Mega Movie Guide 2004

Sterritt **** A pedophile returns from prison hoping to live a decent, quiet life but still tormented by his obsessions. Written and directed with unfailing taste and tact, this topical drama is less a study of evil than a study in empathy and compassion. Bacon is brilliant, and courageous for taking on a role that could easily have been objectionable in less gifted hands.

Directors: Eric Chaikin, Julian Petrillo. With Marlon Hill, Joel Sherman, Joe Edley, Matt Graham. (80 min.)

Sterritt *** A documentary portrait of four men who play Scrabble not only as a pastime in city parks but also in big-time tournaments with big-time money at stake. Light, lively, informative, fun.

Directors: Chris Smith, Dan Ollman, Sarah Price. With members of The Yes Men. (83 min.)

Sterritt **** Documentary about a group of political pranksters who make their points against global corporate culture via public practical jokes. While it's not a great movie, it's a revealing study of how long it often takes for businesspeople to realize they're being freaked out, not flattered.

Sex/Nudity: Violence: 1 instance. Profanity: 24 instances. Drugs: at least two instances of drinking.

Director: Christopher B. Stokes. With Marques Houston, Lil' Kim, Steve Harvey. (93 min.)

Staff ** Hip-hop dance battles take the place of gang warfare in South Central L.A., as rival "crews" fight for choreographic dominance. The eye-popping originality and athleticism are crowd pleasers and almost make up for the insipid "keep away from my sister" subplot. Good, clean fun - and loud. By M.K. Terrell

Sex/Nudity: 3 instances of mild innuendo. Violence: 6 scenes. Profanity: 13 instances. Drugs: 3 scenes.

Director: Fabrice Cazeneuve. With Julien Baumgartner, Julia Maraval, Jérémie Elkàïm, François Comar. (90 min.)

Sterritt ** Outed as a homosexual, a 17-year-old swimming champ endures tough times in high school and ambivalence at home, where his parents are bewildered. The story's celebration of honesty is commendable, even if the treatment of homophobia is no deeper than the hero's swimming pool. In French with subtitles.

Director: David Mackenzie. With Ewan McGregor, Tilda Swinton, Peter Mullan, Emily Mortimer. (93 min.)

Sterritt *** The setting is Glasgow in the 1950s, and the story centers on a young wanderer (McGregor) and his seasoned boss (Mullan) who find a woman's corpse floating in the water near the barge they operate. This leads to revelations about the drifter's past and the steamy romance that's blooming between him and his boss's wife, played by Swinton with her usual finesse. Rich atmospherics and an all-star British cast make this a superior melodrama if you can handle the heavy-breathing sex scenes.

Director: Xan Cassavetes. With Robert Altman, James Woods, F.X. Feeney, Kevin Thomas. (122 min.)

Sterritt **** Riveting documentary about the early California cable outlet and its ingenious programmer, Jerry Harvey, whose unsettled life and tragic death provide a dramatic framework for the account.

Director: Ondrej Trojan. With Anna Geislerová, Gyorgy Cserhalmi. (150 min.)

Sterritt *** After working as a spy against the Nazis, a woman hides in a tiny Czechoslovakian village and marries a sympathetic worker to maintain her cover. Well acted, handsomely photographed, a bit too long. In Czech with subtitles.

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