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NOVEMBER 22

ALL OR NOTHING
PLOT: It takes an unexpected tragedy to rekindle the spark between a middle-aged, working class couple (Timothy Spall and Lesley Manville).
THE LOWDOWN: Writer-director Mike Leigh's past triumphs (Topsy-Turvy, Secrets & Lies) have strictly been for the art-house crowd, and this doesn't seem likely to change that pattern.

DIE ANOTHER DAY
PLOT: Secret agent James Bond (Pierce Brosnan) saves the world from the machinations of a megalomaniac. Again.
THE LOWDOWN:This year marks the 40th anniversary of the first 007 adventure, Dr. No... Die Another Day will feature the first Oscar-winning "Bond girl": Monster's Ball star Halle Berry as Jinx.

THE EMPEROR'S CLUB
PLOT: A college professor (Kevin Kline) makes a difference in the lives of all his students.
THE LOWDOWN: If this doesn't provide Kline with a showcase role or draw people to theaters, expect less charitable scribes to tag it Dead Careers Society.

FRIDAY AFTER NEXT
PLOT: The third installment in the popular Friday series finds Craig (Ice Cube) and his cousin Day Day (Mike Epps) landing jobs as security guards.
THE LOWDOWN: Combined, the first two films cost $13 million and grossed $85 million, meaning a third entry was a no-brainer... Chris Tucker may have bailed after the first Friday, but character actor John Witherspoon returns as Craig's flatulent father.

ROGER DODGER
PLOT: A Manhattan bachelor (Campbell Scott) schools his teenage nephew (Jesse Eisenberg) in the art of seducing women, only to discover he still has a few things to learn himself.
THE LOWDOWN:Isabella Rossellini, Jennifer Beals and Showgirls' Elizabeth Berkley co-star as the objects of their affection. NOVEMBER 27

ADAM SANDLER'S 8 CRAZY NIGHTS
PLOT: In this animated feature, a perpetual screw-up (voiced by Sandler) avoids jailtime by serving as the assistant referee in a basketball league.
THE LOWDOWN: Sandler's been earning good notices for his work in the current Punch-Drunk Love, and he may earn more kudos for doing something different here as well... Then again, even in toon form, he's playing a dweeb who pals around with Rob Schneider, Jon Lovitz and Kevin Nealon, so how different can it really be?

EXTREME OPS
PLOT: The members of a film crew shooting a commercial in the Alps place themselves in danger after they accidentally shoot footage of a Serbian war criminal and his secret hideout.
THE LOWDOWN: Filming for this thriller in the Cliffhanger mode took place in Austria, Germany and Canada.

SOLARIS
PLOT: A scientist (George Clooney) is sent to investigate mysterious occurrences taking place aboard a space station.
THE LOWDOWN: Stanislaw Lem's acclaimed sci-fi novel was made into a much-debated 1972 Russian film by writer-director Andrei Tarkovsky; now, Traffic coordinator Steven Soderbergh gives it a shot, with the help of his favorite leading man... James Cameron serves as a co-producer.

TREASURE PLANET
PLOT: Fifteen-year-old Jim Hawkins lands a job aboard a "space ship" (as in, a boat with the power to cruise the stars), makes the acquaintance of cyborg John Silver, and grapples with a mutiny aboard the vessel.
THE LOWDOWN: Under the supposition that Robert Louis Stevenson's Treasure Island needed more pizzazz, this Disney animated effort sets the tale in outer space... Among those contributing vocals are Emma Thompson, Martin Short and David Hyde Pierce.

WES CRAVEN PRESENTS: THEY
PLOT: A graduate student (Laura Regan) discovers that the reccurring nightmares she had as a child are coming back to haunt her again.
THE LOWDOWN: Despite the title, Craven is listed as neither director, writer, producer or even executive producer on this project, presumably meaning he merely lent his name in exchange for a hefty paycheck.

DECEMBER 6

ADAPTATION
PLOT: While attempting to adapt a book by a respected author (Meryl Streep), an insecure screenwriter (Nicolas Cage) must cope with the presence of his obnoxious twin brother (also Cage).
THE LOWDOWN: When Cage is in "hammy" mode, he can be almost unbearable, so watching him play twins will either be twice the fun or twice the torture... On the promising side, this arrives courtesy of director Spike Jonze and co-scripter Charlie Kaufman, who previously gave us the splendid Being John Malkovich. Kaufman co-wrote the script with his brother Donald, and just to show he's still in a playful Malkovich mood, the names of Cage's characters are also Charlie and Donald Kaufman.

ANALYZE THAT
PLOT:Upon his release from the slammer, mob boss Paul Vitti (Robert De Niro) heads straight for the couch of Dr. Sobol (Billy Crystal) for another series of counseling sessions.
THE LOWDOWN: Lisa Kudrow returns as Crystal's straight-shooting spouse... Is it just me, or is that teaser-trailer (with a blubbering De Niro) spectacularly unfunny?