Film

Top five movies and upcoming releases

Top Five

1. Mystic River - Three childhood pals (Sean Penn, Tim Robbins, Kevin Bacon) are uneasily reunited by the murder of one friend's daughter. Directed with taut style by Clint Eastwood.

2. Lost in Translation - Bill Murray and Scarlett Johansson deserve Oscar nominations in Sofia Coppola's bittersweet, funny tale of strangers spending time together in Tokyo.

3. Runaway Jury - A wrongful death suit against a gun manufacturer gets manipulated, first legally by a jury consultant (Gene Hackman) then illegally by a juror (John Cusack).

4. Kill Bill, Volume 1 - The return of Quentin Tarantino is marked by preposterous violence and undeniable affection for schlock. Manic, messy and grisly fun.

5. Out of Time - Director Carl Franklin offers a textbook lesson on how to keep a thriller thrilling, led by another incredibly credible Denzel Washington performance.

Upcoming releases

Tuesday: Beyond Borders; Scary Movie 3; Radio; Wonderland; Once Upon a Time in the Midlands

Oct. 29: Alien: The Director's Cut (rerelease)

Oct. 31: The Human Stain; In the Cut; Pieces of April

Nov. 1: Brother Bear

Nov. 5: The Matrix Revolutions

Nov. 7: Elf; The Gospel of John

Nov. 14: The Holy Land

Nov. 21: Bad Santa; Gothika

Dec. 5: Highwaymen

Dec. 17: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King