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Based on the novel by E.M. Forster, this film’s look at elite society’s hypocrisy and lack of responsibility is as poignant today as it was in the early part of the 20th Century when this story takes place. The film begins with rich Paul Wilcox (Joseph Bennett, SWING KIDS) dumping his middle class fiancée Helen Schlegel (Helena Bonham Carter, A ROOM WITH A VIEW). Some time later out of sheer coincidence, the Wilcoxs rent a flat in London across the street from the family home of the Schlegels.

In an effort to make amends, the eldest Schlegel, Margaret (Emma Thompson, SENSE & SENSIBILITY), befriends the matriarch Wilcox, Ruth (Vanessa Redgrave, MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS), who speaks nothing of wonders about her childhood home — the country estate called Howards End. Ruth is a dreamer, who takes to the liveliness of the Schlegel siblings, which also include the academic Tibby (Adrian Ross Magenty). We soon discover that Ruth is ill and she passes away.

This is the film that really put director Gus Van Sant (GOOD WILL HUNTING) on the map and it still stands as his best film to date. Bob (Matt Dillon, CRASH) is a leader of a crew of thieves who rob drugstores mainly to fuel their own drug habits. Dianne (Kelly Lynch, CURLY SUE) is his wife and chief accomplice in the robberies. Rick (James LeGros, LOVELY & AMAZING) is his dedicated toadie and Nadine (Heather Graham, BOOGIE NIGHTS) is their newest member who doesn’t know when to keep quiet.

Bob is constantly hounded by Gentry (BLADE: TRINITY), a cop who has been arresting him for years. Bob’s mother (Grace Zabriskie, THE GRUDGE) is ashamed of him and wishes that he would just grow up. After an ill-advised incident with the law, Bob and the crew head out on the road. They live for the moment and as Bob will say later in the film, they get high to rid themselves of the burden of even having to tie their shoes.

THE BAD NEWS BEARS follows many underdog sport film clichés. However, it distinguishes itself with honesty and a keen eye for detail. Looking back on the film from today’s perspective some may not realize how original the film was.

A councilman (Ben Piazza, MASK) sues the city to allow all boys to who want to play baseball to be allowed to play baseball. This team — the Bears — is a collection of outcasts, which no parent wants to coach. Councilman Whitewood hires former minor league pitcher turned drunken pool cleaner Morris Buttermaker (Walter Matthau, THE ODD COUPLE) to coach the kids.

At first, Buttermaker puts forth no effort in coaching the kids — until they are humiliated in their first game. To help the team out, Buttermaker recruits wicked pitcher Amanda Whurlitzer (Tatum O’Neal, PAPER MOON), who is the daughter of his former girlfriend. Later, the town thug Kelly Leak (Jackie Earle Haley, BREAKING AWAY) joins the team when he is insulted by ultra-competitive coach Roy Turner (Vic Morrow, TWILIGHT ZONE: THE MOVIE).

This coming of age dramedy follows the trials and tribulations of Justin Cobb (Lou Taylor Pucci, THE CHUMSCRUBBER), a shy 17-year-old, who still sucks his thumb. Like several other recent coming of age tales like GARDEN STATE and THE CHUMSCRUBBER, the film deals with the over-medication of Generation Y as well as other aspects of drug use.

Justin is on a first name basis with his parents Audrey (Tilda Swinton, THE LION, THE WITCH & THE WARDROBE) and Mike (Vincent D’Onofrio, MEN IN BLACK). His relationship with his mother is as if he were her girlfriend. His father’s interaction with him is usually ridicule for his oral fixation problem. Justin’s New Age orthodontist Perry Lyman (Keanu Reeves, THE GIFT) tries hypnosis on Justin to get him to let go of this thumb. This incident initiates Justin’s fall, rise, fall and rise throughout the rest of the film.

Wes Craven’s newest film is a nice, tightly woven thriller that is surprisingly plausible. For the most part the characters do what these individuals — if real — could really pull off.

Lisa Reisert (Rachel McAdams, THE NOTEBOOK) is a hotel manager returning from a funeral. On her way home, she meets seemingly kind Jackson Rippner (Cillian Murphy, 28 DAYS LATER) until he reveals that he will have an associate kill Lisa’s father, Joe (Brian Cox, X-MEN 2), unless she moves the homeland security chief William Keefe (Jack Scalia, TV’s DALLAS) from his regular room to a room overlooking the water.

Trapped on the plane with a paid assassin, Lisa has to stay calm and use her wits to save her father as well as Keefe and his family. McAdams is thoroughly believable in her role and Murphy is adequately creepy in his role. I like how the film weaves in other passengers on the plane into the plot without losing focus of the conflict between Lisa and Jack.

Not quite as good as WINGED MIGRATION, but definitely in the same ballpark. Morgan Freeman narrates his French documentary about the arduous habits of the emperor penguin.

Living in Antarctica, in the harshest environment on Earth, these penguins endure unthinkable torment in the march to procreate. The flightless birds begin their mating ritual by walking (and sometimes sliding) 70 miles to an area where they were all born. Each season, a male and female penguin find each other and develop a bond to bring a new penguin into the world.

Once the egg is laid, the male penguins take care of the young, allowing the tired mothers to find food. During the entire ordeal, males will go upwards of five months without eating. Because of the extreme cold, the penguins instinctively huddle into one large mass, which always moves.

New Line Cinema has cast Rainn Wilson (NBCs THE OFFICE) and Joely Richardson (FXs NIP/TUCK) in its sci-fi family film, MIMZY, according to THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER. New Line Cinema co-ceo Bob Shaye is set to direct.

The story follows two siblings, who discover a box of toys sent from the future, which gives them strange abilities. Wilson will play a science teacher and Richardson is the siblings' mom.

The studio is hoping to begin production in Vancouver in March.

Tobey Emmerich will shepherd for the studio.

Produced by Storm Studio, SLIPP JIMMY FRI (FREE JIMMY), Norway's first CG animated feature, is set to premiere in Norway on April 21, 2006. Written and directed by underground cartoonist Christopher Nielsen, the films $16 million budget also makes it the country's most expensive film production to date.

British actor/comedian Simon Pegg (SHAUN OF THE DEAD) wrote the English screenplay and the English-versions voice cast features Woody Harrelson, Kyle MacLachlan, Samantha Morton, Simon Pegg and Jim Broadbent.