DARKNESS FALLS (PG-13) A young man (Chaney Kley) returns to his hometown and winds up battling an ancient evil force that seems to be the inspiration for none other than the legendary Tooth Fairy. Honest. Also stars Emma Caulfield and Lee Cormie. Opens Jan. 24 at local theaters. (Not Reviewed)
DIE ANOTHER DAY (PG-13) It's a long way from Once Were Warriors for director Lee Tamahori, who helms this latest Bond blowout in which 007 tracks traitors and terrorists from North Korea to Cuba to Iceland. On the plus side is Halle Berry, who shows up to exchange innuendoes and bodily fluids with the Bondster, and two fairly cool villains — one of whom is an inverted version of 007 himself (i.e., a swaggering, pretty-boy adventurer). On the down side, the plot's pretty convoluted (as all the recent Bonds have been), some of the CGI effects are awfully cheesy, and the movie overstays its welcome by a good 20 minutes. Stars Pierce Brosnan, Rosamund Pike and Stephen Yune. 
1/2
DRUMLINE (PG-13) Although Drumline can be cliched and manipulative, it has genuine excitement for its subject matter. The movie is set in fictitious Atlanta A&T. The college's newest scholarship hotshot Devon Miles (Nick Cannon) has unparalleled gifts as a snare drummer, which he knows all too well. With his arrogant attitude he frequently butts heads with high-minded music director Dr. Lee (Orlando Jones) and drum major Sean (Leonard Roberts). Scripters Tina Gordon Chism and Shawn Schepps quickly show that they're well versed in the dynamics of college marching bands. 1/2—CURT HOLMAN
EL CRIMEN DEL PADRE AMARO (R) The highest grossing film in Mexico shares some similarities with that country's former box office champ, Y Tu Mama Tambien — notably, its star (Gael Garcia Bernal) and lots of hot sex — but the resemblance ends there. El Crimen del Padre Amaro, which stars Bernal as a young priest involved in a sexual relationship with a 16-year-old girl, doesn't offer much beyond the sensationalism of its subject matter. The movie's politics are mildly interesting (besides the celibacy thing, there's the double-edged sword of priests aiding pet charities courtesy of the contributions of drug pushers), but the film's much more interested in heavy breathing melodrama and naked skin than nuance. In all, El Crimen del Padre Amaro is a rather flat, unimaginative handling of material that might be better suited to a Mexican TV soap opera. Also stars Ana Claudia Talancon. Opens Jan. 24 at Channelside Cinemas in Tampa and Burns Court in Sarasota. Call theater to confirm. 1/2
THE EMPEROR'S CLUB (PG-13) Not to be confused with The Dead Poets Society or any number of other similarly titled or similarly plotted productions, The Emperor's Club is another of those well-meaning movies about a teacher who tries to make a difference. Kevin Kline plays Mr. Hundert, who engages in a battle of wills with a rebellious new student who has a taste for Godard, Dylan and skin mags. The film's heart is in the right place but it is essentially, as Kline himself finally tells us, "a story without surprises." Also stars Emile Hirsch, Embeth Davidtz and Rob Morrow. 1/2
EMPIRE (R) Virtually every cliche in the book is trotted out in this phenomenally awful vanity project starring John Leguizamo (who also produced it) as a drug pusher trying to go legit in whitey's world. Also stars Isabella Rossellini, Denise Richards and Peter Sarsgaard. EQUILIBRIUM (R) Sci-fi futuristic thriller that's a splash of Gattaca, a hint of 1984 and dollop of Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. To say the least, it stars really good-looking people: Taye Diggs, Emily Watson and Christian Bale. (Not Reviewed)
EXTREME OPS (PG-13) Extreme sports enthusiasts and terrorists mix it up in the Austrian alps. For those who like their explosions sprinkled with doses of snowboarding, skydiving, and jumping off motorcycles and helicopters. Stars Devon Sawa and Rufus Sewell. (Not Reviewed)
FAR FROM HEAVEN (PG-13) Todd Haynes' loving and exquisitely crafted homage to the 1950s melodramas of Douglas Sirk is set in white suburban American circa 1957, an easy target if ever there was one. The heroine of this remarkable neo-tearjerker is Cathy Whitaker (beautifully played by Julianne Moore), a model housewife whose world crumbles when her marriage to local businessman Frank (Dennis Quaid) turns out to be not nearly as perfect as she imagined. Style reigns supreme in this drop-dead gorgeous, designer's dream of a movie, which emulates the Technicolor look of "50s films so perfectly that its saturated hues take on an intensity bordering on the psychedelic. Also stars Dennis Haysbert. 1/2
