The Extra Man

• Louis Ives (Paul Dano) heads to New York City following an embarrassing incident that forces him to leave his job. He rents a room in the apartment of Henry Harrison (Kevin Kline), a penniless, wildly eccentric playwright. Additionally, he accepts a position with an environmental magazine, where he encounters green-obsessed co-worker Mary (Katie Holmes). But it s Louis new home life with Henry tha

Inspired by one of the world s most iconic families, this eight-part scripted drama/miniseries ventures upstairs at the White House to chronicle the saga of America s first royal family during the 1960s.It's not hard to see why the History Channel declined to air The Kennedys after members of America's "royal family" objected to the series' more salacious aspects. To be sure, there are plenty of them: drug habits, mobsters, election fixing, enough philandering to shame Tiger Woods, bad behavi! or ranging from cynical manipulation to outright cruelty… and Marilyn Monroe. But it's not as if these things haven't been covered at length elsewhere. And in any case, this is hardly a documentary; the eight-part miniseries, which spans the years from just before World War II to 1968, has been variously described, including by the filmmakers themselves, as "history through personality" and "a Greek tragedy," with a dose of hagiography added for good measure. The emphasis on the personal approach (commingled with major political events like the Bay of Pigs debacle, the Cuban missile crisis, and the forced integration of the University of Mississippi) is something of a mixed blessing. On the one hand, there's something appealingly juicy about being privy to the private conversations of this very public family; but at the same time, the dialogue created for such scenes is often on the nose ("Men can't say no to me," Monroe says as she tries to seduce Robert Kennedy), melodr! amatic, and risibly portentous ("I've never been so happy in m! y life," says Jackie Kennedy to her husband… as Air Force One lands in Dallas on November 22, 1963).

The complete absence of Edward Kennedy--who is never mentioned, let alone seen--is peculiar; sisters Kathleen, Eunice, and Jean are also nowhere to be found. That leaves the primary focus on paterfamilias Joseph Kennedy Sr., wife Rose, sons Jack and Bobby, and Jackie, and the portrayals of these near-mythic characters are among the best ever filmed. Tom Wilkinson plays Joe as a thoroughly ruthless, imperious kingmaker who, after his own and eldest son Joe Jr.'s presidential ambitions are ended (Sr. was fired from his post as British ambassador after disagreeing with President Franklin D. Roosevelt's war policies, while Jr. died in combat), forces the reluctant JFK to enter politics. As Jack, Greg Kinnear beautifully conveys the late president's humor, charisma, and compassion, while Barry Pepper is a revelation as the rebellious but strait-laced and dutiful Bobby, whose princip! al responsibility seems to be cleaning up after his older brother's many sexual indiscretions (Katie Holmes's long-suffering Jackie is a bit of a cipher, as was the first lady in real life). That these and other performances, including Diana Hardcastle's Rose and Don Allison's Lyndon Johnson, are in the service of material better suited to a soap opera than a serious drama hardly matters; any way you look at it, The Kennedys is compulsively watchable and never less than entertaining. --Sam GrahamANNIE HAS THE GIFT. SOME FEAR HER, OTHERS CLAIM SHE'S A WITCH. BUT NOW, A MURDER HAS BEEN COMMITTED AND ONLY SHE CAN SOLVE IT. ON A TWISTED TRAIL OF OPEN INFIDELITY AND JEALOUS RAGE, SHE SEES VISIONS THAT WILL HAUNT HER AND DISCOVERS A TRUTH THAT WILL TEAR THE TOWN APART.Take a pinch of psychic phenomenon, add a dash of Southern gothic, stir in a sharp cast of talented actors, and you'll come up with The Gift, director Sam Raimi's ingenious gumbo of a thriller. ! It doesn't hold together as well as Raimi's earlier A Simpl! e Plan, but the two films are stylistically connected--The Gift was cowritten (with Tom Epperson) by A Simple Plan's costar, Billy Bob Thornton, who in turn draws from the Deep South milieu that informed his own Sling Blade and his earlier collaboration with Epperson, One False Move. A similar sense of mystery permeates The Gift, in which a small-town Georgia psychic (perfectly played by Cate Blanchett) is tormented by tragic loss and visions connected to the murder of a local vamp (Katie Holmes) whose schoolteacher fiancé (Greg Kinnear) is a prime suspect.

Other suspects include a hot-tempered bully (Keanu Reeves) whose battered wife (Hilary Swank) is one of the psychic's regular clients, and a traumatized local (Giovanni Ribisi) who is tenuously stabilized by therapy and antidepressants. While this trio of potential killers keeps the mystery alive, the requisite red herrings don't add much to the film's low-level suspense. Instead, Raim! i is far more effective in creating an atmosphere of anxious dread that wells up from each of these finely drawn characters, starting with the widow psychic's extended mourning for her lost husband, the agonized terror of a beaten wife, and the percolating anger of a cuckolded spouse. All of this makes The Gift a worthy showcase for its esteemed cast, even as its plot twists grow increasingly familiar. --Jeff Shannon "Once Upon A Time there lived a lovely girl named Samantha. She had everything she could possibly wish for, and lived in a beautiful white house. The White House Katie Holmes stars as First Daughter Samantha Mackenzie _ a sheltered young woman who just wants a normal school experience, away from the influence of her parents. Only trouble is, her dad (Michael Keaton) is the President of the United States! But nothing will stop Samantha, so, under Secret Service surveillance and a nonstop media glare, she meets _ and falls hard for _ a handsome stud! ent who has a secret existence of his own."Playing the preside! nt's kin in the modern fairy tale First Daughter is the most grown-up role yet for Dawson's Creek cutie Katie Holmes. Samantha McKenzie (Holmes) has lived all her life on the edge of the political spotlight, but she hopes that she'll get away from it all when she leaves the White House for college. No such luck. Even though she's able to make friends with her roommate (singer Amerie) and meet a nice guy (Marc Blucas), security is tight in an election year, and the Secret Service follows her wherever she goes. First Daughter isn't particularly original (it was the working title for Mandy Moore's Chasing Liberty, which opened in theaters earlier the same year, 2004), but it's a chuckle-inducing girlie movie that's worth watching for Holmes. Also, Michael Keaton is especially likable as a president and dad. That's a big change for Holmes, who as Dawson's Creek's Joey Potter was a poster child for daughters with dysfunctional fathers. --David ! HoriuchiOscar® winner Anna Paquin and Katie Holmes lead an all-star cast in The Romantics: a generational “dramedy” about friendship, rivalry and loyalty. Alliances are tested when seven college pals reunite to watch two of their own say “I do” at a seaside wedding. But the maid of honor (Holmes) and the groom (Duhamel) share a passionate history, and the bride (Paquin) isn’t the only one who’s wondering if it’s all in the past. Based on the acclaimed novel by Galt Niederhoffer, The Romantics proves that nothing complicates friendship like love. The Romantics sets up a delicious premise, a reunion for a wedding of two of a group of college friends, now making their way in their late 20s. In the vein of movies like The Big Chill, Peter's Friends, and Four Weddings and a Funeral, The Romantics has friends who may not exactly be friends, marriages that may not exactly be happy, and longing passions that may not exactly be s! ecret. The all-star cast includes Katie Holmes (who gives a re! al leadi ng-actress performance here, behind her sleek glamour), Anna Paquin, Josh Duhamel, Malin Akerman, Elijah Wood, Adam Brody, Dianna Agron, and Candice Bergen. Paquin is the blushing (and insecure) bride, Holmes her maid of honor, and Duhamel the groom-to-be who had a long romantic past with Holmes's character. Is that passion truly behind them? The groom's wedding weekend might not be the best time to find out, but that's what makes The Romantics compulsively watchable.

Indie writer and director Galt Niederhoffer wrote the book The Romantics and then adapted it for the screen and directed. The acting is natural, and the setting--a sumptuous estate on beachy Long Island--inviting and real. The Romantics asks age-old questions of what does it mean to be a couple, what do words like "connection" and "commitment" mean, and is our first love really love--or does our memory play tricks on us? The DVD includes a making-of featurette that is almost as entertai! ning as The Romantics itself. If it looks like a grand old time was being had by the cast at the mansion, the cast members happily insist that was true. A toast to the bride and groom! --A.T. HurleyHot stars James Marsden ("Bella Mafia"), Katie Holmes ("Dawson's Creek") and Nick Stahl (The Thin Red Line) set the screen ablaze in this breathlessly fast-paced jolt-fest from veteran "X-Files" director David Nutter. Written by Scott Rosenburg (Con-Air) and featuring a hip soundtrackfrom the hottest bands around, this "clutch-your-armrest thriller" (Teen People) will pull you into the undercurrent of a deranged high school cliqueand drag you away screaming! Achieve, be excellent...and be afraid. For when the esteemed Blue Ribbon club of Cradle Bay High take their slogans too far, things in the small coastal town begin to go wrong. Dead wrong. And when a "dark sinister force" begins turning the school's curricularly challenged into the soulless, academic elitethree! "outsiders" join in a desperate race to avoid becoming inside! rsand lo sing their individuality forever!This paranoia-fueled thriller, more intelligent and imaginative than you would have reason to believe, owes a huge debt to The Stepford Wives with its premise of a goody-good high school clique programmed by an evil doctor to be wholesome, academically driven, and shining examples of clean living. Unlike its predecessor, though, David Nutter's film opts to open up its premise for everyone to see, diluting the scares but amplifying the creepy atmosphere. There's never any question of what's happening to the students of Cradle Bay High, who go from being druggies and sex fiends to the academically excellent Blue Ribbons, but it's a lot of fun to see these programmed teens run amok--and start killing people--when their hormones kick in. And considering they're all horny teenagers, this happens, oh, at least a few times a day. Model-perfect James Marsden, with stunning cheekbones and piercing blue eyes, is the new kid in town who stumbles ! on the plot with a little help from metalhead Nick Stahl. Moody Marsden stirs up trouble when he refuses to join up with the Blue Ribbons, prompting his concerned parents to consider signing him up for the program, especially after it turns Stahl into a vest-wearing, pep-rallying brainiac. The satire isn't entirely fulfilled (the evil kids hang out at the yogurt shop and spout inspirational platitudes), but once the action kicks in it's quite an enjoyable ride, thanks primarily to Bruce Greenwood (of The Sweet Hereafter) as the mad scientist behind it all and Katie Holmes (Go) as Marsden's love interest. Refusing the advances of the star football player and fighting gamely alongside Marsden, Holmes manages to deck a few bad guys with a fervor that squarely puts her in Linda Hamilton and Jamie Lee Curtis territory. With Steve Railsback as the colluding chief of police and Dan Zudovic as a janitor with a penchant for getting rid of "rats," rodent and otherwise. ! --Mark Englehart Katie Holmes is "terrific" (People) as! the qui rky black sheep of her family in this delightful comedy-drama that "sparkles with acerbic wit, original characters and genuine heart" (Variety). Academy AwardÂ(r) nominee* Patricia Clarkson gives "a career-making performance" (Boxoffice), and "the entire cast is inspired" (Film Threat) in this "moving, hilarious comedy" (People). Rebellious daughter April Burns (Holmes) has offered to host an elaborate Thanksgiving dinner for her suburban clan in her grubby Lower East Side apartment. But her attempts to create an unforgettable feast go awry when she discovers that her oven doesn't work. Now, asher weary family makes its way to the city, April must rely on the kindness of strangers to pull off the perfect meal and the perfect memory. *2003: Supporting Actress, Pieces of AprilThe plot of Pieces of April, a sweet independent film, couldn't be simpler: As a raffish young woman named April (chipmunk-cute Katie Holmes, Wonder Boys, Dawson's Creek) struggle! s to cook Thanksgiving dinner in her dingy, cramped New York apartment, her estranged family slowly drives toward the city, stopping now and then to question why they're going to a meal they expect to be not only bad to eat, but awkward and unhappy. The writing, acting, and directing of Pieces of April ranges from straightforward to clumsy--and yet the movie builds to a surprisingly potent emotional conclusion. Much of the credit goes to wily Patricia Clarkson (High Art, The Station Agent), who plays April's cancer-ridden mother with a compelling mixture of sadness, rebellion, and wistful hope. Also featuring Oliver Platt (Funny Bones), Sean Hayes (Billy's Hollywood Screen Kiss), and Derek Luke (Antwone Fisher). --Bret FetzerYou can admire Abandon more for what it attempts, as opposed to what it actually achieves. Making his directorial debut after winning an Oscar® for scripting Traffic, screenwriter Stephen G! aghan emphasizes character dynamics and time-shifting structur! e over a ction and plotting, and the results are intelligent but oddly detached. As a recovering alcoholic detective (Benjamin Bratt) is assigned to reopen the two-year-old disappearance of an arrogant college student, we're drawn into the thoughts and emotions of the missing person's former girlfriend (Katie Holmes), whose behavior--especially when her volatile ex-boyfriend suddenly reappears--is key to the slowly unfolding mystery. Abandon is all about mood and atmosphere--shadowy gloom is dominant throughout--and viewers may grow impatient as the tissue-thin plot leads to an anticlimactic revelation. Still, Gaghan's sharp dialogue draws fine work from Holmes, and his supporting cast (especially Zooey Deschanel and Melanie Lynskey, as fellow students) adds much-needed energy on the fringes of this lugubrious psychological thriller. --Jeff ShannonWritten and directed by Kevin Williamson (SCREAM, SCREAM 2, TV's DAWSON'S CREEK), TEACHING MRS. TINGLE is a cool, cutting-ed! ge comedy starring Hollywood's hottest young talent! Leigh Ann Watson (Katie Holmes -- TV's DAWSON'S CREEK, GO, DISTURBING BEHAVIOR) is the brightest girl at Grandsboro High ... but her dreams of a much-needed college scholarship are sabotaged when her history teacher, the dreaded Mrs. Tingle (Helen Mirren -- CALENDAR GIRLS), falsely accuses her of cheating! Desperate to prove her innocence, Leigh Ann conspires with her friends Luke (Barry Watson -- SORORITY BOYS) and Jo Lynn on a scheme that will teach Mrs. Tingle a lesson of her own! Before they know it, however, their plan spins hilariously out of control ... and becomes an endless comedy of errors! Also featuring Vivica A. Fox (KILL BILL VOLUME 1) and Molly Ringwald (SINCE YOU'VE BEEN GONE) -- you're sure to delight in all the fun and thrills of this hip movie treat!The poster for Teaching Mrs. Tingle may feature young TV cuties Katie Holmes (Dawson's Creek), Marisa Coughlin (Wasteland), and Barry W! atson (Seventh Heaven), but the real star is the actres! s playin g the title character: Helen Mirren. Mirren plays a bitter, tyrannical teacher who, due to circumstantial evidence, believes goody two-shoes Holmes is guilty of cheating on her history final. Holmes, Coughlin, and Watson go to Mirren's home to convince her that there's been a misunderstanding, but Mirren refuses to listen. Terrified that this will ruin her chances to go to college, Holmes and her compatriots knock Mirren out and tie her to her bed. Unfortunately, they haven't any idea what to do next; when Mirren awakes, the situation becomes a battle of wits in which the teenagers are hopelessly outmatched. Coughlin and Watson are pretty to look at and Holmes has some genuine talent and a lot of charm, but Mirren--who's played Shakespeare on the stage and been in movies ranging from lurid and trashy (Caligula) to eerie and arty (The Comfort of Strangers) to lurid, trashy, eerie, and arty (The Cook, the Thief, His Wife, and Her Lover)--combines th! e cutting intelligence of Vanessa Redgrave, the steely will of Judi Dench, and a sensual energy that any young starlet would kill for. For fans of the British TV series Prime Suspect, in which Mirren plays the tough yet vulnerable Inspector Tennyson, this teen comedy-thriller is just an amusing footnote in Mirren's career; but if you've never been transfixed by this actress's mischievous sidelong glances, Teaching Mrs. Tingle might provide a good start. --Bret FetzerEighteen-year-old Ronna, accompanied by reluctant
partner-in-crime and fellow supermarket checkout clerk Claire, is
desperately looking to score some rent money before she's evicted.
Simon, an impulsive Brit, is driving a stolen car with buddy Marcus
during a no-holds-barred night of partying on the Las Vegas strip.
Adam and Zack, a pair of TV stars, find themselves in the middle of a
real-life drug sting - and a very creepy Christmas dinner.

Welcome to the edgy c! omedy GO, in which the misadventures of a group
of young p! eople co llide in Los Angeles' raucous underground scene.

Set over a 24-hour period in L.A. and Las Vegas, this unconventionally
structured comedy is told from the decidedly off-center perspectives
of three parties involved in the outrageous events that surround a
botched drug deal: a duo of down-on-their-luck supermarket checkout
girls, a pair of soap opera actors and an impetuous British expatriate
- all of whom discover they are in way over their heads. In the midst
of this wild ride, we learn about everything from the possible
advantages of mutli-level marketing to the techniques of tantric
lovemaking to how to make a fast buck at a rave with a little
ingenuity and a box of cold medicine.Director Doug Liman's follow-up to the winning Swingers is a rollicking adventure that, while lacking in any substantial plot, speeds along with nonstop adrenaline and style to burn. Taking a cue from Pulp Fiction, Liman plays tricks with tim! e and overlapping plots, all of which play out in L.A. and Las Vegas in a 24-hour period sometime between Christmas and New Year's. Slacker grocery-store clerk Ronna (Sarah Polley) is trying to score rent money by selling hits of Ecstasy at a rave party, but winds up inadvertently double-crossing a ruthless dealer (sexy and scary Timothy Olyphant). She's also invading the dealing turf of her coworker Simon (Desmond Askew), a Brit on his first trip to Vegas, which turns nightmarish after a jaunt with pal Marcus (Taye Diggs) to a "gentleman's club" turns violent. And then there's the two soap-opera actors (Jay Mohr and Scott Wolf) who cross paths with Ronna more than once in their attempts to divest themselves of a drug-related charge by participating in a sting.

The way Liman and writer John August layer these stories owes a huge debt to Quentin Tarantino, but the comedy and action sequences rocket like a bat out of hell with energy, humor, and genuine surprise. In addit! ion to some hilarious dialogue exchanges--including a classic ! scene be tween Ronna's stoned friend (Nathan Bexton) and a Zen cat--Liman works wonders with one the most winning ensembles in recent memory, a cast that includes both established actors and TV cuties. Mohr, Diggs, and especially Polley (doing a 180 from her turn in The Sweet Hereafter) are as excellent as you'd expect, but it's Wolf (of Party of Five) and Dawson's Creek's Katie Holmes (as Polley's best bud) who turn in revelatory work; Holmes especially seems poised to be a breakout star. An amazing cinematic ride--like a roller coaster, you'll want to go back again and again. --Mark EnglehartLouis (Paul Dano) is summarily dismissed from his job as a teacher following an awkward incident involving women's lingerie in the teacher's lounge. In a effort to find himself, Louis moves to New York City, in hopes of becoming a full-fledged writer. He answers a listing for a room and meets Henry (Kevin Kline), a strange, eccentric writer who lives his life quite p! eculiarly. Fascinated by Henry, Louis agrees to move in. Henry is quick to begin to teach Louis how to have a glorious social life in New York, by becoming the "extra man" to aging billionaire widows.