The Starting Lineup

Now in a theatre near you:


Surviving Christmas (PG-13)
Starring: Ben Affleck, James Gandolfini, and Christina Applegate
Director: Mike Mitchell

Poor Ben. As you know, the Holiday's are the most depressing time of the year. So lonely is he this season he decides to go back to his childhood home, where he encounters the current family in residence and offers Gandolfini $250,000 to let him spend the yuletide season with them.


The Grudge (PG-13)
Starring: Sarah Michelle Gellar, William Mapother, and Clea DuVall
Director: Takashi Shimizu

Here's an interesting way to remake a film--use the original director. Based on the Japanese film Ju-On. The story is about a curse that can be passed from person to person like a virus. (That explains so much about my life! I knew it had to be something like that!) The cursis or virse or what have you originated because somebody died with a grudge in their heart. So let that be a lesson to you and never let the sun go down on your anger.


Woman Thou Art Loosed (R)
Starring: Kimberly Elise, Loretta Devine, and Michael Boatman

Director: Michael Schultz

Derived from T.D. Jake's novel of the same name, this film about a woman struggling to overcome abuse, addiction, and poverty gets a wider release this week.

And in theatres not so near you:


The Machinist (R)
Starring: Christian Bale, Jennifer Jason Leigh
Director: Brad Anderson

The story of an insomniac who works in a factory and begins to see things.


Sideways (R)
Starring: Paul Giamatti, Thomas Hayden Church, and Sandra Oh
Director: Alexander Payne

Wine, women, and song.

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Sorry I don't have more time to be my usual glib self, but we're in crisis mode today. Have a great weekend!