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THE COUNT OF MONTE CRISTO Disney's live-action films frequently have all the flavor of a Styrofoam cup (see Snow Dogs below), but occasionally the studio manages to deliver a robust retelling of a cherished classic. In the tradition of their winning 1994 take on The Jungle Book, this latest version of Alexandre Dumas' novel is an old-fashioned crowd-pleaser that makes the most of its compelling storyline. Jim Caviezel, generally that most somnambular of actors, turns out to be a good choice to play Edmond Dantes, the good-hearted seaman who's wrongly incarcerated for 13 years, escapes from prison, reinvents himself as a nobleman, and coldly seeks revenge on those who betrayed him. Memento's Guy Pearce is all snaky insouciance as Dantes' former friend, while Traffic's Luiz Guzman is up to his usual scene-stealing ways as Dantes' no-nonsense sidekick (though this modern man seems as out of place in this period setting as would an SUV). In this pumped-up era, it's refreshing to come across an adventure tale that's free of rapid-cut edits, a blaring modern score and Matrix-style action scenes. Savor it while you can. 
GOSFORD PARK Ever since the magnificent one-two punch of 1992's The Player and 1993's Short Cuts, Robert Altman has been struggling as a filmmaker, so even though this ambitious effort doesn't rank with his greatest hits, it's still potent enough to qualify as his best work in years. A stronger opening might have elevated it even more: After all, when a movie attempts to juggle 30 characters, it's imperative that the filmmakers establish each and every one of them from the get-go. As it stands, some initially fuzzy relationships and obscure identities lead to some early stumbling blocks, and it's only after a half-hour that everything falls into place. From there, the film is largely a delight, weaving comedy, drama and even a dash of intrigue (in the form of a second-act murder) into its look at the members of a shooting party gathered at an English estate in 1932. Altman is renowned for his all-star casts, and here he has assembled one of the best: Helen Mirren, Emily Watson, Maggie Smith, Michael Gambon, and Croupier's Clive Owen are just a few of the crack thespians flourishing under the director's steady command.
I AM SAM Has there been a more shameless movie released over the past year than this wretchedly written melodrama? In the most blatant lunge at an Oscar since Al Pacino's repugnant turn in Scent of a Woman, Sean Penn gives a cringe-inducing performance as a mentally challenged man who raises his daughter Lucy from birth until the age of seven (she's played by Dakota Fanning, who's so adorable she immediately melts away all traces of cool-eyed critical detachment). But at this age, Lucy's intelligence level now matches that of her father, so here come the social workers to rip Lucy away and place her in foster care. Michelle Pfeiffer is quite good in the worst role of her career -- the harried attorney who takes Sam's case and becomes a better person simply by knowing him -- and it's her contribution, as well as those of a fine supporting cast (Dianne Wiest, Mary Steenburgen, Richard Schiff, Laura Dern), that prevents this from landing a bomb rating. A couple of years ago, Penn publicly criticized Nicolas Cage for selling out as a serious actor; now here he is, making a picture about as bad as any on Cage's recent resume. There's a saying about people in glass houses throwing stones; at this point, Penn might want to reinforce his walls with adamant. 1/2
THE MOTHMAN PROPHECIES Playing like a discarded X-Files episode yet based on a 1975 book by John A. Keel, this finds director Mark Pellington mining the same air of uneasiness that made his Arlington Road such a prickly treat. Yet while this new endeavor isn't as tightly scripted as that earlier effort, it does demonstrate how good direction and convincing performances can goose a project that otherwise might find itself mired in hokum. Billing itself as "based on true events," this stars Richard Gere as John Klein, an ace reporter and grieving widower who finds himself mysteriously drawn to a West Virginia town that's been privy to various unexplained occurrences. With the help of the local sheriff (Laura Linney), Klein tries to piece the puzzle together, only to conclude that the town itself is headed for major disaster -- and that his late wife (Debra Messing) may be trying to communicate with him from beyond the grave. Gere's conviction and Pellington's atmospherics count for a lot, but the repetitive nature of Richard Hatem's script prevents the movie from ever reaching its full potential: The mystery doesn't deepen as much as it keeps skating along the surface. 1/2
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