General Release A Beautiful Mind (IIA): Director Ron Howard and actor Russell Crowe join forces to tell the story of John Forbes Nash Jnr, a mathematical genius who suffers from schizophrenia. Fighting his demons, with his wife (Jennifer Connelly) at his side, Crowe provides the high drama that makes this an exceptional film. Collateral Damage (115 min) (IIB): Arnold Schwarzenegger returns as a Los Angeles firefighter who loses his wife and son when a terrorist bombs the Colombian consulate. When the Government doesn't act, Arnie exacts revenge in the jungle. Big on explosions and small on plot, this is typical Schwarzenegger. Bandits (IIA): Bruce Willis teams up with Billy Bob Thornton in a comic caper about two bank robbers who escape from prison to start life afresh with a legitimate business. To fund their scheme, they rob banks. Cate Blanchett stars as the common love interest. Fun, if not uproariously funny. .5 Chinese Odyssey 2002 (Cantonese) IIA: Writer-director Jeff Lau Chen-wai has produced a handsome gender-bending farce set in the Ming dynasty and centred around young emperor Zhengde (Chang Chen) and his princess sister (Faye Wong). They cross swords with Bully the Kid (Tony Leung Chiu-wai) and his sister Phoenix (Vicky Zhao Wei) and mayhem ensues. Typical New Year fodder. .5 Digimon Adventure 2 (Cantonese) (I): Much like Pokemon, there's a niche audience for this Japanese cartoon. When Kari disappears, his schoolmates go on a manhunt. They discover he's trapped in DigiWorld, kidnapped by the Digimonster. The friends team up to fight the evil forces of the Digimon Emperor. .5 Doraemon (Cantonese) (I): The long-running Japanese cartoon finally makes it to the big screen. While playing a spaceship racing game, Nobita loses his friends. He soon realises they have been kidnapped by aliens - and he's next. 13 Ghosts (IIB): Remake of the William Castle horror film about a family that inherits a house from an eccentric uncle. Trapped, they encounter evil spirits which threaten to destroy all in their path. A formulaic haunted-house tale in which even the special effects are predictable. The Lord Of The Rings (IIB): J R R Tolkien's classic fantasy novel has been brilliantly adapted for the screen by director Peter Jackson. When Frodo, a hobbit, inherits an all-powerful ring, he has to ensure it's kept away from the Dark Lord. Protected by elves, warriors and Gandalf the wizard, the fellowship vows to keep Frodo and the ring from falling into evil hands. The Man Who Wasn't There (IIA): In the latest Coen brothers collaboration, Billy Bob Thornton stars as a barber in a small town who discovers his wife is having an affair with her married boss. He decides to blackmail him but his plan backfires when the boss ends up dead and his wife is accused of murder. Film noir at its best. Marry A Rich Man (Cantonese) (IIA): The title just about sums up the plot. Leading lady Me (Sammi Cheng) gets a first-class ticket on a Europe-bound jet to hunt for a wealthy man - her sole ambition in life. A predictable encounter with Dan (Richie Ren) leads to a frothy romance. Monsters, Inc (I): Beyond the closets of all the children in the world lies Monstropolis, a land of beasts and monsters that derive power from the screams of young children. Oddly enough, the monsters are petrified of children, whom they believe are toxic. When a young girl wanders into their world, two of the monsters have to set things right. Cleverly animated and boosted by the wit and timing of Billy Crystal and John Goodman. My Sassy Girl (Korean) (IIA): Kim meets a strange young girl at university and thinks he's in love. Against his will, she forces him to perform bizarre antics. Inane comedy written and directed by Kwak Jae-yong. Starring Jeon Ji-hyun and Cha Tae-hyun. Ocean's Eleven (IIA): A Hollywood who's who assembles for this fun Steven Soderbergh remake of the Rat Pack romp about a daring casino heist. Straight out of prison, Danny Ocean (George Clooney) picks 11 of his best crooked pals to steal US$150 million from three casinos run by Terry Benedict (Andy Garcia), who just happens to be involved with Ocean's ex-wife (Julia Roberts). Easy on the eye and even easier on the brain. .5 Waterboys (IIA) (Japanese): Kaori Manabe stars as a swimming instructor who has to resuscitate the failing school swimming team. She pulls together a band of high-school misfits who then become the stars of an all-boys synchronised swimming team. Frivolous but fun..5 Star ratings out of 5
