Along Came Polly [PG-13]
Ben Stiller plays a man who’s afraid of risk. But he makes his living analyzing
risk, gets involved in a risky romance, and cheats on his wife.“A movie that sets its
comedy bar too low for the talents involved.” (Kirk
Honeycutt, Hollywood
Reporter) ShowPlace West, ShowPlace East
Big Fish [PG-13] Son learns more about his dying father by reliving
his father’s stories and myths. “Big Fish is Tim Burton’s masterpiece.” (Glenn
Whipp, L.A. Daily News) ShowPlace West
Calendar Girls [PG-13] The women of the Rylstone Women’s Institute
in North Yorkshire drop everything for a good cause. Stars Helen Mirren and
Julie Waters. “A grown-up comedy that is warm, winning and sexy.” (Ray Bennett,
Hollywood Reporter) ShowPlace West, ShowPlace East
Chasing Liberty [PG-13] Mandy Moore plays the restless 18-year-old
daughter of the President of the U.S. “It defines blah.” (Peter Travers, Rolling
Stone) ShowPlace West, ShowPlace East
Cheaper by the Dozen [PG] The Baker family moves from a small Illinois
town to the big city after dad gets his coaching dream job. Steve Martin and
Bonnie Hunt star in this remake. “Martin and Hunt, reliable pros though they
are, don’t stand a chance against the force arrayed against them: the bald cliches,
unspeakable dialogue, and cheap sentimentality of the script . . .” (Jim Lane,
Sacramento News & Review) ShowPlace West, ShowPlace East
Cold Mountain [R] A wounded Confederate (Jude Law) embarks on a perilous
journey back home to Cold Mountain, N.C., to reunite with his sweetheart (Nicole
Kidman). Based on the novel by Charles Frazier. “Cold Mountain reiterates a
universal truth, and a message of hope.” (Chuck Koplinski, Illinois Times.)
Parkway Pointe
The Cooler [R] A casino uses the unluckiest man in
Vegas (William H. Macy) to put a damper on high-rollers’ action. It works, until
“the cooler” falls in love with a cocktail waitress. “The Cooler isn’t
a great movie — like a nervous gambler, it’s scared to go for broke — but it
has a good run for awhile.” (Stephen Whitty, Newark
Star-Ledger) Parkway Pointe
House of Sand and Fog [R] Iranian immigrant spends his savings trying to enhance his daughter’s marriage prospects, then becomes immersed in a gripping legal and personal struggle. “A beautiful thing to look at, and maybe cry over.” (John Anderson,Newsday) Parkway Pointe
Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King [PG-13]
Final part of trilogy, as hobbits Frodo and Sam journey to Mount Doom in Mordor.
“As a model for how to bring substance, authenticity and insight to the biggest
of adventure yarns, this trilogy will not soon, if ever, find its equal.” (Kenneth
Turan, Los Angeles Times)ShowPlace
West, ShowPlace East
Lost in Translation [R] Two Americans (Bill Murray, Scarlett Johannson) meet and fall in love in
Toyko. “Tart and sweet, unmistakably funny and exceptionally well observed.”(Kenneth Turan, Los
Angeles Times)Parkway
Pointe
My Baby’s Daddy [PG-13] Three men have to grow up fast when their girlfriends
get pregnant. “Diapers, even from three babies, can’t stink worse than this.”
(Peter Travers, Rolling Stone) ShowPlace East
Paycheck [PG-13] Jennings (Ben Affleck) has part of his memory erased
and must struggle to find out what he’s been up to for the past five years.
“Forgoes originality in favor of stock thriller trappings.” (Jeanne Aufmuth,
Palo Alto Weekly.) Parkway Pointe
Peter Pan [PG] Peter Pan takes the Darling family children to Never
Never Land. “You do, you do, you DO believe in fairies!” (John Patterson, L.A.
Weekly) Parkway Pointe
Something’s Gotta Give [PG-13] Fifty-something Erica Barry (Diane Keaton)
plays reluctant host to her daughter’s 60-something boyfriend, Harry (Jack Nicholson),
and sparks fly. “Something’s Gotta Give can be formulaic, but watching
the incandescent Nicholson and Keaton, all loose and funny and sharing jokes
about reading glasses, is a rare treat.” (Eleanor Ringel Gillespie, Atlanta
Journal-Constitution) ShowPlace West, ShowPlace East
21 Grams [R] A critically ill mathematician, a grieving mother and
a born-again ex-con are brought together by a freak accident. “You won’t soon
forget the world that Gonzalez Inarritu creates.”(Robert Denerstein, Rocky
Mountain News) Parkway Pointe
Teacher’s Pet {PG] Disney cartoon about Spot, a dog who can read and
talk. He sneaks into school and hijinks ensue. Parkway Pointe, ShowPlace East
Torque [PG-13] A biker is framed by a rival biker gang leader for a
murder. ShowPlace West, ShowPlace East
This article appears in Jan 15-21, 2004.
