Film

Top five movies and upcoming releases

Top Five

1. Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World - Russell Crowe strikes a dashing figure as captain of a British war ship stalking a French foe. Terrific battle scenes and a sense of nautical strategy that makes one feel smarter for watching it.

2. Pieces of April - An estranged daughter (Katie Holmes) suffers preparing Thanksgiving dinner for a family that won't care. A gift of a film in a small, digital video package.

3. The Human Stain - A disgraced professor (Anthony Hopkins) begins an affair with a younger woman (Nicole Kidman) that leads to the revelation of a lifelong secret. Based on the novel by Philip Roth.

4. The Gospel of John - The rise, fall and rise again of Jesus is depicted verse-by-verse (the Living Bible version) in compelling fashion.

5. Elf - Will Ferrell is the whole show as a human raised by North Pole elves. Jon Favreau's comedy is as sweet-natured as it is agreeably dumb.

Upcoming releases

Nov. 21: Dr. Seuss' The Cat in the Hat; The Singing Detective; Shattered Glass; Gothika; The Station Agent

Nov. 26: The Haunted Mansion; Timeline; The Missing

Dec. 5: The Last Samurai; My Life Without Me; Honey; Anything But Love

Dec. 12: Stuck on You; Something's Gotta Give; Love Don't Cost a Thing

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

Dec. 19: Mona Lisa Smile; The Cooler; The Barbarian Invasions

Dec. 25: Cheaper by the Dozen; Peter Pan; Bad Santa; Cold Mountain; Paycheck; In America

Dec. 26: 21 Grams; House of Sand and Fog

This Weekend