Season's screenings

Artisan

With: The Funk Brothers, Joan Osborne, Chaka Khan, Ben Harper, Bootsy Collins, narrated by Andre Braugher.

The idea: The story of the brothers Funk -- James Jamerson, Benny Benjamin, Robert White and Earl Van Dyke -- the studio band on hits by Motown greats Diana Ross, the Temptations, Stevie Wonder and others.

Writers: Narration by Walter Dallas and Ntozake Shange; based on the book by Allan "Dr. Licks" Slutsky.

Director: Paul Justman.

So? Fun-ky.

The Way Home

Drama

Paramount Classics

With: Yoo Seung-ho, Kim Eul-boon.

The idea: City-reared Korean boy runs into conflict with his traditionalist grandmother when he goes to stay in her remote village.

Writer-director: Lee Jeong-hyang.

So? Family values as a universal language.

November 22

The Emperor's Club

Drama

Universal

With: Kevin Kline, Steven Culp, Embeth Davidtz, Patrick Dempsey, Joel Gretsch, Edward Herrmann, Emile Hirsch, Rob Morrow, Harris Yulin.

The idea: Traces the relationship between classics professor and rebellious student.

Writer: Neil Tolkin, based on a short story by Ethan Canin.

Director: Michael Hoffman.

So? Not exactly original, but promising.

The Friday After Next

Comedy

New Line

With: Ice Cube, Mike Epps, John Witherspoon, Don "D.C." Curry, Anna Maria Horsford.

The idea: Craig and Day-Day learn lessons about Christmas when they become security guards at a strip mall.

Writer: Ice Cube; based on characters created by Ice Cube and DJ Pooh.

Director: Marcus Raboy.

So? Cubic feat.

Personal Velocity

Drama

United Artists

With: Parker Posey, Kyra Sedgwick, Fairuza Balk.

The idea: Triptych format with three women confronting crossroads in their lives.

Writer-director: Rebecca Miller, based on her book of stories.

So? Winsome threesome.

The Quiet American

Mystery

Miramax

With: Michael Caine, Brendan Fraser, Do Thi Hai Yen.

The idea: Romantic intrigue in 1952 Vietnam (before "The Deer Hunter," "Apocalypse Now" or "Platoon").

Writers: Christopher Hampton and Robert Schenkkan, based on the book by Graham Greene.

Director: Phillip Noyce.

So? Reception at Toronto persuaded Miramax to proceed with Christmas release.

Smokers Only

Drama

Strand Releasing

With: Cecilia Bengolea, Leonardo Brezicki, Carlos Issa.

The idea: Buenos Aires is the setting for some dangerous romantic games between a struggling singer and an inline-skating "taxiboy."

Writer-director: Veronica Chen.

So? Muscle, hustle, bustle.

Solaris (1972)

Science fiction

Kino International

With: Donatas Banionis, Natalya Bondarchuk, Anatoli Solonitsyn.

The idea: Space station occupants experience an unsettling dementia.

Writer: Fridrikh Gorenshtein, Andrei Tarkovsky; based on the novel by Stanislaw Lem.

Director: Tarkovsky.

So? New 35-millimeter print of the 1972 Russian classic.

November 27

Adam Sandler's

8 Crazy Nights

Animated comedy

Columbia

With: (voices) Adam Sandler, Jackie Titone, Austin Stout, Kevin Nealon, Rob Schneider, Norm Crosby, Jon Lovitz, Tyra Banks.

The idea: Troublemaker encounters his optimistic opposite when he's sentenced to community service.

Writers: Brooks Arthur, Allen Covert, Brad Isaacs, Sandler.

Director: Seth Kearsley.

So? A veritable Sandler symphony.

Extreme Ops

Action

Paramount

With: Devon Sawa, Bridgette Wilson-Sampras, Rupert Graves, Rufus Sewell.

The idea: Extreme skiers and snowboarders flee murderous war criminal while filming a movie.

Writers: Michael Zaidan, story by Timothy Scott Bogart and Mark Mullin.

Director: Christian Duguay.

So? Extremely familiar.

Wes Craven Presents: They

Thriller

Dimension

With: Laura Regan, Marc Blucas, Ethan Embry, Dagmara Dominczyk, Jon Abrahams.

The idea: Psychology grad student returns to the chilling nightmares she had as a child only to find that they may be real.

Writer: Brendan Hood.

Director: Robert Harmon.

So? Craven's had nightmares before.

Treasure Planet

Animated adventure

Walt Disney

With: (voices) Emma Thompson, David Hyde Pierce, Martin Short, Brian Murray, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Michael McShane, Michael Wincott.

The idea: Boy on space voyage discovers that his cyborg mentor is a pirate with mutiny on his mind.

Writers: Ron Clements & John Musker and Rob Edwards; based on "Treasure Island" by Robert Louis Stevenson.

Directors: John Musker & Ron Clements

So? Creative, competent. Enough?

November 29

Akira Kurosawa Film Tour

Retrospective

Cowboy Pictures

With: Toshiro Mifune, Minoru Chiaki, Kamatai Fujiwara, Tatsuya Mihashi, Takashi Shimura, Keiko Tsushima.

The idea: Three full weeks of the Japanese master at the Nuart, including "Throne of Blood" (Nov. 29-30), "Stray Dog" (Dec. 1), "I Live in Fear" (Dec. 2), "Drunken Angel" (Dec. 3) "The Bad Sleep Well" (Dec. 4), "The Hidden Fortress" (Dec. 5-6), "Rashomon" (Dec. 7-8), "Red Beard" (Dec. 9), "High and Low" (Dec. 10), "Yojimbo" (Dec. 11), "Sanjuro" (Dec. 12) and "Seven Samurai" (Dec. 13-19).

Director: Akira Kurosawa.

So? New prints, newly translated subtitles.

God Is Great, I'm Not

(Dieu est grand,

je suis tout petite)

Romantic comedy

Empire Pictures