APOLLO 13 THE IMAX EXPERIENCE (PG) -- NOT
RATED
Ron Howard's 1995 film about
the doomed space flight (starring Tom Hanks, Kevin Bacon and Ed Harris) becomes
the first 35mm live-action film to be digitally remastered for IMAX viewing.
Entergy IMAX
BALLISTIC: ECKS VS. SEVER (R) -- NOT RATED
Antonio Banderas and Lucy Liu are rival agents who, while playing their
unending game of cat-and-mouse, realize they might need to be on the same team
in this action thriller from Wych Kaosayananda. AMC Palace 12, AMC Palace
16, AMC Palace 20, Chalmette, Downtown Joy
THE BANGER SISTERS (R) --
Down-and-out
bartender Goldie Hawn hunts down fellow ex-groupie Susan Sarandon in the suburbs
to loosen her up for old time's sake. (Williams) AMC Palace 12, AMC Palace
16, AMC Palace 20, Chalmette, Hollywood Cinemas 9, Prytania
THE BARBERSHOP (PG-13) -- NOT RATED
Employees at a Chicago barbershop kick the gossip and speculation when a
$50,000 reward is offered for help in solving a recent bank heist. Cedric the
Entertainer and Ice Cube lead an ensemble cast. AMC Palace 12, AMC Palace
16, AMC Palace 20, Chalmette, Downtown Joy, Hollywood Cinemas 9
THE FOUR FEATHERS (PG-13) -- C-
Director
Shekhar Kapur (Elizabeth) gets lost in the desert in this remake of a
remake of a remake. Flat cinematography and a stilted script undermine a sympathetic
performance by Heath Ledger (The Patriot). This movie wants to be an
epic and has all the trappings, but none of the heart. A vapid Kate Hudson,
a catatonic Wes Bentley and an underused Djimon Hounsou costar. (Carlson) AMC
Palace 12, AMC Palace 16, AMC Palace 20, Hollywood Cinemas 9
THE GOOD GIRL (R) -- A-
This black comedy by director Miguel Arteta and writer Mike White (Chuck
and Buck) exposes the thin veneer of morality to reveal the bedrock selfishness
in humor behavior. Jennifer Aniston does Oscar-worthy work as a retail clerk
cheating with a co-worker (Jake Gyllenhaal) on her doofus husband of seven years
(John C. Reilly). (Barton) AMC Palace
20, Hollywood Cinemas 9
HAPPY TIMES (PG) -- NOT RATED
Zhang
Yimou (Raise the Red Lantern) directs this romantic comedy about a prospective
groom who extends himself financially both to impress his bridge-to-be and help
out a poor suicidal woman. In Mandarin Chinese with English subtitles. Canal
Place
HAUNTED CASTLE (PG) -- NOT RATED
Combination
of live-action characters and computer-generated scenes fill this 3-D version
of the Faustian tale. Entergy IMAX
JONAH -- A VEGGIE TALES MOVIE (G) -- NOT
RATED
The direct-to-video animated
children's series hits the big screen, with a digestible Christian theme. AMC
Palace 12, AMC Palace 16, AMC Palace 20
LIKE MIKE (PG) -- NOT RATED
Everyone's
favorite li'l scamp of a rapper, Lil' Bow Wow, plays a little kid who, through
a freak accident, becomes an NBA star. Features cameos by NBA stars including
Allen Iverson, Jason Kidd and Chris Webber. Downtown Joy
MY BIG FAT GREEK WEDDING (PG) -- B+
Nia Vardalos wrote and stars in this romantic comedy about a Greek-American
woman from a traditional family who falls in love with a WASPy school teacher
(a charming John Corbett) and has to navigate the stormy seas of her family's
disapproval. (Barton) AMC Palace 12, AMC Palace 16, AMC Palace 20, Canal
Place, Chalmette, Hollywood Cinemas 9
ONE HOUR PHOTO (R) -- B
Mark
Romanek's thriller concerns a lonely store clerk's obsession with a young a
family. Avoiding chronic excesses, Robin Williams gives one of the best performances
of his career. Certain narrative contrivances are largely overcome with artful
visual symbolism, complex character development and a conclusion that doesn't
quite go where you expect. (Barton) AMC Palace 20, Canal Place, Hollywood
Cinemas 9
THE PIANO TEACHER (R) -- NOT RATED
Michael
Haneke wrote and directed Isabelle Huppert as a sexually uptight piano teacher
in Vienna who explores her kinks with a young student. One of only two films
(Barton Fink being the other) to win three prizes at the Cannes Film
Festival, including Best Actress for Huppert.
POSSESSION (PG-13) -- A-
Neil LaBute artfully adapts the much-loved A.S. Byatt novel, which tells
the story of two modern-day academics (Gwyneth Paltrow and Aaron Eckhart) and
their pursuit of the romantic tale of two Victorian-era poets (Jeremy Northam
and a luminous Jennifer Ehle). (Carlson) AMC Palace 20
QUITTING (R) -- NOT RATED
Jia Hongsheng stars as himself in
this film about his battle with drug addiction. Directed by Zhang Yang (Shower).
In Mandarin Chinese with English subtitles. Canal Place
RED DRAGON (R) -- NOT RATED
Anthony Hopkins returns as Hannibal
Lecter in this rare bird, a remake of the first of the series, 1986's little-known
Manhunter. Stellar supporting cast includes Ralph Fiennes, Edward Norton,
Emily Watson, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Harvey Keitel and Mary Louise Parker.
Directed by Brett Ratner (Rush Hour 2, Family Man), a curious
choice considering the starpower. AMC Palace 12, AMC Palace 16, AMC Palace
20, Chalmette, Hollywood Cinemas 9
SECRET BALLOT (G) -- NOT RATED
Florida never had it so funny in this comedy about an Iranian solder and poll
worker trying to get out the vote on election day in a remote Iranian day. Babak
Payami wrote and directed. In Persian with English subtitles.Canal Place
SIGNS (PG-13) -- B-
M. Night Shyamalan continues what
feels like a downward career trajectory after his thrilling debut, The Sixth
Sense, with this manipulative, choppy and ultimately thin exploration of
a creeping alien invasion. (Simmons) AMC Palace 12, AMC Palace 16, AMC Palace
20, Chalmette
SPACE STATION (NR) -- NOT RATED --
A 3-D look at the International Space
Station. Entergy IMAX
SPY KIDS 2 (PG) -- NOT RATED
Robert Rodriguez's follow-up to last
year's successful romp with a brother-sister team taking over for their spy
parents (Antonio Banderas, Carla Gugino) when mom and pop are put out of action.
AMC Palace 12, AMC Palace 16, AMC Palace 20,Chalmette
STEALING HARVARD (PG-13) -- NOT RATED
Slackers Jason Lee and Tom Green
turn to crime to help finance the Harvard education of Lee's sister in this
comedy from former Kid in the Hall Bruce McCulloch (1999's hilarious Dick).
Co-stars Dennis Farina, Seymour Cassel and Will & Grace's Meg Mullally.
AMC Palace 12
SWEET HOME ALABAMA (PG-13) -- NOT RATED
Reese Witherspoon must return to her small Alabama hometown and obtain a
divorce from her socioeconomically challenged husband in order to marry her
New York City beau in this romantic comedy directed by Andy Tennant. Co-stars
Candice Bergen, Patrick Dempsey, Fred Ward, Mary Kay Place and Josh Lucas. AMC
Palace 12, AMC Palace 16, AMC Palace 20, Chalmette, Hollywood Cinemas 9
SWIMFAN (PG-13) -- NOT RATED
Fatal Attraction goes
to high school when new girl Erika Christensen seduces stud swimmer Jesse Bradford
then gets rabbit-boiling mad when he blows her off. AMC Palace 12, AMC Palace
16, AMC Palace 20
TRAPPED (R) --
Mom-and-pop Charlize Theron and Stuart
Townshend try to save their diabetic daughter from kidnappers Kevin Bacon and
Courtney Love within 24 hours. (Williams) (Reviewed in this issue.) AMC
Palace 20, Chalmette
THE TUXEDO (PG-13) -- NOT RATED
Through a series of wacky mishaps,
Jackie Chan goes from cab driver to chauffeur to U.S. governmental spy who kicks
much ass after putting on a gizmo-filled tuxedo. Co-stars Jennifer Love Hewitt,
Debi Mazar and the Godfather of Soul, James Brown. Commercials director Kevin
Donovan gets his first big directing break here. AMC Palace 12, AMC Palace
16, AMC Palace 20, Chalmette, Hollywood Cinemas 9
UNDISPUTED (R) -- NOT RATED
Boxing champ Ving Rhames gets sent
to prison on a rape charge, only to be forced into a bout with prison boxing
champ Wesley Snipes in this film co-starring New Orleans' own Master P as the
leader of a prison rap group. AMC Palace 16
XXX (PG-13) -- NOT RATED
Overnight
action hunk Vin Diesel reunites with The Fast and the Furious director
Rob Cohen and producer Neil Moritz in this story of an extreme-sports wild man
(Diesel) recruited by the government's Samuel L. Jackson to bust up a Russian
crime gang. Chalmette
