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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. 
IN THE BEDROOM Fans of such relentless downers as Affliction and The Sweet Hereafter are likely to embrace this unflinching study of ordinary people coping with an unspeakable tragedy. Tom Wilkinson and Sissy Spacek headline as a Maine couple whose college-bound son (Nick Stahl) gets involved with a loving single mom (Marisa Tomei) -- with tragic results. Actor Todd Field makes a sure-handed debut behind the camera, serving as director and adapting (with Rob Festinger) a short story by the late Andre Dubus. The result is about as raw -- and as real -- as anything recently seen in theaters, a searing drama that never shies away from examining the wildly divergent reactions mustered by people in impossible situations. The climax feels a little pat, but overall, this is a remarkably clear-eyed exploration of suffering and sacrifice, and the performances by Spacek, Tomei and especially Wilkinson are above reproach. 1/2
JOE SOMEBODY His work as Buzz Lightyear aside, Tim Allen is the new Steve Guttenberg, a bland actor whose generic films keep getting bankrolled presumably because a studio has some weird quota to fill. After all, with multiplexes jam-packed with accomplished blockbusters featuring ring masters and Oscar winners, who in their right mind would make this dud their top pick for a night out? The sort of smug, preachy anti-entertainment that usually stars Robin Williams, this casts Allen as Joe, a hapless company wonk who gets punched out by a co-worker (Patrick Warburton). After wallowing in self-pity for a few days, Joe declares that he wants a rematch, an announcement that suddenly earns him the love and respect of everyone at the firm (is this a multi-million dollar corporation or an elementary school?). Jim Belushi has some nice moments as a slovenly karate teacher, but that also encapsulates the film's shortcomings: You know you're in trouble when you're actively waiting for Jim Belushi to make an appearance in a movie.
THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE RING In filming the first part of J.R.R. Tolkien's trilogy, director Peter Jackson gets things off to a promising start with this three-hour epic that, while rarely scaling new heights in the fantasy genre, will still please both fans and novices alike. Even those who haven't read the books are probably familiar with the basic thrust -- noble Middle-earth denizens must destroy a powerful ring before it falls into the hands of an evil warlord -- but to their credit, Jackson and his co-scripters kick things off with a prologue that nicely sets up the story. From there, Jackson juggles a daunting array of conflicts and characters (Ian McKellen as Gandalf is the cast standout), and it's to his credit that the pace rarely flags. The sense of wonder that Jackson brought to some of his earlier credits isn't quite as apparent (a determination not to offend the faithful may have something to do with it), but admittedly, this is a mere quibble that diehard fans will brush aside like a gnat.
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