CAST: Russell Crowe, Paul Bettany, James D'Arcy, Edward Woodall, Billy Boyd
SYNOPSIS: Set in the early 19th century, this high-seas adventure gets going with the muffled boom of cannons fired by a French warship at the HMS Surprise, led by dauntless Capt. "Lucky" Jack Aubrey (Russell Crowe), and chronicles his obsessive efforts to locate the superior ship and avenge the assault.
WHAT WE SAID: Times film critic Steve Persall gave Master and Commander an A, calling it one of 2003's best films: "Weir is master and commander of a terrific movie, full of wit and a perspective of wonder enlightening viewers to the 19th century mind-set. Rarely does any film impact the mind as well as the gut with as much consistency as this. Keeping one eye on the creative horizon and a steady hand on the wheel, Weir creates exciting popcorn-and-caviar entertainment. Two great tastes that aren't allowed often enough to taste great together in movies today."
CAST: Eddie Murphy, Terence Stamp, Nathaniel Parker, Marsha Thomason, Jennifer Tilly, Wallace Shawn, Dina Waters, Marc John Jefferies, Aree Davis
SYNOPSIS: Loosely inspired by the Disney theme park ride. Eddie Murphy plays Jim Evers, a materialistic real estate agent whose business partner and wife, Sara (Marsha Thomason), is slightly less greedy, meaning she would like to take a brief vacation with Jim and their children, Michael (Marc John Jefferies) and Megan (Aree Davis). But there's a detour along the way, an appointment to sell a decaying property known as Gracey Mansion.
WHAT WE SAID: Persall gave this movie a B-, saying it straddles "the line between family-friendly pablum and the terror these circumstances deserve. Parents will be indulging childish whims while children nervously cover their eyes. The Haunted Mansion isn't bad, but it's too chicken to muster some better boos."
MPAA RATING: PG; scary images, mild profanity, mature themes including suicide and murder
RUNNING TIME: 99 min.
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DIRECTOR: Robert Luketic
CAST: Kate Bosworth, Josh Duhamel, Topher Grace, Ginnifer Goodwin, Nathan Lane, Sean Hayes, Gary Cole, Kathryn Hahn
SYNOPSIS: In this knockoff of Bye, Bye Birdie, a small town is turned upside down by a vain celebrity visiting for a publicity stunt date with a local girl. This time it's a movie star (TV refugee Josh Duhamel) sprucing up his bad boy image in Fraziers Bottom, W.Va., with perky, virginal checkout clerk Rosalee Futch (Kate Bosworth, Blue Crush).
WHAT WE SAID: "This movie never made me smile, much less laugh," complained Persall, who gave it a D. "The screenplay by sitcom veteran Victor Levin (Mad About You) is woefully short on gags, and director Robert Luketic stages some scenes so slowly that any comedic momentum is doomed."
MPAA RATING: PG-13; profanity, sexual content, drug references
