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ALL ON A MARDI GRAS DAY (NR) --
Jerry Brock and Royce Osborn co-produced this probing documtentary about the famous
Carnival season. 11 a.m. and continuously Saturday at the Jazz National Historical
Park
ALONG CAME POLLY (PG-13) --
Risk analyst Ben Stiller takes a chance on romance with a wacky Jennifer Aniston
after he discovers new wife Debra Messing cheating on him. Directed by John Hamburg,
co-screenwriter of previous Stiller vehicles Meet the Parents and Zoolander.
Co-stars Philip Seymour Hoffman, Alec Baldwin, Hank Azaria and others. AMC
Palace 12, AMC Palace 16, AMC Palace 20, Chalmette, Grand, Hollywood Cinemas
9
THE BIG BOUNCE (PG-13) --C+
George Armitage's weak attempt at capturing the flavor of an Elmore Leonard novel
at least features a charming Owen Wilson tempted to rip off a developer (Gary
Sinise) at the encouragement of the developer's sexy mistress (Sara Foster). Leonard's
stories are all about the funk, but Armitage doesn't have the rhythm. (Simmons)
(Reviewed in this issue.) AMC Palace 12, AMC Palace 16, AMC Palace 20,
Chalmette, Grand, Hollywood Cinemas 9
BIG FISH (PG-13) --
B Tim Burton's account of a son's attempt to reconcile with a dying father
has effective if underdeveloped performances by Albert Finney, Ewan McGregor,
Billy Crudup, Jessica Lange, Alison Lohman, Helena Bonham Carter and Steve Buscemi.
(Barton) AMC Palace 12, AMC Palace 16, AMC Palace 20, Hollywood Cinemas
9
BUBBA HO-TEP (R) --
B- Don Coscarelli's wild comedy/horror movie is the story of two aged men
in a Texas rest home. One thinks he's Elvis (Bruce Campbell); the other thinks
he's JFK (Ossie Davis), a bit of a problem because he's black. This movie could
have been an interesting reflection on identity, friendship and fame, but instead
it because a nutty tale about two old codgers trying to thwart a soul-sucking
mummy. The flick doesn't work, but it is funny. (Barton) Canal Place
THE BUTTERFLY EFFECT (R) --
Ashton Kutcher keeps trying to fix his life by going back in time and changing
events that had adverse effects on him, but it keeps making his life worse in
this psychological thriller directed by Eric Bress and J. Macky Gruber and co-starring
Eric Stolz and Amy Smart. AMC Palace 12, AMC Palace 16, AMC Palace 20,
Chalmette, Grand, Hollywood Cinemas 9
CALENDAR GIRLS (PG-13) --
Based on a true story about middle-aged English women who agree to pose nude while
performing various homemaking chores to benefit a cancer hospital, this film stars
Helen Mirren and Julie Walters. Directed by Nigel Cole. AMC Palace 12, AMC
Palace 20
CHEAPER BY THE DOZEN (PG) --
C- Steve Martin grimaces his way through this updated remake of a 1950
adaptation of a memoir of a turn-of-the-century family. Here, the double-Brady-sized
clan moves to a snobby Chicago suburb while Dad pursues his dream of coaching
in the big leagues. (Tisserand) AMC Palace 12, AMC Palace 16, AMC Palace
20
COLD MOUNTAIN (R) -- B
The Weinstein Brothers double-dog dare you to love Anthony Minghella's (The
English Patient) epic take on Charles Frazier's epic novel of a Confederate
soldier leaving battle for the woman he loves. But the Oscar-friendly trio of
Nicole Kidman and Oscar nominees Jude Law and Renée Zellweger are no match
for John Seale's cinematography or the old-timey music. Brendan Gleeson is a huge
bright spot as the redemptive Stobrod. Nominated for seven Academy Awards. (Simmons)
AMC Palace 16, AMC Palace 20, Prytania
THE COOLER (R) --
A Wayne Kramer's Tarantinoesque romantic comedy is the story of a man (William
H. Macy) so unlucky that a Vegas casino hires him to bring bad luck to hot gamblers.
The cooler's fate changes when he falls in love with a cocktail waitress (Maria
Bello). Unfortunately, a cooler in thaw is not an asset to his combustible boss
(Oscar nominee Alec Baldwin). Terrific performances, a surprising script and a
bracing theme make this one of the year's best. (Barton) Canal Place
DON'T WORRY HONEY, I LIVE HERE: NEW ORLEANS CELEBRATES MARDI GRAS (NR) --
Local filmmaker Jeremy Campbell's 2003 documentary about Mardi Gras from a local
perspective features interviews with local musicians such as Irma Thomas. 9
p.m. Thursday at the Mother-in-Law Lounge
GIRL WITH THE PEARL EARRING (PG-13) --
The Scarlett Johansson Film Festival kicks into high gear with Miss Scarlett in
the title role, a maid who becomes the muse of painter Johannes Vermeer (Colin
Firth). Based on Tracy Chevalier's novel, directed by Peter Weber and co-starring
Tom Wilkinson and Judy Parfitt. Nominated for three Academy Awards including Best
Costume Design. Canal Place
THE HAUNTED MANSION (PG) --
First, there was Pirates of the Caribbean; now comes another film based
on a Disney theme-park ride with Eddie Murphy as a man protecting his family from
ghosts. Chalmette
HONEY (PG-13) --
When her career as a music video choreographer is compromised by her lascivious
mentor, Jessica Alba decides to open up an inner-city dance studio. Co-stars Mekhi
Pfifer and New Orleans' own Li'l Romeo. Grand
THE LAST SAMURAI (R) -- A
Tom Cruise's newfound dramatic dignity provides the steady center of this stunning
epic film directed by Edward Zwick. Cruise's physical transformation from an alcoholic
Civil War veteran to a formidable samurai warrior is Oscar-worthy. Oscar nominee
Ken Watanabe's wise warlord Katsumoto represents a shattering English-speaking
debut. Nominated for four Academy Awards. (Carlson) AMC Palace 20
LEWIS AND CLARK: GREAT JOURNEY WEST (NR) --
This IMAX film stars Kelly Boulware and Sonny Surowiec as the famed explorers
during their early 19th century trek westward. Entergy I
MAX
LILYA 4-EVER (R) -- B
Fans of Lukas Moodysson's Together, a witty, wry and ultimately poignant
look at communes of the '60s and '70s, are in for a jolt with this downward spiral
of a story about a Estonian teen (Oksana Akinshina) whose life goes from bad to
worse after her mother abandons her for the United States. (Simmons) 9:15 p.m.
daily through Thursday at Zeitgeist
THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE RETURN OF THE KING (PG-13) -- A-
Director Peter Jackson provides a fitting ending to his groundbreaking trilogy.
Overly long and swimming in narrative and thematic deja vu, Return of the King
is nonetheless redeemed by the strength of the LOTR oeuvre as a whole and by its
own many moments of greatness -- the slow spiritual ascension of Aragorn (Viggo
Mortensen) to the throne of Gondor, the genderless courage of Eowyn (Miranda Otto),
the madness of Denethor the Steward (John Noble). Nominated for 11 Academy Awards
including Best Picture. (Carlson) AMC Palace 12, AMC Palace 16, AMC
Palace 20, Chalmette, Grand
LOVE DON'T COST A THING (PG-13) --
Can't Buy Me Love gets the African-American treatment with nerdy Nick Cannon
(Drumline) offering to repair cheerleader Christina Milian's damaged car
if she'll briefly date him to make him look cool. Grand
MASTER AND COMMANDER: THE FAR SIDE OF THE WORLD (PG-13) -- B+
Lucky Jack leaps to the big screen in this Peter Weir adaptation of the Patrick
O'Brian novels. A spare script leaves plenty of time for stunning visuals and
fascinating evocations of life aboard a 19th-century British warship. Weir's nearly
flawless directorial eye is aided by the intelligent casting of Oscar nominee
Russell Crowe and Paul Bettany (A Beautiful Mind) as friends Jack Aubrey
and Stephen Maturin. Nominated for 10 Academy Awards including Best Picture. (Carlson)
AMC Palace 16, AMC Palace 20
MONSTER (R) -- B+
Charlize Theron, the golden goddess of 2 Days in the Valley and The
Italian Job, slides under the skin of convicted serial killer Aileen Wuornos
in this surprising effort from first-time writer-director Patty Jenkins. Theron
gives a powerhouse performance, full of wounded rage and malevolence, that's Oscar-worthy
and then some. (Carlson) AMC Palace 20, Canal Place
MY BABY'S DADDY (PG-13) --
An African-American (sort of) version of the popular Three Men and a Baby
movie (based on a French film), with Eddie Griffin, Anthony Anderson and Michael
Imperioli learning the baby-raising ropes. Yes, it's January. AMC Palace 16,
AMC Palace 20, Chalmette, Grand
MYSTERIES OF EGYPT (NR) --
National Geographic meets IMAX in this film about this ancient civilization's
pyramids, tombs, mummies and monarchies, starring Mr. Egypt himself, Omar Sharif.
Entergy IMAX
MYSTIC RIVER (R) -- B+
Not quite the modern masterpiece it has been christened by critics starved for
decent dramatic fare, Mystic River is still an intelligent, powerful film.
Three south Boston friends (Oscar nominees Sean Penn and Tim Robbins, and Kevin
Bacon) find themselves struggling with loss and revenge in this adaptation of
the Dennis Lehane bestseller. As a grieving father and vengeful ex-con, Penn delivers
an amazing performance that outweighs other minor missteps. Nominated for six
Academy Awards including Best Picture. (Carlson) AMC Palace 16, AMC Palace
20, Grand
OCEAN WONDERLAND (NR) --
IMAX takes its cameras to the Great Barrier Reef in Australia and the coral reef
of the Bahamas. Directed by Jean-Jacques Mantello. Entergy IMAX
PAYCHECK (R) --
Director John Woo (Face-Off) adapts a Philip K. Dick short story about
an engineer who loses his memory (don't all Dick characters?) and finds himself
framed by the company he was working with before his mind went blank. Stars Ben
Affleck, Uma Thurman, Aaron Eckhart and Paul Giamatti. AMC Palace 16, AMC Palace
20
THE PERFECT SCORE (PG-13) --
Scarlett Johansson continues her assault on New Orleans as part of a merry band
of high school students pulling an SAT heist (an SAT heist?). Directed by Brian
Robbins and co-starring Erika Christensen and Darius Miles. AMC Palace 12,
AMC Palace 16, AMC Palace 20, Chalmette, Grand, Hollywood Cinemas 9
PETER PAN (PG) --B+
Director P.J. Hogan (Muriel's Wedding) takes the J.M. Barrie tale to new
heights with this psychologically satisfying adaptation and visually lush production
starring Jeremy Sumpter, Rachel Hurd-Wood and Jason Isaacs. But with Tigerlily
in narrative exile and Ludivine Sagnier's Tinker Bell a boring buffoon, the film
misses instant-classic status. (Carlson) AMC Palace 12, AMC Palace 16,
AMC Palace 20
SOMETHING'S GOTTA GIVE (PG-13) -- B-
Nancy Meyers (Baby Boom) reunites with Oscar nominee Diane Keaton and tosses
in Jack Nicholson for a weak romantic comedy about a cradle-robbing womanizer
(Nicholson) falling in love with a middle-age playwright (Keaton). (Simmons) AMC
Palace 12, AMC Palace 16, AMC Palace 20, Hollywood Cinemas 9
THE STATION AGENT (R) -- B+
Writer-director Tom McCarthy's endearing drama features a loner dwarf (Peter Dinklage)
who seems to attract equally isolated people (New Orleans' Patricia Clarkson,
Bobby Cannavale) in a small town. (Simmons) Grand
TEACHER'S PET (PG) --
An intellectually curious dog disguises himself as a human so he can attend school
in this movie version of the popular animated Disney TV series, starring the voices
of Nathan Lane, Kelsey Grammer, Megan Mullally, Paul Reubens, Wallace Shawn and
Jerry Stiller. AMC Palace 16, AMC Palace 20, Grand
TORQUE (R) --
If you've once again been feeling the need for speed, here's the story about a
rev-happy (but gang-free) motorcyle racer (Martin Henderson) who is framed for
the murder of a serious biker-gang dude (Ice Cube, keepin' it real) by a rival
biker dude. Directed by music-video director Joseph Kahn. AMC Palace 12,
AMC Palace 16, AMC Palace 20, Chalmette, Grand, Hollywood Cinemas 9
YOU GOT SERVED (PG-3) --
Two street dancers experience a personal rift just as they're about to enjoy huge
success in this comedy starring Marques Houston and Omarion and directed by Chris
Stokes. AMC Palace 12, AMC Palace 16, AMC Palace 20, Chalmette, Grand, Hollywood
Cinemas 9
WIN A DATE WITH TAD HAMILTON (PG-13) --
Grocery clerk Kate Bosworth wins a date contest with Hollywood hunk Josh Duhamel,
inciting the jealousy of crush-riddled old childhood friend Topher Grace in this
romantic comedy directed by Robert Luketic. AMC Palace 12, AMC Palace
16, AMC Palace 20, Chalmette, Grand, Hollywood Cinemas 9
ZERO DAY (NR) --
Two students keep a video diary as they plot an assault on their high school in
Columbine-like fashion in this film by Ben Coccio, his directing debut. 7:30
p.m. daily through Thursday at Zeitgeist
| AMC Palace 12 734-2020; AMC Palace 16 734-2020; AMC Palace 20 734-2020; Canal Place 581-5400; Chalmette 277-9797; Downtown Joy 522-7575; Entergy IMAX 581-4629; Plaza 245-0102; Prytania 891-2787; Zeitgeist 525-2767
Compiled by David Lee Simmons
Contributors: Rick Barton, Shala Carlson, David Lee Simmons |
Other Stories This Week in Movies:
Film Review
Bubba Ho-Tep
The Big Bounce
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