Top five movies

1 Black Hawk Down -- Director Ridley Scott commands a gripping, fact-based story of a U.S. special forces operation in Somalia in 1993. Movie war more hellish than Saving Private Ryan. One of the best films of 2001.

2 Gosford Park -- A hunting party among British elites brings sex, deception and murder while the servants watch. Director Robert Altman's multicharacter style blooms with the best ensemble cast of 2001 at his disposal.

3 A Beautiful Mind -- Russell Crowe places himself in Oscar contention with a sterling portrayal of John Forbes Nash, a schizophrenic mathematician. Directed with workmanlike detail by Ron Howard (Apollo 13, Cocoon).

4 The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring -- J.R.R. Tolkien's massive novel becomes an enormous sensory experience created by director Peter Jackson. The story seems weaker on the screen, but the action is state of the art.

5 The Royal Tenenbaums -- Gene Hackman leads a comically dysfunctional family reunion in the latest film from Wes Anderson. Co-starring Gwyneth Paltrow, Ben Stiller and Owen Wilson.

Upcoming releases

Jan. 25: I Am Sam, Brotherhood of the Wolf, The Count of Monte Cristo, Kung Pow: Enter the Fist,A Walk to Remember, The Mothman Prophecies

Feb. 1: Slackers, Birthday Girl

Feb. 8: Monster's Ball, Rollerball, Collateral Damage, Big Fat Liar, Below

Feb. 15: John Q, Frailty, Super Troopers, Hart's War, Return to Neverland, Waking Up in Reno

Feb. 22: The New Guy, Queen of the Damned, Dragonfly

March 8: The Time Machine, The Sorority Boys

March 15: Death to Smoochie, Juwanna Mann, Harrison's Flowers

March 22: E.T.: The Extraterrestrial

April 19: The Scorpion King

May 3: Hollywood Ending

May 24: Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron

June 7: The Tuxedo

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