November 2002 Movies

With Tim Allen • Liliana Mumy • David Krumholtz • Molly Shannon • Spencer Breslin • Elizabeth Mitchell • Aisha Tyler • Wendy Crewson • Judge Reinhold • Michael Lembeck

Scott Calvin has been Santa Claus for the past eight years, and his loyal elves consider him the best Santa ever. But Santa's world is turned upside down when he's dealt a double whammy of bad news: not only has his son, Charlie, landed on this year's "naughty" list, but if Scott doesn't marry by Christmas Eve—just a month away!—he'll stop being Santa forever. (It's right in his contract—the "Mrs. Clause") Desperate, Scott turns to the elves' new invention—a machine that can replicate anything—to create Santa II (a toy version of himself) and he leaves his double in charge. Things quickly go south at the North Pole when Santa II institutes some strange redefinitions of what's naughty and nice; worse, when Scott finally falls for a potential Mrs. Claus, she threatens to drive a wedge between him and Charlie. In a climactic battle pitting Santa, Charlie, the new Mrs. Claus, and the elves against Santa II and his army of tin soldiers, the future of Scott's family, the North Pole, and Christmas itself, hangs in the balance.

With Eddie Murphy • Owen Wilson • Famke Janssen • Malcolm McDowell • Gary Cole • Betty Thomas

When the Switchblade, the most sophisticated prototype stealth fighter created yet, is stolen from the U.S. government, one of the United States' top spies, Alex Scott (Owen Wilson), is called to action. What he doesn't expect is to get teamed up with a cocky civilian, World Class Boxing Champion Kelly Robinson (Eddie Murphy), on a dangerous top secret espionage mission. Their assignment: using equal parts skill and humor, catch Arnold Gundars, one of the world's most successful illegal arms dealers, and foil his treacherous plans for the plane.

With Kim Basinger • Eminem • Brian Grazer • Scott Silver • Mekhi Phifer • Curtis Hanson • Brittany Murphy • Jimmy Lovine

An honest but provocative fictional examination of a critical month in the life of a young man named Jimmy (Eminem) as he searches for identity and a sense of purpose. Against the familiar backdrop of indifference and community decay, he learns to express his anger, fears and frustration as he struggles to transcend his bleak circumstances.

With Emma Watson • Chris Columbus • Tom Felton • Rupert Grint • Daniel Radcliffe • Gemma Jones • Kenneth Branagh • John Cleese • Jason Isaacs • Maggie Smith • Shirley Henderson • Mark Williams • Alan Rickman • Richard Griffiths • Julian Glover • Julie Walters • Robbie Coltrane • Bonnie Wright • Fiona Shaw • Miriam Margolyes • Richard Harris • Devon Murray • Hugh Mitchell • Alfred Burke • Gemma Padley • Sally Mortemore • Ed Tudor-Pole

Harry Potter (Daniel Radcliffe) has not had a good summer. Not only has he had to put up with his overbearing Aunt Petunia (Fiona Shaw) and Uncle Vernon Dursley (Richard Griffiths) and their dread of his magical abilities, but it seems as if Harry's best friends Ron Weasley (Rupert Grint) and Hermione Granger (Emma Watson) have forgotten him – as they haven't replied to a single one of his letters. Then, suddenly and mysteriously, house-elf Dobby appears in Harry's bedroom and warns of great danger if the aspiring wizard should attempt to return to Hogwarts. Dobby is so keen to prevent the young Gryffindor from returning to the school for witches and wizards, he has blocked all of Ron and Hermione's correspondence from reaching Harry. But despite the elf's mischievous efforts, the ever-determined Harry is rescued from the Dursleys' dreary clutches by Ron and his brothers – with the aid of a flying car! – and welcomed into the warmth of the Weasley household. But when Harry and Ron are suspiciously prevented from entering Platform 9 3/4 and boarding the Hogwarts Express back to school, the boys take emergency action to avoid being late for the new term – only to incur the wrath of Professor Snape (Alan Rickman), who calls for their expulsion. Meanwhile, news of Harry's first year heroism has spread throughout Hogwarts and he finds himself the center of much unwanted attention. His new fans include Ron's little sister Ginny (Bonnie Wright); first year would-be photographer Colin Creevey (Hugh Mitchell); and most irritatingly, the new Professor of Defense Against the Dark Arts, Gilderoy Lockhart (Kenneth Branagh). Outshone only by his own vanity, Lockhart craves the attention that Harry shuns and is only too keen to associate himself with Hogwarts' young hero. But not even Lockhart can offer an explanation or solution to the slippery and sinister new terror that is gripping the school. Now all eyes are on Harry, and his so-called friends are beginning to doubt him. Everyone, that is, except Ron and Hermione and fragile young Ginny, who has shifted her focus to her mysterious new diary. But Harry is not about to let his friends down and, with or without the support of Gilderoy Lockhart, he will confront the dark force lurking in his beloved school.

With Raymond J. Barry • Dylan Haggerty • Renee Faia • Christel Khalil • Jack Tate • Neil Burger

An unemployed cameraman finds an incredible story with a mysterious old neighbor who claims to have been the second gunman on the grassy knoll during the JFK assassination.

With Bob Babbitt • Joe Hunter • Johnny Griffith • Eddie Willis • Joe Messina • Uriel Jones • Jack Ashford • Martha Reeves • Bootsy Collins • Joan Osborne • Ben Harper • Gerald Levert • Chaka Khan • Me'Shell NdegeOcello • Montell Jordan • Tom Scott • Paul Justman

Their music is famous around the world, though their names are not. Known as the Funk Brothers, they put the backbeat - the soul - into the hits of Motown Records, for such legendary performers as Diana Ross and the Supremes, Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder, Smokey Robinson and the Miracles, and many others. Creating music that helped to define the era of the 1960s and has remained a vital influence to this day, these musicians played on more #1 records than the Beatles, the Beach Boys, The Rolling Stones and Elvis Presley combined. Now the new documentary "Standing In The Shadows of Motown" tells their story, combining exclusive interviews, archival footage, re-enactments, reminiscences, and thrilling new performances by the reunited Funk Brothers.

With Pierce Brosnan • Halle Berry • Rosamund Pike • Rick Yune • Toby Stephens • Michael Madsen • John Cleese • Neal Purvis • Madonna • Colin Salmon • Dame Judi Dench • Samantha Bond • Will Yun Lee • Lawrence Makoare • Lee Tamahori • Robert Wade

James Bond returns with the twentieth installment in the superspy series of adventures. From Hong Kong to Cuba to London, Bond circles the world in his quest to unmask a traitor and prevent a catastrophic war. On his way, he crosses paths with Jinx (Halled Berry) and Miranda Frost (Rosamund Pike), who will play vital roles in the adventure.

With Parker Posey • David Warshofsky • Fairuza Balk

Delia (Kyra Sedgwick) is a young mother stuck in an abusive relationship with her husband of twelve years. One night after he brutally beats her, Delia finally attempts to reclaim some As a teenager, Delia was a tough girl from a small New York town who had survived an abusive father and found power amongst her peers through her sexuality. How did she end up a battered wife and mother of three? Greta is a sharp, spunky Ivy League editor who, to spite the hated infidel ways of her father, has settled into a complacent relationship with a blond, blue-eyed grad student. Sudden success leads her to confront her own issues of fidelity. Paula ran away from home only to find herself pregnant and in a relationship she doesn't want. When she narrowly escapes death's grip, what will she do with her second chance at life?

With James Cameron • George Clooney • Viola Davis • Steven Soderbergh • Jeremy Davies • Ulrich Tukur • Natascha McElhone • Rae Sanchini

Superstar George Clooney turns in a stellar performance in this "brilliant sci-fi movie" ("New York Daily News") from Academy Award winners Steven Soderbergh (2000 - Best Director, "Traffic") and JamesCameron (1997 - Best Picture, "Titanic"). Aboard a lonely space station orbiting a mysterious planet, terrified crew members are experiencing a host of strange phenomena, including eerie visitors who seem all too human. And when psychologist Chris Kelvin (Clooney) arrives to investigate, he confronts a power beyond imagining that could hold the key to mankind's deepest dreams…or darkest nightmares.

With Rob Schneider • James Barbou • Kevin Nealon • Jon Lovitz • Tyra Banks • Seth Kearsley

Davey Stone, a 33-year old party animal, finds himself in trouble with the law after his wild ways go too far. In keeping with the holiday spirit, the judge gives Davey one last chance at redemption — spend the holiday performing community service as the assistant referee for the youth basketball league or go to jail. Davey thinks he's gotten off easy until he meets Whitey Duvall, the eccentric, elf-like head referee. The mismatch between Whitey's good heart and never-ending optimism and Davey's constant troublemaking antics soon have them both wondering if going to jail wouldn't have been easier! In this new, full-length animated feature about basketball, old girlfriends, holiday spirits, and the mall, Adam Sandler voices the three lead characters of Whitey, Davey, and Whitey's fraternal twin sister Eleanore!

With Marc Blucas • Laura Regan • Dagmara Dominczyk • Robert Harmon • Jon Abrahams • Ethan Embry • Zbigniew Kaspruk

After witnessing a horrible incident, a graduate student (Laura Regan) struggles to find the link between her childhood fear of the dark and the night terrors she now suffers, and must confront what may or may not be real.