13 GHOSTS (R) -- NOT RATED Dark Castle, run by the daughter of horror-film gimmick master William Castle, offers its second remake of a Castle flick (House on Haunted Hill being the other). A man inherits a house (and ghosts) from his dead uncle and moves in with his daughter only to be alternately haunted and in a hunt for hidden treasure. Tony Shalhoub and Shannon Elizabeth co-star. Chalmette, Palace 16, Palace 20, Plaza
AMELIE (R) -- B+
Jean-Pierre Jeunet (co-director of Delicatessen and The City of Lost Children) presents this unashamedly joyous and cheeky story of a young woman (Audry Tautou ... or is that Hepburn?) who invests her energy in everyone else's happiness but her own. The Jane Austen vibe of this Miramax darling, heightened by the pulsating glow of Bruno Delbonnel's cinematography, overcomes its drawn-out third act. Watch the Weinsteins push this movie come Oscar time -- but for good reason. In French with English subtitles. (Simmons) (Reviewed in this issue.) Canal Place
ANTARCTICA (NR) -- NOT RATED
This IMAX documentary takes viewers to the previously unseen reaches of the Chaos Glacier, with its icy blue waters and crystalline cave, as part of a look at the world's southernmost continent. Entergy IMAX
APOCALYPSE NOW REDUX (R) -- A+
Finally, a director's cut worth watching. One of the greatest "war movies" (or statements about war) ever made gets another treatment by director Francis Ford Coppola, whose added footage provides more context. (Simmons) Plaza
BANDITS (PG-13) --
B+ A throwaway flick with a smashingly bright script, this is the unlikely story of two bank robbers (Bruce Willis and Billy Bob Thornton), a bored housewife (Cate Blanchett) and a wheel man as intellectually challenged as Michael J. Pollard in Bonnie and Clyde. This picture offers enough freshness to make me suspect that instead of merely listening to pitches, Bruce Willis actually reads scripts. (Barton) Palace 20
BONES (R) -- NOT RATED
After being shot down by supposed friends, neighborhood legend Snoop Dogg returns to save the 'hood from crime and drugs in this film by Earnest Dickerson (Juice). Blaxploitation goddess Pam Grier plays Snoop's girlfriend. Downtown Joy, Palace 16, Palace 20, Plaza
CORKY ROMANO (PG-13) -- NOT RATED
Dorky Corky (Chris Kattan) is recruited by his mobster father (Peter Falk) to infiltrate an FBI investigation into the family's business. Supporting cast includes Peter Berg and Fred Ward. Palace 16
CYBERWORLD (NR) -- NOT RATED
Billed as the first-ever animated IMAX film, Cyberworld features the voice of Jenna Elfman and characters from The Simpsons and the film Antz. Entergy IMAX
DOMESTIC DISTURBANCE (PG-13) -- NOT RATED
Divorced dad John Travolta doesn't like the new husband (Vince Vaughn) of ex-wife Teri Polo and seeks to save his kid from harm in this thriller from Harold Becker (Sea of Love). Chalmette, Galleria, Palace 16, Palace 20
DON'T SAY A WORD (R) -- NOT RATED
Michael Douglas (Traffic) offers another variation of his troubled-dad shtick as a psychiatrist who must extract a mysterious code from a patient (Brittany Murphy) in order to save his kidnapped daughter. Gary Fleder (Kiss the Girls) directs. Palace 16, Palace 20
FROM HELL (R) -- A-
Albert and Allen Hughes (Menace II Society, Dead Presidents) explore an entirely different form of gritty urban drama to great effect with this adaptation of Alan Moore's acclaimed graphic novel about Jack the Ripper. Johnny Depp is typically subdued as Inspector Abberline, while Heather Graham stays safely within her range as targeted prostitute Mary Kelly. Ian Holm almost steals the show as Sir William Gull. (Simmons) Galleria, Palace 16, Palace 20
GALAPAGOS (NR) -- A-
Smithsonian Institution marine biologist Carole Baldwin leads an expedition to the mysterious islands explored by Charles Darwin more than 160 years ago. An amazing use of IMAX 3D technology, the film is a feast for the eyes, if not the intellect. (Carlson) Entergy IMAX
GRATEFUL DAWG (PG-13) -- NOT RATED
Gillian Grisman explores the bluegrass influences of late Grateful Dead guitarist Jerry Garcia in this documentary of collaborations between Garcia and her father, David Grisman. The film, which played at last month's New Orleans Film Festival, shows Garcia not long before his death of a heart attack on Aug. 9, 1995. Canal Place
HARDBALL (PG-13) -- NOT RATED
Keanu Reeves is a hard drinker forced to pay off his gambling debts by coaching an inner-city youth baseball team in this fact-based story. Weird note: Diane Lane co-stars. Palace 16, Palace 20
HEIST (R) -- NOT RATED
David Mamet explores the popular "one last score" theme in this film starring Gene Hackman, Danny DeVito and Delroy Lindo. Chalmette, Galleria, Palace 16, Palace 20
K-PAX (PG-13) -- B
Iain Softley's drama stars Kevin Spacey as a mental patient who claims to be an alien from a planet a thousand light years away. Jeff Bridges is the psychiatrist who tries to help him. Excellent lead performances and a sustained mystery about Spacey's true identity only partially make up for a film with more surface than depth. (Barton) Chalmette, Downtown Joy, Galleria, Palace 16, Palace 20, Prytania
THE LAST CASTLE (R) -- NOT RATED
Robert Redford is a court-martialed general who rallies the troops/fellow inmates of a military prison against evil warden James Gandolfini. Co-stars Mark Ruffalo and Robin Wright Penn, and directed by Rod Lurie (The Contender). Palace 20
LIFE AS A HOUSE (R) -- B-
Irwin Winkler's family drama tells the story of a man (Kevin Kline) who is dying of cancer and trying to reconcile with his estranged son and divorced wife. Moments of humor and solid performances make this intermittently entertaining, but a sloppy, manipulative script keeps it from being ultimately satisfying. (Barton) (Reviewed in this issue.) Galleria, Palace 16, Palace 20
MAX KEEBLE'S BIG MOVE (PG) -- NOT RATED
Branded as a nerd his first day of school, seventh-grader Max (Alex D. Linz) soon learns he's transferring and decides to do and say all the things he wanted to. The plan backfires when dad's transfer plans are botched. Chalmette
MONSTERS, INC. (G) -- B+
From the creators of Pixar (Toy Story, A Bug's Life) comes this easygoing animated tale of workmanlike monsters who bottle kids' screams (in their bedrooms at night) in order to provide needed energy. John Goodman and Billy Crystal are so good as the voices of Sully and Mike that they should consider the animation biz as a permanent gig. A fun story that drags a bit in the middle provides plenty of sight gags and a digestible parable about positivity over negativity. (Simmons) Chalmette, Galleria, Palace 16, Palace 20, Plaza
MULHOLLAND DRIVE (R) -- A-
David Lynch's latest postmodern noir thriller (originally intended as an TV series) is a surprisingly sincere love letter to Los Angeles in general and Hollywood in particular. Just like the city itself, Lynch's mystery of a woman trying to regain her identity is a collision of dreams and reality. Good luck trying to untangle his impressionistic narrative structure, complemented by absorbing ensemble performances from Laura Harring, Naomi Watts and Justin Theroux as well as savvy cameos by Ann Miller, Chad Everett, Lee Grant and Billy Ray Cyrus (!!!). (Simmons) Canal Place
ON THE LINE (PG) -- NOT RATED
N'Sync heartthrob Lance Bass stars as a guy who falls in love with a girl while riding the Chicago subway and tries to find her with the help of best friend (and fellow N'Sync heartthrob) Joey Fatone. Palace 20
THE ONE (PG-13) -- NOT RATED
Jet Li (Romeo Must Die) builds strength each time he travels to another universe to kill the parallel version of himself in this action sci-fi flick from James Wong (Final Destination). Chalmette, Galleria, Palace 16, Palace 20, Plaza
THE OTHERS (R) -- A
Nicole Kidman is magnetic as a mother trying to defend her mansion and children from supernatural forces in this compelling Gothic thriller from director Alejandro Amen&225;bar. Rarely are these genre pieces made with such subtlety, intelligence and depth. Fionnula Flanagan is downright eerie as a housekeeper with questionable motives. (Simmons) Downtown Joy, Palace 20
RIDING IN CARS WITH BOYS (PG-13) -- NOT RATED
Penny Marshall's fact-based story of a triumphant single mom may seem like a vehicle for Drew Barrymore, but it also features a great supporting cast in James Woods, Lorraine Bracco, Steve Zahn and Brittany Murphy. Galleria, Palace 16, Palace 20
SERENDIPITY (PG-13) -- NOT RATED
Knowing only each other's first names, John Cusack and Kate Beckinsale try to find each other 10 years after a chance encounter in this romantic comedy that also features Molly Shannon and Jeremy Piven. Palace 20
SHALLOW HAL (PG-13) -- NOT RATED
The fearless Farrelly Brothers (There's Something About Mary) present this comedy that centers on ladies' man Jack Black being hypnotized into seeing only the beauty inside women, which makes his newest, very overweight girlfriend look exactly like Gwyneth Paltrow. Chalmette, Galleria, Palace 16, Palace 20
TRAINING DAY (R) -- NOT RATED
Rookie cop Ethan Hawke gets a rude awakening in his first day on the job when he is paired up with crooked veteran Denzel Washington. Co-stars Snoop Dogg, Dr. Dre and Macy Gray. Chalmette, Downtown Joy, Palace 16, Palace 20, Plaza
THE WASH (R) -- NOT RATED
Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg are best buddies who crack wise and keep 'em clean in this apparent tribute to the 1976 comedy near-classic, Car Wash. That film featured Richard Pryor and George Carlin and was written by (of all people) Joel Schumacher! D.J. Pooh (3 Strikes) directs, while comedian George Wallace co-stars. Opens Wednesday at Palace 16, Palace 20, Plaza
WAKING LIFE (R) -- C+
Richard Linklater retraces some the footsteps he tread in his magnificent 1991 debut, Slacker, and adds a layer of "rotoscoping" animation (making cartoon images of digital footage). Stars the voices of Ethan Hawke, Julie Delpy and some familiar Slacker cast members. (Simmons) Canal Place
