Scheduled to Open Friday
SIN CITY (R) -- A- The unholy trinity of Frank Miller, Robert Rodriguez (Desperado, Spy Kids) and Quentin Tarantino create a modern classic. Based on Miller's graphic novel series of the same name, Sin City is a vicious, funhouse romp through a captivating underworld of corrupt powerbrokers (Powers Boothe, Rutger Hauer), hard-bitten cops (Bruce Willis), questionable good guys (Mickey Rourke, Clive Owen) and Amazonian supermodel prostitutes and strippers (Rosario Dawson, Jessica Alba). The script is brilliantly structured (if a tad long), and the movie boasts a visual vivacity like none other, with its mixture of black-and-white photography, green-screen effects and liberal use of color. Comic-book chic. (Carlson)
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THE AVIATOR (R) -- A Martin Scorsese's biography of Howard Hughes offers an Oscar-nominated lead performance by Leonardo DiCaprio in a tale perhaps less interested in factual accuracy than in seeing Hughes as an emblem of American individualism. Winner of five Academy Awards. (Barton) Causeway 4
BE COOL (PG-13) -- B F. Gary Gray's sequel to Get Shorty (both penned by New Orleans-born writer Elmore Leonard) returns John Travolta to his role as Chili Palmer, former wise guy now in the entertainment business. Chili conquered the movies in the original; here he's invading the movie business. This outing lacks the freshness and snap of the first, but it's diverting and fun enough. Uma Thurman provides the sex appeal. Vince Vaughn and The Rock provide laughs as a couple of wannabe tough guys. (Barton) AMC Palace 12, AMC Palace 16, AMC Palace 20, Chalmette 9, Grand, Holiday 12, Hollywood Cinemas 9, North Shore Square
BECAUSE OF WINN-DIXIE (PG) -- B- A commanding performance by AnnaSophia Robb holds together an otherwise uneven adaptation of Kate DiCamillo's Newbery Medal-winning children's book. Kid-oriented weepers are admittedly tough to pull off, but unlike the far superior canine caper My Dog Skip, this film doesn't trust its source. The insertion of a couple stock characters (including local John 'Spud' McConnell, who does his best with a dumb scene) attempts to lighten the mood with slapstick. Instead, it detracts from both the story and the nice performances by Eva-Marie Saint, Cicely Tyson, Jeff Daniels and the dog. (Tisserand) AMC Palace 12, AMC Palace 16, AMC Palace 20, Causeway 4, Chalmette 9, North Shore Square
BORN INTO BROTHELS (R) -- B+ Zana Briski and Ross Kauffman's Oscar-winning documentary looks at eight children of Calcutta, India, prostitutes. Eventually the filmmakers interject themselves into the story by trying to get the kids into boarding schools and away from their dead-end families. The picture is heartbreaking but not as successful as we'd like at distinguishing the children as separate individuals. (Barton) Canal Place
CONSTANTINE (PG-13) -- C- Francis Lawrence's adaptation of the comic book Hellblazer stars Keanu Reeves as a superhero who identifies demi-demons and dispatches them back to Hades. A convoluted plot involving a twin (Rachel Weisz) trying to solve the mysterious death of her sister is close to incoherent. The film's occasional theological contemplations threaten to get interesting, but in the end, they are screwed up as everything else here. (Barton) AMC Palace 16, AMC Palace 20, Movies 8
CURSED (PG-13) -- Horror master filmmaker Wes Craven and Scream collaborator Kevin Williamson reunite for this thriller about two siblings (Christina Ricci, Jesse Eisenberg) who recently lost their parents and must join forces to fend off a werewolf attack in Los Angeles. Holiday 12
DIARY OF A MAD BLACK WOMAN (PG-13) -- New Orleans native Tyler Perry brings his stage play to the big screen, with Darren Grant directing, and Perry playing several roles in the story of a woman (Kimberly Elise) who tries to recover from a devastating divorce. AMC Palace 12, AMC Palace 16, AMC Palace 20, Chalmette 9, Grand, Movies 8
DOWNFALL (R) -- Oliver Hirschbiegel's Oscar-nominated film explores the final days of Hitler's regime, deep inside the bunker he shared with his mistress-cum-wife, Eva Braun, his top staff and secretary. Stars Bruno Ganz. In German with English subtitles. Canal Place
FILM LOUNGE -- ten18 continues its film series. This week: Citizen Ruth (1996), Alexander Payne's sophomore effort about a down-and-out pregnant woman (Laura Dern) who finds herself in the middle of the national debate on abortion. 7:30 p.m. Tuesday at TwiRoPa
FINDING NEVERLAND (PG) -- A- Marc Foster (Monster's Ball) directs Johnny Depp as author and playwright J.M. Barrie in this lovely little film that documents the origins of the Scotsman's most enduring work, Peter Pan. Depp is a gentle giant, infusing Barrie with a charming mix of melancholy and mischief, and Kate Winslet ably plays single-mother Sylvia Llewelyn Davies, whose brood of boys inspire the timeless tale. A big-hearted, imaginative film from Foster, Finding Neverland is sure to be a classic, especially among those who never want to grow up. Co-stars Dustin Hoffman, Julie Christie and Radha Mitchell. (Carlson) Prytania
FORCES OF NATURE (NR) -- George Casey's documentary about the study of such natural phenomena as earthquakes, hurricanes and tornadoes. Directed by Kevin Bacon. Kenner MegaDome
GLOBAL INITIATIVE FILM TOUR -- Zeitgeist and Tulane University Communications Department present films from The Global Lens 2004 Tour produced by the Global Film Initiative. Visit www.zeitgeistinc.org for complete schedule. Tuesday-Thursday at Zeitgeist
GUESS WHO (PG-13) -- Extremely loose remake (if at all) of the 1967 message film Guess Who's Coming to Dinner, with gruff father Bernie Mac none too thrilled about his daughter (Zoe Saldana) marrying an impish white guy (Ashton Kutcher), who continually buries himself in a pile of lies in lame attempts to impress his future father-in-law. Directed by Kevin Rodney Sullivan (Barbershop 2). AMC Palace 12, AMC Palace 16, AMC Palace 20, Chalmette 9, Grand, Holiday 12, Hollywood Cinemas 9, Movies 8
GUNNER PALACE (PG-13) -- B American filmmakers Michael Tucker and Petra Epperlein made this documentary about American soldiers in Iraq. Beginning four months after President Bush declared the end of 'major combat operations' and stretching until the war's first anniversary in the spring of 2004, this film profiles the lives of men who understand little of what they are doing but readily express their desire to return home alive. (Barton) (Reviewed in this issue.) Canal Place
HITCH (PG-13) -- A matchmaker (Will Smith) believes he knows exactly what it takes for a man to woo a woman -- until he meets a journalist (Eva Mendes) who not only questions his validity but also challenges his normally suave demeanor. Directed by Andy Tennant and co-starring Kevin James and Michael Rappaport. AMC Palace 12, AMC Palace 16, AMC Palace 20, Chalmette 9, Grand, Holiday 12, Hollywood Cinemas 9, North Shore Square
HOSTAGE (R) -- A cop (Bruce Willis) finds his negotiation skills put to the test when he has to juggle freeing both a kidnapped mafia figure and his own family in this action thriller directed by Florent Emilio Siri (making his American debut) and co-starring Kevin Pollack. AMC Palace 12, AMC Palace 16, AMC Palace 20, Chalmette, Grand, Holiday 12, Hollywood Cinemas 9, North Shore Square
HOTEL RWANDA (PG-13) -- A- Don Cheadle delivers a well-deserved Academy Award-nominated performance in one of the year's best films, a fact-based story about how a Hutu hotel manager (Cheadle) helped save 1,200 lives during the Hutus' genocidal massacre of 700,000 Tutsis and their Hutu sympathizers in a short period of time in 1994. Director Terry George conveys the violence and horror with deceptively subtle camera work; Cheadle's face does much of the heavy lifting. Co-stars Oscar nominee Sophie Okonedo. (Simmons) Causeway 4, Hollywood Cinemas 9
ICE PRINCESS (G) -- High school bookworm Michelle Trachtenberg finds her groove as a champion figure skater. But first she has to convince her mother (Joan Cusack) that skating's better than Harvard in this teen romance comedy directed by Tim Fywell and co-starring Kim Cattrall with an appearance by Michelle Kwan. AMC Palace 12, AMC Palace 16, AMC Palace 20, Chalmette 9, Grand, Holiday 12, Hollywood Cinemas 9, North Shore Square
INSIDE DEEP THROAT (R) -- Probing documentary about the seminal porn film Deep Throat from underwhelming documentary filmmakers Fenton Bailey and Randy Barbato (The Eyes of Tammy Faye). Canal Place
INTO THE DEEP (NR) -- IMAX cameras take a journey through the undersea world. Entergy IMAX
IRON RAIL COLLECTIVE -- Iron Rail's Movie Night film series continues. This week: Bike Like U Meant It, which explores the radical bicycling community in Austin, Texas, and Time's Up, about the bicycling community in New York City. 8 p.m. Wednesday at the Iron Rail
A LOVE SONG FOR BOBBY LONG (R) -- B- Adapted from Ronald Everett Capps' novel Off Magazine Street, Shainee Gabel's story of two New Orleans drunks (John Travolta, Gabriel Macht) and the young woman (Scarlett Johansson) who offers them a chance for redemption is thin and overlong. The three lead performances make the film worth seeing, however. Johansson's landed her a well-deserved Golden Globe nomination. (Barton) Chalmette 9
MAN OF THE HOUSE (PG-13) -- Tommy Lee Jones plays a Texas Ranger assigned to guard a bunch of University of Texas cheerleaders who are witnesses to a murder. Holiday 12
MILLION DOLLAR BABY (PG-13) -- A Clint Eastwood's Oscar-winning film about the relationship between an aging fight trainer and a female boxer is hampered by a script that lacks subtlety and occasionally strains credulity. The film overcomes these obstacles, however, with the majesty of its performances by Eastwood and Oscar winners Hilary Swank and Morgan Freeman. Winner of four Academy Awards including Best Picture. (Barton) AMC Palace 12, AMC Palace 20
MISS CONGENIALITY 2: ARMED AND FABULOUS (PG-13) -- Sandra Bullock continues to funnel money into her production company (apparently) by starring in this sequel to her popular hit comedy about a cop who goes undercover to snag bad guys. This time the volatile cop is in Vegas to rescue kidnapping victims. Co-stars William Shatner, Ernie Hudson, Treat Williams and Regina King. AMC Palace 12, AMC Palace 16, AMC Palace 20, Chalmette 9, Grand, Holiday 12, Hollywood Cinemas 9
OCEAN WONDERLAND 3D (NR) -- The Great Barrier Reef and the Bahamas are explored, with a focus on the diversity of marine and coral life, in this film using new HD digital 3D 1570 cameras. Entergy IMAX
THE PACIFIER (PG) -- Now that Gov. Schwarzenegger is a little long in the tooth for this kind of thing, Vin Diesel draws the short straw in portraying a Navy SEAL who takes on his toughest assignment: baby-sitting! (Amen, brother.) Directed by Adam Shankman and co-starring Lauren Graham (TV's Gilmore Girls), Faith Ford, Brad Garrett, Tate Donovan and Carol Kane. AMC Palace 12, AMC Palace 16, AMC Palace 20, Chalmette 9, Grand, Holiday 12, Hollywood Cinemas 9, Movies 8
THE PASSION RECUT (NR) -- A A picture-poem that shouts over the storm of its own controversy, re-released without five to six minutes of its more graphic material. Director Mel Gibson brilliantly retells the greatest story ever told, focusing on the violent final hours of Jesus' life on Earth. A well-structured script and searing performances from leads Jim Caviezel and Maia Morgenstern power this unforgettable film. Gibson uses violence as a door, not a wall, creating a profound religious statement and startlingly well-made movie. In Aramaic and Latin with English subtitles. (Carlson) AMC Palace 16, AMC Palace 20
THE RING TWO (PG-13) -- B Naomi Watts returns as investigative reporter Rachel Kelly once again trying to protect her son (the sometimes creepy David Dorfman) from the little girl of the previous film. A vast improvement over the rather tepid, 2002 original directed by Gore Verbinski, thanks to the direction of Hideo Nakata, who directed the original, Japanese versions of this popular series. Despite the Swiss cheese plotholes, Nakata better appreciates the visual and ambient possibilities of fear in this version, and even overcomes what is now routine over-acting on Ms. Watts' part. (Simmons) AMC Palace 12, AMC Palace 16, AMC Palace 20, Chalmette, Grand, Holiday 12, Hollywood Cinemas 9, Movies 8, Prytania
ROBOTS (PG) -- Ice Age director Chris Wedge returns with this CGI tale about a young 'bot (voice of Ewan McGregor) whose idea of creating fellow robots who serve only a higher purpose is thwarted by corporate type (Mel Brooks). Co-stars the voices of Halle Berry, Robin Williams, D.L. Hughley, Paul Giamatti, Jim Broadbent, Drew Carrey, Amanda Bynes, Dan Hedaya, Jennifer Coolidge, Dianne Wiest and Stanley Tucci. AMC Palace 12, AMC Palace 16, AMC Palace 20, Chalmette 9, Grand, Holiday 12, Movies 8
SHARKS 3D (NR) -- Jean-Michel Cousteau presents this underwater, 3D look at such famous sharks as the Great White and the Hammerhead. Entergy IMAX
SIDEWAYS (R) -- B+ Sideways, like Alexander Payne's earlier works Election and About Schmidt, is a witty and delightful comedy with more than its share of drama. The loserly Miles (Paul Giamatti) and his aging TV star friend Jack (Golden Globe winner and Oscar nominee Thomas Haden Church) take a bachelor-party tour through wine country, in which the fruit of the grape serves as a not-always-subtle metaphor for life. Co-stars Oscar nominee Virginia Madsen and Sandra Oh. Payne's and Jim Taylor's script won the Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay. (Simmons) AMC Palace 20, Causeway 4
VOLCANOES OF THE DEEP SEA -- Actor Ed Harris narrates this look at life 12,000 feet below sea level, including the strange creatures that thrive near underwater volcanoes. Entergy IMAX
WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE'S THE MERCHANT OF VENICE (R) -- Jeremy Irons and Al Pacino co-star in Michael Radford's reinterpretation of Shakespeare's classic tale about the merchant (Irons) and the Jewish loan shark Shylock (Pacino) with whom he does business to help a friend (Joseph Fiennes). Canal Place
