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. The Texas Chainsaw Massacre - The 1974 horror classic is remade with more gore and story but, more important, a deep regard for what scared moviegoers in the first place.
Upcoming releases
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; Love, Actually
Nov. 14: The Holy Land; Mambo Italiano
Nov. 21: Bad Santa; Gothika
Dec. 5: Highwaymen
Dec. 17: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
