8 MILE (R) -- C+ Semi-autobiographical
it might be, but 8 Mile is smaller than life. The raw energy and talent
of Eminem is dampened by a too-long script and Curtis Hanson's torpid direction.
Kim Basinger and Brittany Murphy give tired performances in a film only briefly
invigorated by its portrayal of Detroit's hip-hop club scene. (Carlson) Downtown
Joy
ANALYZE THAT (R) -- Director Harold
Ramis and actors Robert De Niro and Billy Crystal reunite for this sequel to
the 1999 mob comedy Analyze This. Here, Paul Vitti (De Niro) is fresh
out of prison and dealing with retirement from the "family business," while
his shrink (Crystal) is dealing with the pressure of taking over his own family
business. AMC Palace 12, AMC Palace 16, AMC Palace 20, Hollywood Cinemas
9
ANTWONE FISHER (PG-13) -- Denzel Washington
makes his directing debut and co-stars in the fact-based story of a troubled
sailor (Derek Luke) who eventually becomes a Hollywood screenwriter. AMC
Palace 20
APOLLO 13 THE IMAX EXPERIENCE (PG) --
Ron Howard's 1995 film about the ill-fated 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
CATCH ME IF YOU CAN (PG-13) -- A- Steven
Spielberg directs Leonardo DiCaprio as Frank W. Abagnale Jr., notorious in the
1960s for assuming so many different aliases and professions (doctor, commercial
airline pilot) in his con games that he earned the respect of the FBI agent
(Tom Hanks) who pursued him. This film is as light on its feet as its main character,
capping off a great year for Spielberg. DiCaprio is so winning as Abagnale,
you wonder if he's been a con artist all his life. But then, all great actors
are con artists. The production value that usually translates into special effects
in Spielberg's work this time is shot through his obvious love of the '60s,
from the set design to the period fashions. (Simmons) AMC Palace 12, AMC
Palace 16, AMC Palace 20, Chalmette, Hollywood Cinemas 9
DIE ANOTHER DAY (PG-13) -- Unless
you've been living under a rock for the past month, you know the James Bond
series celebrates its 40th anniversary with Pierce Brosnan sexing up American
spy Halle Berry. The two team up to battle the Axis of Evil. Directed by Lee
Tamahori (Mulholland Falls). AMC Palace 12, AMC Palace 16, AMC Palace
20
DRUMLINE (PG-13) -- A street drummer
in Harlem brings his own sense of rhythm to a marching band after getting a
scholarship to a college in the South. Directed by Charles Stone III (those
"Whazzzup?" Bud commercials, and Paid in Full). Co-stars Nick Cannon
and Orlando Jones. AMC Palace 12, AMC Palace 16, AMC Palace 20, Chalmette,
Downtown Joy, Hollywood Cinemas 9
EMPIRE (R) -- Drug dealer John Leguizamo
tries to quit while he's ahead, only to find out that he's been ripped off by
investor Peter Sarsgaard and girlfriend Denise Richards. Debut from writer-director
Franc Reyes. Excellent supporting cast includes Ruben Blades, Sonia Braga and
Isabella Rossellini. AMC Palace 16, AMC Palace 20
A FACE IN THE CROWD (NR) -- Elia Kazan
squeezed a critically acclaimed performance out of Andy Griffith in this 1960
film about fame and politics. 10:30 p.m. Monday at the Shim Sham Club
FAR FROM HEAVEN (R) -- A Todd Haynes'
stylized, almost painterly drama tells the story of a white 1957 suburban Connecticut
housewife whose husband is grappling with his homosexuality while she takes
refuge in a friendship with her black gardener. This picture is smart, understated
and profoundly affecting. Julianne Moore, Dennis Quaid and Dennis Haysbert are
all superb. (Barton) Canal Place
FRIDA (R) -- B+ Salma Hayek shines in
her portrayal of Mexican artist Frida Kahlo. So does Alfred Molina as husband/artist
Diego Rivera in this paradoxically vibrant and episodic bio-pic from Julie Taymor
(Titus), who does a marvelous job of literally bringing Kahlo's art to
life. (Simmons) Canal Place
FRIDAY AFTER NEXT (R) -- Ice Cube and
Mike Epps reunite for the third installment of the Friday series, this time
with the pair working as mall security guards and trying to catch the thief
who stole their holiday presents. AMC Palace 16, Chalmette, Downtown Joy
GANGS OF NEW YORK (R) -- A Martin Scorsese's
look at ethnic and religious violence in 19th century Manhattan is cinematically
brilliant. It has stunning production design, haunting cinematography, searching
themes and great acting headed by Daniel Day-Lewis and Leonardo DiCaprio. Artistically
stimulating as this picture is, however, it doesn't offer sympathetic characters
and in failing to do so, abandons any hopes of touching our heart. (Barton)
AMC Palace 12, AMC Palace 16, AMC Palace 20, Canal Place, Chalmette, Hollywood
Cinemas 9
HARRY POTTER AND THE CHAMBER OF SECRETS
(PG) -- C- This second installment is boring and utterly conventional --
all two hours and 50 minutes of it. It's pretty apparent that too much time
is spent on how everything looks and not enough on how any of it feels. Kenneth
Branagh as the wryly pompous Gilderoy Lockhart is one of the only bright spots.
Stay home and read the delightful book instead. (Carlson) AMC Palace 12,
AMC Palace 16, AMC Palace 20, Chalmette, Hollywood Cinemas 9
HAUNTED CASTLE (PG) -- Combination of
live-action characters and computer-generated scenes fill this 3-D version of
the Faustian tale. Entergy IMAX
HIDDEN WARS OF THE STORM (NR) --Documentary
by Gerard Ungerman and Audrey Brohey explores and questions the United States'
relations with and actions against Iraq before, during and after Saddam Hussein's
invasion of Kuwait in 1990. 7:30 p.m. Wednesday-Friday, Jan. 1-3; 7:30 p.m.
Sunday-Thursday, Jan. 5-9; at Zeitgeist
HOT CHICK (PG-13) -- A popular but rather
bitchy teenage girl gets a little comeuppance when she is magically transported
into the body of Rob Schneider, who then proceeds to get into a series of wacky
situations. Look for Adam Sandler as a bongo player. AMC Palace 12, AMC Palace
16, AMC Palace 20, Chalmette
THE IMAX NUTCRACKER 3D (NR) -- The classic
holiday tale comes to the very, very big screen. Entergy IMAX
INTO THE DEEP: 3D -- IMAX dives deep
underwater to explore sea life. Entergy IMAX
THE LION KING (G) -- The largest-grossing
animated film of all time gets the IMAX treatment, taken from the original digital
elements instead of the 35mm print. Opens Wednesday at Entergy IMAX
THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE TWO TOWERS (PG-13)
-- A+ Director Peter Jackson presents this spectacular sequel to The
Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring. Jaw-dropping combat sequences,
an expert use of digital imagery and a true devotion to the heart of the Tolkien
classic make movie magic. Ian McKellen, Viggo Mortensen, Elijah Wood, Liv Tyler
and many more return as Frodo's quest to destroy the evil Ring continues. (Carlson)
AMC Palace 12, AMC Palace 16, AMC Palace 20, Chalmette, Hollywood Cinemas
9, Prytania
MAID IN MANHATTAN (PG-13) -- Hotel maid
Jennifer Lopez is mistaken for a socialite (and is then wooed) by wealthy Ralph
Fiennes in this romantic comedy directed by Wayne Wang (The Joy Luck Club,
Anywhere But Here). Written by John Hughes, who championed the teen-comedy
craze of the 1980s that spawned Sixteen Candles and The Breakfast
Club. AMC Palace 12, AMC Palace 16, AMC Palace 20, Chalmette, Hollywood
Cinemas 9
PINOCCHIO (G) --
Roberto Benigni (Life Is Beautiful, Down by Law) directed, co-wrote
and stars as the famous title character. Real-life wife and frequent co-star
Nicoletta Braschi also stars. This Italian version of the tale has been dubbed
into English, with voices provided by Kevin James, Glenn Close, Queen Latifah
and Eddie Griffin. Bad sign: Miramax canceled the press screening for this film.
AMC Palace 16, AMC Palace 20
THE PINOCHET CASE (NR) -- Patricio
Guzman's documentary explores the machinations that led to the arrest and trial
in the late 1990s of Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet. 9 p.m. Wednesday-Friday,
Jan 1-3; Sunday-Thursday, Jan 5-9; at Zeitgeist
REAL WOMEN HAVE CURVES (PG-13) -- A
chubby Mexican-American teenager from East L.A. (America Ferrera) grapples with
her self-image as defined by both her weight and ethnicity in this film-festival
favorite and feature debut from director Patricia Cardoso. Copped both the Audience
Award for Best Dramatic Feature and a Special Jury Prize for Acting (for Ferrera
and Lupe Ontiveros) at this year's Sundance Film Festival, and screened at October's
New Orleans Film Festival. Canal Place
THE RING (PG-13) -- B- Despite some
nice ideas and a great set-up, Gore Verbinski's frightfest about a journalist
(Naomi Watts) trying to unravel the mystery behind a videotape that leads to
death for all who watch it is ultimately a disappointment. (Simmons) AMC
Palace 12
THE SANTA CLAUSE 2 (G) -- B- Little
kids should probably never hear that Santa Claus is really the voice of Buzz
Lightyear, but Tim Allen's charm provides decent holiday glow to this seasonal
sequel. The storyline -- Santa has to land a Mrs. Claus to stay Santa -- makes
for a few genuinely sweet moments. Meanwhile, a fascist Santa clone (who might
frighten a few small fry) makes trouble back at the Pole, and a farting reindeer
brings cheer to the little kid in all of us. (Tisserand) AMC Palace 12, AMC
Palace 16, AMC Palace 20
SPACE STATION (NR) -- A 3-D look at
the International Space Station. Entergy IMAX
STAR TREK: NEMESIS (PG-13) -- Patrick
Stewart, Brent Spiner, LeVar Burton and the rest reunited for another voyage
of the starship Enterprise, in which the Romulans are negotiating for peace
-- or are they? AMC Palace 12, AMC Palace 16, AMC Palace 20, Hollywood Cinemas
9
TREASURE PLANET (G) -- Co-directors
Ron Clements and John Musker (Aladdin, The Little Mermaid) serve
up Disney's holiday animation offering, an outer-space version of Robert Louis
Stevenson's literary classic Treasure Island. AMC Palace 12, AMC Palace
16, AMC Palace 20
TWO WEEKS NOTICE (PG-13) -- Marc
Lawrence, who had a hand in the scripts for previous Sandra Bullock vehicles
(Forces of Nature, Miss Congeniality) writes and makes his directing
debut with Bullock playing chief counsel to Hugh Grant's smug millionaire. Romance
finally ensues when she decides to terminate her services. AMC Palace 12, AMC
Palace 16, AMC Palace 20, Chalmette, Hollywood Cinemas 9
VALLEY OF THE DOLLS (PG) -- Three wannabe
Hollywood starlets (Barbara Parkins, Patty Duke, Sharon Tate) get tangled up
in that wacky L.A. lifestyle in this 1967 camp/trash fave, an adaptation of
Jacqueline Susann's novel. 8 p.m. Monday at the Shim Sham Club
THE WILD THORNBERRYS (PG) -- The
crew from the popular Nickelodeon series shows up for its second animation feature,
this time without the Rugrats. Voices provided by Lacey Chabert (The Scoundrel's
Wife), Brenda Blethyn, Rupert Everette, Marisa Tomei, Lynda Redgrave and Tim
Curry (also of The Scoundrel's Wife). AMC Palace 12, AMC Palace 16, AMC Palace
20, Chalmette, Hollywood Cinemas 9
