr. 55 min. Drama Trailer Cast: Tom Hanks, Julia Roberts, Phillip Seymour Hoffman, Amy Adams, Ned Beatty. Plot: the true story of how a playboy congressman, a renegade CIA agent and a beautiful Houston socialite joined forces to lead the largest and most successful covert operation in history. Their efforts contributed to the fall of the Soviet Union and the end of the Cold War, with consequences that reverberate throughout the world today. Showing at: Derby Plaza, Northrock,13th Avenue Warren, Warren Old Town, 21st Street Warren.

NATIONAL TREASURE: BOOK OF SECRETS [PG] 2 hrs. 10 min. Action/Adventure Trailer Cast: Nicolas Cage, Jon Voight, Harvey Keitel, Ed Harris, Diane Kruger, Justin Bartha, Bruce Greenwood, Helen Mirren. Plot: follow up to the box-office hit "National Treasure." Treasure hunter Ben Gates once again sets out on an action-packed quest to unearth hidden history and treasures when a missing page from the diary of John Wilkes Booth surfaces, and his great-great grandfather is suddenly implicated as a key conspirator in Abraham Lincoln's death. Determined to prove his ancestor's innocence, the journey leads Ben and his crew not only to surprising revelations – but to the trail of the world's most treasured secrets. Showing at: Derby Plaza, Movie Machine, Northrock, 13th Avenue Warren, Warren Old Town, 21st Street Warren.

P.S. I LOVE YOU [PG-13] 2 hrs. 5 min. Drama/Romance Trailer Cast: Hilary Swank, Gerard Butler, Gina Gershon, Lisa Kudrow, Harry Connick, Jr., Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Kathy Bates, James Marsters. Plot: Holly Kennedy is beautiful, smart, and married to the love of her life—a passionate, funny and impetuous Irishman named Gerry . When Gerry's life is taken by an illness, it takes the life out of Holly. Fortunately, he planned ahead before he died and wrote Holly a series of letters that will guide her, not only through her grief but in rediscovering herself. Showing at: Northrock, 13th Avenue Warren, 21st Street Warren.

SWEENEY TODD: THE DEMON BARBER OF FLEET STREET [R] 1 hr. 55 min. Musical/Thriller Trailer Cast: Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter, Alan Rickman, Timothy Spall, Jamie Campbell Bower, Jayne Wisener, Sacha Baron Cohen. Plot: big-screen adaptation of Stephen Sondheim's award-winning musical thriller about a man unjustly sent to prison who vows revenge, not only for that cruel punishment, but for the devastating consequences of what happened to his wife and daughter. When he returns to reopen his barber shop, Sweeney Todd becomes the Demon Barber of Fleet Street who "shaved the heads of gentlemen who never thereafter were heard from again." Showing at: 13th Avenue Warren, 21st Street Warren.

WALK HARD: THE DEWEY COX STORY [R] 1 hr. 35 min. Comedy Trailer Cast: John C. Reilly, Jenna Fischer, Tim Meadows, Kristen Wiig. Plot: on his rock 'n roll spiral, Cox sleeps with 411 women, marries three times, has 22 kids and 14 stepkids, stars in his own 70s TV show, collects friends ranging from Elvis to the Beatles to a chimp, and gets addicted to -- and then kicks -- every drug known to man... but despite it all, Cox grows into a national icon and eventually earns the love of a good woman -- longtime backup singer Darlene. Showing at: Derby Plaza, Northrock, 13th Avenue Warren, Warren Old Town, 21st Street Warren.

Starts Christmas Day, Tuesday, 12/25/07

ALIENS VS. PREDATOR: REQUIEM [R] 1 hr. 35 min. Action/Sci-Fi Trailer Cast: Reiko Aylesworth, Steven Pasquale, John Ortiz, Shareeka Epps, Johnny Lewis, Sam Trammell, David Paetkau. Plot: the monsters from two of the scariest film franchises ever, wage war in an American Midwestern town – with the residents caught in the middle. Showing at: Northrock, 13th Avenue Warren, Warren Old Town, 21st Street Warren.

ATONEMENT [R] 2 hrs. 5 min. Drama/Romance Trailer Cast: Keira Knightley, James McAvoy, Saoirse Ronan, Romola Garai, Vanessa Redgrave, Brenda Blethyn. Plot: screenplay adaptation of Ian McEwan's best-selling 2002 novel which spans several decades. A younger sister accuses her older sister's boyfriend of a crime he did not commit. He is arrested – and with the younger sister bearing false witness, the course of three lives is changed forever. Eventually, through a terrible and courageous act of imagination, she finds the path to her uncertain atonement, and to an understanding of the power of enduring love. Showing at: 13th Avenue Warren.

THE GREAT DEBATERS [PG-13] 2 hrs. 5 min. Drama Trailer Cast: Denzel Washington, Forest Whitaker, Jurnee Smollett, Denzel Whitaker, Kimberly Elise, Nate Parker. Plot: chronicles the journey of a brilliant but volatile coach who uses the power of words to shape a group of underdog students from a small, modest black college in East Texas into an elite debate team while challenging the social mores of the time, culminating with a groundbreaking invitation to debate Harvard's championship team. Showing at: Northrock, 13th Avenue Warren.

JUNO [PG-13] 1 hr. 35 min. Comedy/Drama Trailer Cast: Ellen Page, Michael Cera, Allison Janney, J.K. Simmons, Olivia Thirlby, Rainn Wilson, Jason Bateman, Jennifer Garner. Plot: a whip-smart teen confronts an unplanned pregnancy. With the help of her hot best friend Leah , she finds her unborn child a "perfect" set of parents: an affluent suburban couple longing to adopt. As time passes, she faces some tough decisions, flirts with adulthood and ultimately figures out where she belongs. Showing at: 13th Avenue Warren.

THE WATER HORSE: LEGEND OF THE DEEP [PG] 1 hr. 50 min. Fantasy/Adventure Trailer Cast: Emily Watson, Alex Etel, Ben Chaplin, David Morrissey, Brian Cox. Plot: a young Scottish boy, finds an enchanted egg and soon finds himself face-to-face with an amazing creature: the mythical "water horse" of Scottish lore. He begins a journey of discovery, facing his greatest fears and risking his life to protect a secret that would give birth to a legend. Showing at: Derby Plaza, Movie Machine, Northrock, 13th Avenue Warren, 21st Street Warren.

Sneak Preview, Thursday, 12/27

27 DRESSES PG-13 Comedy/Romance Trailer Cast: Katherine Heigl, James Marsden, Malin Akerman, Ed Burns, Melora Hardin, Judy Greer. Plot: A young woman who's made a career of being a bridesmaid but never a bride faces her worst nightmare when her sister becomes engaged to the man of her dreams. Luckily, the wedding brings around the man who will change her bridesmaid status for good. Sneaking at: 13th Avenue Warren (7:00 PM).

Leaving 12/20/2007 and (12/24/2007)

Derby Plaza - August Rush, Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium, Fred Claus, Bee Movie; (Enchanted)
Movie Machine - Fred Claus; (Golden Compass)
Northrock 14 - Bee Movie, Beowulf, August Rush, The Mist, (Fred Claus, The Perfect Holiday, This Christmas)
Palace West - Seeker:The Dark Is Rising, Ratatouille, Things We Lost In The Fire, The Comebacks, Dragon Wars, Underdog, The Bourne Ultimatum; (Resident Evil: Extinction)
Starlite Drive-In - Closed until Spring
Warren East 13th - Awake, The Mist, Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium, Bella, Bee Movie; (Perfect Holiday, Hitman, August Rush, Beowulf 3D)
Warren Old Town - Into The Wild, Fred Claus, Hit Man, American Gangster; (Golden Compass)
Warren West 21st - Awake, The Mist, Hit Man, Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium, Bee Movie; (The Perfect Holiday, This Christmas, August Rush)

Worthwhile (or not) 12/14/07

Only three new films this week but eight are scheduled to open between next Friday and Christmas. So, if you don't see anything you like this week, more are coming...and real soon.

The MetaCritic ratings this week are: I AM LEGEND 65/100, ALVIN AND THE CHIPMUNKS 38/100 and THE PERFECT HOLIDAY 32/100.

I AM LEGEND **½

Directed by Francis Lawrence, this sci-fi film stars Will Smith ( Robert Neville). Rated PG-13 for intense sequences of sci-fi action and violence, this feature is one hour and fifty minutes long.

Robert Neville is a military scientist who we first see trying to get his wife and daughter out of New York. Through flashbacks we learn he's trying to develop a cure for a virus sweeping the world which turns you into a flesh eating zombie if it doesn't kill you immediately. The virus was first created as a cure for cancer and tested before it's calamitous side effects were realized. Now the only human in New York he spends his time trying to find a cure for the virus, scrounging for food and drink, and avoiding the zombie like creatures who want to tear him limb from limb.

This is an extremely well made film and Smith, the only actor on screen for most of the film, does an excellent job. The shots of a deserted New York are very realistic, and very depressing. Sci-fi fans should find this a fascinating pic. But, those of you who aren't into that genre are likely to get restive after awhile, especially considering there's not a great deal of action for most of the time. If you want to see this I wouldn't dawdle, there's a strong likelihood this will get lost in the Christmas release bonanza that's almost upon us.

ALVIN AND THE CHIPMUNKS *½

This family comedy, directed by Tim Hill, stars Jason Lee (Dave), David Cross (Ian), and Cameron Richardson (Claire) plus three animated chipmunks. Rated PG for some mild rude humor, the film is ninety minutes long.

The three talking/singing chipmunks are transported to Dave's agent's building by mistake in a Christmas tree they inhabited in the forest. They soon arrive at Dave' home and amaze him with their abilities. A struggling song writer, Dave composes a song for them and they're soon on their way to fame and fortune, prodded unmercifully by Dave's agent, Ian. Dave's ex-girlfriend, Claire, becomes involved with Dave again due to her job as a celebrity photographer.

There's a reason cartoons were always seven minutes in length...they get boring if they're much longer unless they're very, very good. Alvin And The Chipmunks isn't. Featuring a cookie cutter plot that's thoroughly familiar and more suited to the TV screen rather than the theatre, it provides very little entertainment for adults and I'm not sure even children will be able to stay awake through it. If ever there was a feature you should wait and rent...this is it.

Opening 12/14/07

For showtimes select your theatre under the SHOWIMES AT: header in the left column. Weekend times normally start appearing on Wednesday.

ALVIN AND THE CHIPMUNKS [PG] 1 hr. 30 min. Family comedy/Animation Trailer Cast: Jason Lee, David Cross, Cameron Richardson, Jane Lynch, Justin Long. Plot: based on the 1950s cartoon series about chipmunks Alvin, Simon and Theodore, who lay waste to a man's surroundings and sing in three-part harmony. Showing at: Derby Plaza, Movie Machine, Northrock, 13th Avenue Warren, 21st Street Warren.

I AM LEGEND [PG-13] 1hr. 55 min. Action/Sci-Fi Trailer Cast: Will Smith, Alice Braga, Salli Richardson-Whitfield, Willow Smith, Charlie Tahan. Plot: somehow immune from a terrible virus, one man is now the last human survivor in what is left of New York City... and maybe the world. But he is surrounded by "the Infected"—victims of the virus who have mutated into carnivorous beings who can only exist in the dark and who will devour or infect anyone or anything in their path. He is driven to find a way to reverse the effects of the virus using his own immune blood. But his blood is also what The Infected hunt, and he knows he is outnumbered and quickly running out of time. Showing at: Derby Plaza, Movie Machine, Northrock, 13th Avenue Warren, Warren Old Town, 21st Street Warren.

Leaving 12/13/2007

Derby Plaza - Awake, Beowulf
Movie Machine - Bee Movie, Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium
Northrock 14 - Awake, Hitman, Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium
Palace West - P2
Starlite Drive-In - Closed until Spring
Warren East 13th - Into The Wild, My Kid Could Paint That, Sleuth, Before The Devil Knows You're Dead
Warren Old Town - Beowulf, Dan In Real Life
Warren West 21st - Noelle, Beowulf

Opening 12/12/07

THE PERFECT HOLIDAY [PG] 1 hr. 35 min. Comedy/Family/Romance Trailer Cast: Gabrielle Union, Morris Chestnut, Queen Latifah, Terrence Howard, Malik Hammond, Charlie Murphy, Faizon Love, Jeremy Gumbs, Jill Marie Jones, Rachel True. Plot: a divorced mother of three who is so busy raising her children that she's forgotten to take care of herself decides to take her kids to the mall to meet Santa Claus, not knowing that her youngest daughter has sensed her mother's sadness and is determined to use her time with Santa to make her mom happy again. Santa, as it turns out, is an office supply salesman and struggling songwriter who ends up giving Mom just what she wants for Christmas, and much, much more. Showing at: Northrock, 13th Avenue Warren, 21st Street Warren.

Opening 12/7/07

For showtimes select your theatre under the SHOWIMES AT: header in the left column. Weekend times normally start appearing on Wednesday.

THE GOLDEN COMPASS [PG] 2 hrs. Adventure/Drama/Fantasy Trailer Cast: Nicole Kidman, Daniel Craig, Sam Elliott, Eva Green, Dakota Blue Richards, Ian McKellen, Ian McShane, Freddy Highmore, Kathy Bates, Tom Courtenay, Ben Walker, Adam Godley, Simon McBurney, Nonso Anozie, Jim Carter, Clare Higgins, Jack Shepherd, Magda Szubanski. Plot: Philip Pullman's bestselling and award-winning novel, "The Golden Compass" tells the first story in Pullman's "His Dark Materials" trilogy. It is an exciting fantasy adventure, set in an alternative world where people's souls manifest themselves as animals, talking bears fight wars, and Gyptians and witches co-exist. At the center of the story is Lyra, a 12-year-old girl who starts out trying to rescue a friend who's been kidnapped by a mysterious organization known as the Gobblers - and winds up on an epic quest to save not only her world, but ours as well. Regular engagement starts 12/7. Showing at: Movie Machine, 13th Avenue Warren, Warren Old Town, 21st Street Warren.

MY KID COULD PAINT THAT [PG-13] 1 hr. 25 min. Documentary Trailer Cast: Laura Olmstead. Plot: details of the successes and failures of 4-year-old Marla Olmstead, who rocketed from total obscurity into international renown - and sold over $300,000 dollars worth of paintings. Showing at: 13th Avenue Warren exclusively.

NOELLE ]PG] 1 hr. 30 min. Drama Trailer Cast: David Wall, Sean Patrick Brennan, Kerry Brennan, Brennan Wall , Jean Bates. Plot: a Catholic priest arrives in a tiny fishing village the week before Christmas to shut down a dying parish. But things take an unexpected turn as he becomes entangled in the various lives of the village's eccentric characters. Showing at: 21st Street Warren.

SLEUTH [R] 1 hr. 25 min. Mystery/Thriller Trailer Cast: Michael Caine, Jude Law. Plot: a millionaire detective novelist matches wits with the unemployed actor who ran off with his wife in a deadly serious, seriously twisted game with dangerous consequences. Showing at: 13th Avenue Warren exclusively.

Leaving 12/6/2007

Derby Plaza - nothing
Movie Machine - Beowulf
Northrock 14 -
Palace West - Elizabeth: The Golden Age, 3:10 To Yuma, Ratatouille
Starlite Drive-In - Closed until Spring
Warren East 13th - Lions For Lambs
Warren Old Town - Bee Movie
Warren West 21st - Lions For Lambs