Impostor (PG-13) In the not-too-distant future, a patriotic weapons designer (Gary Sinise) finds himself the object of a massive manhunt when authorities come to believe that he's a cyborg assassin planted by nasty aliens. For the most part, Impostor is dull, murky looking, confusingly shot and features the worst performance by the normally dependable Vincent D'Onofrio. Also stars Madeline Stowe. 
In the Bedroom (R) A remarkable drama by turns subtle and fearsomely intense, Todd Fields' directorial debut always seems to be one step ahead of our expectations. In a manner strangely similar to that of another very good recent American film, The Deep End, most of what's truly intriguing about In the Bedroom lies just below the surface and is gradually revealed in a sly, sure way that invests every detail with maximum impact and mystery. Fields' thoroughly character-driven film introduces us to a handful of small-town folks (mostly the members of a white collar family living in a predominantly blue collar New England town) and then, just when we think we've figured out who and what the movie's about, we find the rug's been pulled out from under us and the movie's main focus is really somewhere else entirely. 
Jimmy Neutron Boy Genius (G) It takes a little while for this computer-animated feature from Nickelodeon to find its groove, but once it does, it rarely lets us down. The brisk little romp of a story will appeal to adults almost as much as to kids (a pint-size savant with a hairdo like a scoop of softserve leads a rescue mission for alien-abducted parents) and it all cruises along nicely on a steady stream of nifty 3-D visuals and highly entertaining gags. Directed by John A. Davis. 
Joe Somebody (PG-13) Lost-in-the-crowd loser Joe Sheffer (Tim Allen) finds himself slapped around by the office bully (Patrick Warburton, a.k.a. Puddy from Seinfeld). To save face he challenges the thug to a rematch and suddenly becomes the office star.
—Robert Napper
Kate and Leopold (PG-13) A retro fairy tale (fashioned as a sci-fi love story) designed to have us yearning for a kinder, gentler time when chivalry wasn't dead and men charged to the rescue of women on speedy white steeds. Meg Ryan stars as successful but emotionally frustrated modern-day businesswoman who falls for a well-mannered 19th century duke (Hugh Jackman) who mysteriously materializes in her apartment building one day. The film is ridiculous but just charming enough to offer some pleasure. 
Kung Pow: Enter the Fist (PG-13) The martial arts genre gets the broad spoof treatment — a la Scary Movie — but with reportedly not the same level of skill. The plot, such as it is, revolves around a guy called The Chosen One who sets out to avenge his parents' death at the hands of an evil kung fu legend.
(Not Reviewed)
Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (PG-13) The first of Peter Jackson's long-awaited adaptations of J.R.R. Tolkien's trilogy succeeds on just about every level it's supposed to. For virtually its entire three-hour running time, Jackson's epic fantasy keeps us happily immersed in the stuff of legends, sort of like a Harry Potter for grown-ups. 
The Majestic (PG-13) Jim Carrey stars as a blacklisted Hollywood screenwriter who loses his memory and winds up washed ashore in an idyllic little town where he's mistaken for a long lost war hero. Carrey's character soon discovers that it's a wonderful life — only problem is it isn't his. This latest effort by director Frank Darabont (The Green Mile, The Shawshank Redemption) has its heart solidly in the right place, but the movie seems to just coast along on elaborate padding and sugary frills.
The Man Who Wasn't There (R) The Man Who Wasn't There is about as close to classic film noir as the Coen Brothers have ever come (Blood Simple included) albeit with a few flying saucers and Lolita-esque nymphets thrown in, just to screw with our heads. Billy Bob Thornton is just about perfect as a milquetoast husband trapped in a loveless marriage and a joyless job, while Roger Deakins' black-and-white photography is lush and mesmerizing.
