11/29 Thursday

Philadelphia-born Bilal was classically trained at Mannes Music Conservatory in New York City but has moved his musical stylings to soul. His funky debut album ""1st Born Second"" was produced by Dr. Dre and Raphael Saadiq and the music is in the vein of Maxwell. Bilal will be at the Belly Up Tavern. Tickets are $8 and the show starts at 11 p.m.

If you make a trip to Viejas Casino you can watch Blues Traveler in concert. This bluesy, jam band with a pop touch has a new album out called ""Bridge."" This album is their first in four years. A slimmed-down John Popper still provides the vocals and that classic harmonica sound. Tickets are $32 and the show starts at 8 p.m.

11/30 Friday

A healthy dose of hard house will be provided by Bad Boy Bill at 4th & B. His ""Bangin' the Box"" series has reached volume five and this long-time DJ is still going strong. His set starts at 9 p.m. and tickets are $15.

The king of blues, B.B. King, is back in San Diego. He is a living legend and his talent is comparable to the likes of Robert Johnson and Muddy Waters. The King will be at the Pechanga Entertainment Center tonight at 8 p.m. and tomorrow at 8 p.m. Tickets are $44.

The San Diego Symphony will feature hit selections from the film ""2001: A Space Odyssey"" through Dec. 2. Selections from Alex North's original, unused score will also pe played. For more information, call (619) 235-0804

12/1 Saturday

India Arie is a rising star in the world of R&B with her debut album ""Acoustic Soul."" She is reminiscent of Jill Scott and Tracy Chapman but with her own uplifting style. India Arie will be at the Belly Up Tavern. Tickets for the show are $25 and the show starts 9:15 p.m.

The sounds of straight ahead jazz and blues will fill the air at the San Diego Museum of Art in Balboa Park. Jeannie and Jimmy Cheatham's Sweet Baby Blues Band will provide the music, which features Jeannie's strong vocal skills. Tickets are $12 and the show starts at 7 p.m.

12/2 Sunday

Blues guitarist Robert Cray can definitely rock. Even with five Grammy's under his belt, Cray and the Robert Cray Band have remained true to their roots. His music has flavors of Otis Redding and Isaac Hayes. Cray will be at 4th & B and the show starts at 8 p.m. Tickets are $25.

Carissa's Wierd describe themselves as a ""five-piece indie folk band."" Their slow melodies with a bittersweet violin and an accordion make for an interesting sound. See for youself at The Casbah. The show starts at 8:30 p.m. Call The Casbah for ticket information at (619) 232-4355.

12/3 Monday

Indie rocker Jonathan Richman might be best known by the general public for his apperance in ""There's Something About Mary."" His strange tunes have created a strong cult following. Richman will be at The Casbah at 8:30 p.m. Tickets are $10.

12/6 Thursday

Get into the Christmas spirit with Mannheim Steamroller. This group brings out a full orchestra along with a rock band and spices up classic Christmas tunes to the delight of holiday music fans. They will also be plugged into a Dolby Surround Sound system, which will give the audience an incredible sonic experience. The show starts at 7:30 p.m. at the San Diego Sports Arena. Tickets start at $22.

It has been 11 years since ""Sid Meier's Civilization"" rocked the gaming world with its concept of a turn-based game that combined intelligent gameplay and addictive fun. So why fix something that's not broken? The third version of ""Civilization"" proves yet again that turn-based gaming is alive and well.

For those that were in the dark during their teenage years, ""Civilization"" allows you to start a small village and build it into an empire. Against you are other nations played by the computer. Trade, natural resources, technology, growth and war are all elements factoring in growth of your empire. What makes ""Civilization"" so addictive is its complex yet stimulating gameplay.

From waging war to encouraging trade, ""Civilization"" makes the player, whether a pacifist or war-hawk, an omnipotent controller of his nation's destiny.

Not only does ""Civilization III"" greatly improve graphics from the previous versions, it adds many new levels and dimensions of gameplay. Although the graphics aren't the best, that's not what the game is all about. What makes ""Civilization"" so great is its god-like feel of the world.

With the addition of culture, it is now possible to win without waging war against the entire world. Ever wonder why the French hate American culture? Now's your chance to feel the full wrath of pop culture.

Another new dimension is natural resources. In the previous games, resources were merely traded between empires for money. In ""Civilization III,"" resources are now needed in order to produce certain weapons and grow in knowledge. Wanna nuke the world? You're going to need to find uranium before you build those nukes.

Diplomacy is greatly enhanced in this sequel. Options such as trade embargos and mutual alliances are now possible. Have you ever wondered what it was like to be isolated from the world? If you have a golden tounge, you can win by being elected the leader of the world.

Borders are also a new addition to the game. Unlike the earlier games, you can no longer roam free around the world.

Before plotting to take over the world, there's just one word of advice: Be prepared to live like a hermit, because the only thing you'll be doing is playing ""Civilization III.""

Civilization III

****

Firaxis/Infogrames

minimum requirements:

Windows 9x, 2000, XP

300 mhz Pentium III

32 mb RAM, 500 mb hard space

Following the Wayans brothers' ""Scary Movie,"" an example of comedy spoofs on tried-and-true film genres, ""Not Another Teen Movie"" attempts to satirize the ever-popular teen movie.

""Not Another Teen Movie"" follows the life of ""the pretty-ugly girl,"" Janey Briggs (Chyler Leigh), as she slowly wins the heart of ""the popular jock,"" Jake Wyler (Chris Evans), after he bets ""the cocky blonde guy"" and ""the token black guy"" that he can turn her into the prom queen. Is this starting to sound familiar?

Following the ""She's All That"" formula, ""Teen Movie"" manages to imitate every teenage film from ""Sixteen Candles"" to ""Pretty in Pink"" to ""Bring it On."" The problem with trying to encompass so many movies is that it fails to flow and sometimes becomes hard to follow, especially if you haven't seen the movies it tries to mock.

Director Joel Gallen's first feature-length film, ""Not Another Teen Movie"" failes to be a movie that he ""was able to shape ... into a story and really develop."" But it does succeed, however, at being purely entertaining. Prior to ""Not Another Teen Movie,"" Gallen had mostly directed short films and produced concerts. His inexperience at directing full-length films can be seen in scenes that are more appropriate for television rather than movies.

The very young cast of newcomers, however, proved to be quite successful, despite the bad writing. In leading roles, Leigh and Chris perform as well as can be expected for a film of this genre. Both show the same amount of talent you'd expect from more ""seasoned"" actors like Freddie Prinze, Jr. or Rachel Leigh Cook.

The one person who nearly steals the show and shines in his perfectly casted role as Ricky (a take-off on the obsessive Ducky from ""Pretty in Pink"") is Eric Jungmann. Jungmann plays the obsessive and overly flamboyant best friend who is in love with Janey.

The equally energetic Jungmann said, ""[Ricky is] so head-over-heels, and you can just see it in everything that he does -- and in 'Not Another Teen Movie,' it's satirical.""

As Leigh said, ""It was very alive [on the set]. Obviously being young and an actor is a lot more difficult in my eyes ... but we had a lot of fun with it.""

This overall excitement and energy from the cast can be felt in every scene, as well as within the great soundtrack, which includes music from other teen movies such as ""Pretty in Pink.""

Although at times it's hard to watch due to gross visual gags and overly exaggerated comedy, it does provide an hour-and-a-half of mindless laughs. Humorous cameos by Paul Gleason, Molly Ringwald and Mr. T also make it more appealing, but they aren't enough to salvage the rest of the movie.

Not Another Teen Movie

**

Starring Chyler Leigh, Chris

Evans and Eric Jungmann

In theaters Dec. 14

Rated R

Nikka Costa kicked off her long-awaited U.S. tour with a bang on Nov. 22 at Cane's Bar and Grill. If you're a skeptic of reincarnation, you obviously have not seen Costa live, because she commands the stage as if she were channeling the spirit of Janis Joplin. While her single, ""Like a Feather,"" gained Costa some notice this past year, she is still a relative rookie of the rock scene. However, if Friday night's show is any indicator, Costa is about to become huge.

Anna MacMurdo
Guardian

Of course, the publicity buzz surrounding Costa is quite well known by now -- born the daughter of famous producer/arranger Don Costa, Costa began performing at the age of five, opening for heavyweights such as Don Ho and The Police. While her press bio reads like a who's who of music, portraying Costa as an ""old pro,"" Costa is still feeling her way into the music industry.

""It's kind of more something the record company likes to run with,"" Costa said, referring to her father's famous collaborators, including Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett, Sammy Davis Jr. and Sly Stone.

This is Costa's first U.S. headlining tour -- her first chance to show everyone just what she's made of.

""This is our first actual, proper U.S. tour. We've only ever done promotional shows around town so there's not been a real opportunity for fans to come until now,"" Costa said.

Judging by the line that gathered outside her backstage door after the show, Costa should have no trouble winning over audiences on her 19-date tour, which will wrap up in Tuscon, Ariz. just before Christmas. Her set, which featured most of the songs off of her album, ""Everybody Got Their Something,"" lasted about an hour. However, the audience cheered for an encore that seemed to be truly spontaneous. If you have yet to hear of Costa, make a note: Whether she really has the soul of Janis or is just the next rock goddess, she's definitely got ""something!""

The U2 concert started at 7:30 p.m. That meant we had to leave San Diego at noon to give ourselves plenty of time. So with pedal pressed to the metal, we were speeding across the desert to Las Vegas to watch U2 perform live.

Fast-forward to 11:30 p.m., and I am following the crowd leaving the Thomas & Mack Center on the University of Nevada Las Vegas campus. My head is spinning and my ears are ringing, which are the marks of a good concert, but I couldn't shake the thought that if U2 wasn't U2, their live act would be pretty cheesy.

There was that touching moment when Bono embraced the American flag, or that other moment when Bono pulled a fan up on stage to play guitar with the rest of the band. Then there was the moment when the massive video screens behind the band scrolled the names of every victim from the flights that went down on Sept. 11, including New York City police officers and firefighters.

It's all very touching, but it could have been pretty sappy if some second-rate band tried to pull the same stunts.

But U2 isn't a second-rate band. They are socially conscious superstars who have fought for peace in their native Ireland as well as around the world. They have been at the forefront of the ""Drop the Debt"" campaign, which calls every superpower in the world to cancel third-world debt.

U2 can afford to pull these stunts and pull them off beautifully.

They ran a flawless three-hour set that included songs from the old days, such as ""Sunday Bloody Sunday"" and ""I Will Follow,"" as well as more recent ones like ""New York"" and ""Elevation."" Bono even brought out the familiar spotlight during an incredible performance of ""Bullet the Blue Sky.""

Bono's voice wasn't top notch, but he saved it for the times when he needed it. The Edge was incredible, as usual. Larry Mullen and Adam Clayton were rock steady.

Any doubt that fans had after U2's ""Popmart"" tour have been erased as U2 continues to ""elevate"" to legendary status.

TRL Christmas

Various Artists

Atlantic Records

**

Here's to a totally synthetic Christmas. Forget Bing Crosby, here comes MTV. With its Total Request Live Christmas mix, MTV brings together pop and rock artists to make a generally dissatisfying album. The performances included on this this album range from teeny-bop pop to rock to orchestral.

Willa Ford contributes her bad-ass blonde image with ""Santa Baby, Gimme Gimme Gimme."" Her hypersexuality exudes itself through sensual beats a la Britney Spears, and knowing that ""she wants to be bad"" adds a twist to her lyrics.

Her pop presence is accompanied by the likes of *NSYNC with ""I Don't Wanna Spend One More Christmas Without You."" *NSYNC, the MSG of music, manages to create another inexplicably tasty tune.

Mark Mcgrath sings ""Little Saint Nick"" in the usual jovial Sugar Ray tone. Other bands, like Blink-182 with ""I Won't Be Home For Christmas"" and Weezer with ""The Christmas Song,"" show us what good rock is. All three of these bands stay true to their unique styles.

Despite the bad tracks like comedian Jimmy Fallon's ""Snowball,"" this LP manages to surprise. Angela Via does soar through ""Christmas Wish"" with a gifted voice. Speaking of gifted voices, Christina Aguilera does absolute honors to ""Angels We Have Heard On High,"" blending time-honored songs and popular teen culture in the pure syrup of her angelic vocals.

The CD ends with ""Christmas Canon"" by the Trans-Siberian Orchestra, a track too conservative, too musically rich and too good to be on this mix. MTV, though valiant in its attempt to filch our green by playing off holiday spirits and the hopefully waning pop music rage, has managed to degrade Christmas.

-- Eugene Kym,

Staff Writer

Reggae Chanukah

Alan Eder and Friends

mr. e. records

****

Listeners looking for Hannukah music have traditionally faced dauntingly slim pickings: the number of quality collections of Hannukah-themed music is ridiculously low. Sure, nearly every pop star on MTV feels obligated to share his or her Christmas cheer with the listening audience, but such is not the case for those who celebrate Hannukah.

However, celebrators of Chankah need despair no longer! The best thing to happen to Channukah since the advent of gelt is here, and it's really rastafied.

""Reggae Chanukah"" seems like quite a juxtaposition at first glance. Traditional holiday songs in Hebrew are set to distinctly African, Carribbean and Latin beats.

But the history of Jewish people and that of the African people and diaspora have notable similarity, with their respective survivals of enslavement and persecution. After all, African-American slaves in the 19th century identified with and sang stories of ancient Israel. Now modern Jews are returning the favor and contributing to cross-cultural cross-pollentation.

The album combines these cultures with delightful success. This is not your zaydeh's Hannukah music: In the newly created original pieces, the artists liberally borrow from Bob Marley's themes of perseverence and liberation and his lyrical and musical styles. The West African dance drumming, which grooves beneath a medley of ""Hanerot Halalu,"" ""S'veevon,"" ""Chanukah"" and ""Oh Chanukah,"" will invigorate the festival of lights. And the hilarious ""Latke Song"" offers listeners a samba/mambo spin on Channukah -- from the holiday's premier taste treat's enthusiastic perspective.

The album can be hard to find in record stores or from online retailers, but ships within 24 hours from http://www.reggepassover.com (yes, they have irie jams for the seder as well).

-- Claire J. Vannette

Senior Staff Writer

Christmas Jazz

Various Artists

Verve

****

When they say ""The Very Best of Christmas Jazz,"" they mean it. As Ella Fitzgerald croons ""Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer,"" the listener is swept back through the years to when we sat as small children by the fireside to watch the ""Rudolph Christmas Special"" on television.

With Louis Armstrong's ""Zat you Santa Claus,"" we are thrown into a world of raspy blues and tinny trumpets. Mel Torme gives us the warm and traditional ""The Christmas Song,"" taking us into a world where ""chestnuts roast[ed] on an open fire"" and ""Yule-tide carols [were] sung by a choir.""

And it doesn't stop there. Fourteen tracks of pure quality Christmas tunes flow out in smooth streams of harmony when the CD is played on a stereo system. The variety of exceptional jazz artists such as John Coltrane, Dinah Washington and Count Basie liven the tracks of this compilation.

The compilation of various songs won't just put you in a Christmas mood. These songs will serenade you into a deep-seated spirit of Christmas and bestow the holiday cheer that sometimes seems so out of reach.

The CD's booklet brings an originality as well, with some interesting trivia regarding each song. For instance, the CD explains that the story of Rudolph was a poem originally composed and intended as a holiday marketing gimmick for the Montgomery Ward departmemt store chain in 1939. Now the song is reported to have sold more than 50 million records and has been recorded over 300 times.

Having already been released in October, ""Verve Presents: The Very Best of Christmas"" will be a perfect addition to your music collection. It's something you can keep for years to come and still find use for it every time the holidays roll around.

-- Sabrina Morris,

Staff Writer

Dr. Seuss once said, ""Children want the same thing we want: to laugh, to be challenged, to be entertained and delighted."" Those very qualities are delivered on stage at The Globe Theatres.

The Globe gathers its loyal patrons it prefers to call ""tradition"" -- of ""How the Grinch Stole Christmas!"" Remaining true to the story's original creator, Dr. Seuss, the Globe hosts a fine production of this memorable children's story.

However, this particular season's arrangement cannot compare to previous years' performances.

With veteran actors Guy Paul playing the Grinch and Rusty Ross playing the dog Max, Dr. Seuss' Christmas classic comes alive on stage.

Although both stars brilliantly pull off a delightful and humorous performance, the duo could have used another week of rehearsal. When they fumbled a few times on stage with various props, they were forced to noticeably improvise, thereby breaking the rhyming scheme of the script.

The rest of the cast gives lively performances with strong singing voices and excellent line delivery. Still, the unique rhyming scheme seems constantly interrupted with improvisational cover-ups.

The costumes inspire the play and are one of its most successful contributions to the overall production. The Whos of Whoville make their debut in curly-Q-toed shoes, rounded out body proportions and ruddy-cheeked smiling faces.

The tousled green fur and menacing makeup of the Grinch elevate the character and augment his presence. Paul adds his own touch of humor that enraptures the audience.

Bringing us a little closer to the center of the heartfelt humanity in the play is character Cindy-Lou Who, played by Mary Frances McClay. Juxtaposed with the witty character of the Grinch, McClay steals the show with her sweet-voiced songs and charming relaxation on stage.

The set design is amazingly close to the original pen-and-ink illustrations of Dr. Seuss' ""Grinch"" -- a good gesture to the producer and to Dr. Seuss.

Although the show is meant most specifically for children, adults find themselves enjoying it as well. The director, Jack O'Brien, allows for moments of laughter for a mature audience with scenes that identify with the woes of being a parent during Christmas time.

With half the cast consisting of children and the other half being professional adult actors, there is something here for everyone, as was Dr. Seuss' intention.

How the Grinch Stole Christmas

Nov. 11 - Dec. 31

The Globe Theatres, Balboa Park

Starring Guy Paul, Rusty Ross, and Mary Frances McClay

For tickets, call (619) 239-2255

Dec. 12

""Ocean's 11""

Who to look for: George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Matt Damon, Julia Roberts and Andy Garcia.

Story line: ""Ocean's 11"" is a Steven Soderbergh (""Erin Brokovich"") remake of the Rat Pack film of the same name. Daniel Ocean (Clooney) has just been released from prison, and what's the first thought on his mind? Rob three casinos for $150 million. Working with him on his crew of 11 is a card-shark (Pitt) and a pickpocket (Damon), among other crafty criminals. Using his ex-wife Tess (Roberts) to get to casino owner (Garcia), whom she is dating, Ocean quickly hatches a plan that is guaranteed to go anything but smoothly. But then again, gambling when the odds are in your favor is boring.

Outlook: $150 million alone is probably what it took to pay the salary of the Hollywood hotshots in this film. Roberts seems a little out of her league in this one; she's just not tough enough. It appears, however, that Pitt and Clooney may actually be the only two people with on-screen chemistry. If anything, this movie will serve as eye candy. Where else are you going to find the megawatt grins of Pitt, Roberts and Damon all on one screen?

Dec. 14

""The Royal Tenenbaums""

Who to look for: Gene Hackman, Anjelica Huston, Gwyneth Paltrow, Ben Stiller, Luke Wilson, Bill Murray and Danny Glover.

Story line: The Tenenbaums are a family of geniuses. The children (Paltrow, Stiller and Wilson) who were award-winning playwrites, star tennis players and real-estate moguls before they hit puberty, have been estranged from their father, Royal Tenenbaum (Hackman), for many years. Wanting to reconnect with his family and his wife (Huston), Tenenbaum gives himself a six-week prognosis to live as an excuse to bring the family together.

Outlook: Hackman does excellent comedy (remember his moment in drag in ""The Bird Cage""?), and as Tenenbaum he's definitely going to exercise his talent. It'll be especially entertaining to see how Paltrow carries off as the moody playwrite. Directed by Wes Anderson, who brought us the off-center ""Rushmore,"" ""The Royal Tenenbaums"" could prove to be a quirky winter hit. There's nothing better than a family crazier than your own during the holiday season.

""Vanilla Sky""

Who to look for: Tom Cruise, Cameron Diaz and Penelope Cruz.

Story line: Multitalented director-writer Cameron Crowe has adapted the 1998 Spanish film ""Open Your Eyes"" to bring us a more cutting edge, New York-version of the film. Cruise plays Diaz's lover -- that is, until he meets his soulmate, Cruz, and consequently severs his relationship with the psychotically jealous Diaz (should this have been titled ""Tom and Nicole's Story""?). After surviving a horrendous car crash and subsequently being accused of Diaz's murder, Cruise must somehow make things right.

Outlook: The most interesting thing is that no one really knows what this film is about. Obviously we're dealing with two star-crossed lovers (Cruise and Cruz), but there could be an element of timewarp in addition to Cruise dealing with disfigurement. The trailers really don't reveal much; it's evident that things start out hunky-dory and then get ugly, which leaves this critic pretty skeptical. The only hope is that Crowe's good fortune with his past films will rub off on the entertainment value of this one. Cross your fingers.

Dec. 19

""The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Rings""

Who to look for: Elijah Wood, Liv Tyler, Cate Blanchett and Hugo Weaving.

Story line: The first of a trilogy of films from J.R. Tolkin's novels, ""The Lord of the Rings"" follows Frodo Baggins (Wood), a hobbit who comes into possession of a powerful ring. Baggins' mission, should he choose to accept it, is to travel to the Cracks of Doom and destroy the ancient ring, thus ending the Dark Lord's reign of terror. No easy task, considering the hordes of evil creatures out to stop him. But hey, what's a fairytale without a little adventure?

Outlook: A film to rival the computer graphics of ""Star Wars"" with a plot of its very own. Nevertheless, those who are unfamiliar with the life of Baggins may be unable to tell Legolus the elf from Gimli the dwarf and may ask, ""Who the hell is Galadriel?"" However, the Tolkein faithful should be pleased. With his young gobsmacked look, Wood is perfect as the unlikely warrior, and the rest of the cast looks promising as well. Seeing that audiences are going to be hit with three films over three years, we should probably decide now whether to become ardent Arwen (Tyler) fans or give this hobbit the old heave-ho and save ourselves the trouble.

Dec. 21:

""The Majestic""

Who to look for: Jim Carey, Laurie Holden and Martin Landau.

Story line: Peter Appleton (Carey) is a screenwriter who goes for a car ride in 1951 that results in an accident and his subsequent loss of memory. Saved by a kind old man and taken to the town of Lawson, Appleton is mistaken as a long-lost war hero and so begins his life under a mistaken identity. As he falls in love with Holden's character and discovers the magic of the silver screen at the town's movie theater, The Majestic, Appleton also begins to remember who he was before he arrived in Lawson.

Outlook: Trying to break away from his famous facial contortions, Carey has found himself another ""Truman Show."" While Carey can still charm his audience with comedic timing alone, it may not be enough for an already tried-and-true plot. However, ""The Majestic"" does incorporate the procedings of the House of Un-American Activities Committee into its plot, bringing to the audiences' attention how Hollywood was associated with communism in the '50s.

""How High""

Who to look for: Redman and Method Man.

Story line: Two boys from the hood find themselves in possession of some ""Super Mary Jane,"" and by smoking the fantastic dope, they raise their grades and get accepted to Harvard. Since they only have to smoke themselves senseless to pass their classes, the boys instead split their time getting to know the Harvard honeys and their weed. But when their stash runs dry, so does their luck and so do their grades. To get back on track, they try everything, even smoking the bones of ""dead smart guy"" President John Quincy Adams. Can we say desperate?

Outlook: For crying out loud! What is it with Hollywood and the Harvard cliche? First they send a bum to class (remember Joe Pesci in ""With Honors""?), then a legally not-so-dumb blond and finally some pot heads. At least Harvard can stake a claim to a diverse student body. Whoever decided to let this film get off the ground must have been smokin' some damn good ""Super Mary Jane"" themselves. This one will do anything but get you high.

'Kate and Leopold'

Who to look for: Meg Ryan, Hugh Jackman, Brekin Meyer, Natasha Lyonne and Bradley Whitford.

Story line: Kate (Ryan) and Leopold (Jackman) live separate lives 100 years apart, but when Kate's genius ex-boyfriend discovers a portal that will connect the two centuries, the 21st-century career woman finds a well-mannered nobleman by her side. As Kate and Leopold explore their cross-era love affair, Meyer provides support as Kate's brother with Lyonne as her assistant, Darci. Whitford counterbalances the romantic shenanigans as Kate's boss.

Outlook: While unfortunately not another ""Sleepless in Seattle,"" (although it will try to be) ""Kate and Leopold"" is just one of those romantic comedies that the holiday season cannot do without. Audiences may be disappointed when Jackman doesn't shoot steal claws from his knuckles, but this X-man has gone elegantly legit. Ryan is her old bumbling, spastic self with lots of hair-pulling and eye-rolling. Whitford, however, may turn heads by breaking out of the ""West Wing"" box and onto the big screen.

Dec. 25

""Ali""

Who to look for: Will Smith, Jamie Foxx, Mario Van Peebles, Mykelti Williamson, Jada Pinkett-Smith and Jon Voight.

Story line: Hollywood brings you the life of Mohammed Ali: champion fighter, champion showman and champion with the women. Tied into the plot following the life of The Champ is a look at the lives of African-Americans in the 1950s and '60s. Contributing to the career of Ali (Smith) is Don King (Williamson) and Malcom X (Van Peebles). As we follow Ali through the rise of his career, we realize (if we didn't already know) that he battled not only his opponents, but also public opinion and the Vietnam draft.

Outlook: Smith obviously wanted to fight more than aliens and he wanted to look good while doing it -- maybe even coming out with an Oscar. While ""Ali"" may ""float like a butterfly"" from all the publicity, it probably won't ""sting like a bee."" As Ali romps around the ring and the bedroom, we can't help but wonder how many egos this film helped to fuel. A word of advice, though: If you're interested in a film with some real Ali action, rent the Oscar-winning documentary ""When We Were Kings,"" which chronicles the fight between Ali and George Foreman in the Congo. No actor (and I don't care how much you worked out, Will) can entertain better than The Champ himself when he's doing what he does best.

""The Shipping News""

Who to look for: Kevin Spacey, Judi Dench, Cate Blanchett and Julianne Moore.

Story line: Based on Annie Proulx's Pulitzer Prize-winning novel of the same name, ""The Shipping News"" is a story full of mystery. When Quoyle's (Spacey's) estranged wife (Blanchett) dies, he takes the advice of his aunt (Dench) and returns to his childhood home in Newfoundland. Moving with his two daughters into a dilapidated house during a seemingly perpetual winter, Quoyle embarks on a period of self-discovery. Finding a job as a reporter for the local newspaper, Quoyle quickly begins to discover the layers of mystery around him, including those of the women he is falling in love with (Moore).

Outlook: The cast of ""The Shipping News"" boasts more Oscar nominees and winners than any other movie this winter. Need more be said? How about: ""The Shipping News"" shares the same director as ""Chocolat,"" a visually appealing film in its own right. Plus, with Spacey taking a new approach as a character full of innocence and Blanchett playing a woman caught on the wild side, entertainment is guaranteed. If anything, seeing the snow of Newfoundland will remind us why we all live in San Diego.

Dec. 28

'I am Sam'

Who to look for: Sean Penn and Michelle Pfeiffer.

Story line: Sam (Penn) is a mentally disabled man who loves his daughter Lucy, but when she is taken away from him by authorities who claim that Sam is unfit to care for her, Sam's life seems ready to fall apart. That is, until he finds himself a good lawyer (Pfeiffer) who is willing to take on his case and help him bring back his daughter who, when she turns eight, will have a mental capacity greater than that of her father.

Outlook: While the story is compelling, the execution reeks of Hollywood schmaltz. The characters, even Penn, are too glossy and too beautiful for a story that needs to be much grittier. Pfeiffer is her gorgeous self and it's hard to tell whether she falls in love with Lucy or Sam. Needless to say, this is the movie that's meant to yank our heartstrings, and at the dawn of 2002, make us thankful for our not-so-Hollywood lives.

""Novocaine"" has something for everyone: sex, drugs, murder and Steve Martin. Take your pick, this film covers every base.

Co-starring Helena Bonham Carter, Laura Dern, Elias Koteas, Scott Kaan and a cameo role by Kevin Bacon, the credits for ""Novocaine"" could have read: List of actors unlikely to ever join each other on screen. An unlikely cast was all too necessary for this indie film that places itself in the crime/ mystery/ thriller/ drama category.

Visually, the film presents the viewer with stark scenes of death set to the narration of the seemingly normal dentist Frank Sangster (Martin). Sangster's life philosophy is spelled out as he narrates the story of his own descent from the perfect life that he unconsciously never wanted. The realization of his true desires comes to life with the appearance of Susan Ivy (Helena Carter). The movie's tag line, ""Crime is not only done by criminals,"" along with Sangster's central belief, ""The worst thing a man can lose in life are his teeth,"" give some idea of what this film is all about.

There are probably only about five minutes in the entire film when Martin is not on screen. This grows somewhat tiresome for all but the biggest of Martin fans. A more intricate sub-plot to draw the viewer away from the world of Steve Martin could have complemented the film.

The film seems to have a definite turning point where it turns from comedic to extremely dark. It is possible for someone to love the first half of the film and hate the later half. A more gradual progression from comedic to macabre could have helped.

Carter plays essentially the same character she played in ""Fight Club,"" and tones of that entire film run throughout ""Novocaine."" If Martin had played Edward Norton's ""Fight Club"" role, the two films would have been inappropriately similar.

The film suffers most severely from trying to do too much. Trying to fit more appropriately into one genre would have done the movie better than its attempt to provide something for everyone. It could have survived as a comedy or as a dark film, but in trying to impersonate both, the film leaves the viewer muddled.

Everyone on the screen gives enjoyable performances, but that does not save the film from seeming unfocused.

What the film does offer is an interesting Freudian look at the simple desires of a simple man. Sangster's dentist-twisted look on his own life provides some of the film's best lines.

Though watching ""Novocaine"" wasn't as painful as pulling teeth, it did leave my cavities of enjoyment unfilled.

3 stars

in theaters Nov. 16

""Little Women"" is a sentimental-film favorite. Among the five film versions, director George Cukor's 1933 rendition (the first in sound) has been called the ""definitive"" version for Katherine Hepburn's precise characterization as protagonist Jo March. Although a bit melodramatic, ""Little Women"" deserves its place among the classics being introduced into DVD format. Unfortunately, the DVD boasts meager special features, making it only slightly preferable to the video version.

Based on Louisa May Alcott's beloved Civil War-era novel, the story records the joys and hardships of the four March girls as they mature into ""little women."" There is serious and petulant Meg (Frances Dee), vain but charming Amy (Joan Bennet) and shy and saintly Beth (Jean Parker). The movie, however, centers on Jo, the vivacious tomboy with literary aspirations. The movie follows Jo as she pursues her own unique path yet stays connected to her family and friends, dealing with sickness, death, romance and dreams deferred in their own turn.

The DVD's benefits are mostly in the film itself. The film is preserved in the original widescreen film ratio, unlike VHS. If you look for it, you can see scratches and blips, but overall, the digital sound and crisp picture quality preserve the immediacy and timelessness of the tale. The snow and forest scenes are especially vivid -- you can almost touch the snow. One thing that doesn't change, unfortunately, is the still-tinny sound quality that makes the girls' incessant squeals a bit too high-pitched for comfort.

For special features, the DVD has little extra to offer, but it's decent and has a quaint interface to match the film. There's only one language track, but subtitles in six languages. There are notes and pictures on the Hepburn/Cukor collaboration and a list of awards, but no Academy Awards clips or any interviews are included -- a bit surprising for the ""definitive"" version as the DVD's back cover proclaims.

The most interesting thing besides the trailer is music director Max Steiner's scoring session music cues, including two alternate track takes. Only true fans will listen to every track, however, for although the music is good, there aren't any truly memorable themes. The most annoying aspect is that the theme music starts from the beginning every time you return to the main menu. Still, the DVD makes the best of its special features.

In short, it is welcome to finally have the heart-warming ""Little Women"" on DVD, but unless you are a die-hard fan, it is advisable to wait for a bargain before buying it.

*** Three Stars

Tori Amos will be wrapping up her 29-show tour at San Diego's Copley Symphony Hall on Tuesday, Nov. 20. The tour began in Palm Beach in late September shortly after the release of Tori's sixth studio album, ""Strange Little Girls."" This will be Amos' first tour without her band. She performs with only a piano for the first time since 1994.

With classical piano training from the Peabody Conservatory at the age of five, a stage, a piano and her eerily haunting voice are all Amos needs.

Never one for conformity, Amos is known for pushing the envelope. Her songs address such controversial themes as religion, sexual repression, freedom of expression, rape and sexual abuse.

Her most recent album consists of covers of a selection of songs written by male musicians, which Amos sings from a female perspective. Some of the material on the album includes songs by Eminem, Neil Young, The Beatles and many others.

Written shortly after the birth of her daughter last September, the album seeks to create a voice for women who have previously been denied one. Amos strikes a blow against the patriarchal values that she believes have undermined female self-assertion long enough.

Amos states, ""There's an anti-freedom movement that's been growing up and you're lying to yourself if you don't want to look at it. It can be dressed up in tattoos and piercings and look really bitchin', but if you strip it back, 'power' in America often means having power over somebody else.""

While a few of the songs on tour will be from the new album, there should also be a lot of older material. Some songs from her set will come from as far back as her 1992 release, ""Little Earthquakes.""

Amos is expected to give something different to every city that she is in. She decides what she's going to do by judging the vibe of the audience that night. Let's hope San Diego gives off a good vibe that evening.

It is not often that so many heroes of the punk-rock scene take the stage in the same night, but Saturday night will be one of those rare instances. Any fan of punk rock will be there and anyone who knows nothing about punk rock should consider the Nov. 17 show at Cox Arena a crash course in punk-rock history.

Forty years of combined experience takes the stage as Pennywise, Face to Face, No Use For a Name, and Guttermouth all rock the same roof on the same night.

Punk rock has enjoyed a strange status level for the past 15 years. It has never ruled the airwaves, but at the same time it has never gone away. While the biggest alternative rock bands come and go amidst drug addiction and record contract quarrels, it seems the very biggest names in punk rock now are the same as they were a decade ago.

What is it that gives punk-rock music, and punk-rock bands in particular, such staying power among those who live outside of the boundaries of the popular media? These bands believe in the music and so do their fans. Such devotion is difficult to understand for those who have never heard the music or stood in the middle of a pit only to be bloodied by someone who holds the idea of the music in the same high regard.

Aggression, sweat, blood and confusion -- a true punk-rock band provides a little of all of these and for the past decade, none has done so better than Pennywise. You need not look far to understand why these guys are still around.

""Our music exists solely to inspire people,"" states lead singer of Pennywise Jim Lindberg. ""We want people to hear our music and feel empowered by it.""

Five different sounds, one simple philosophy: Punk rock is power. Saturday promises to bring to the stage everything that has made punk rock what it is. Whether one attends to be reminded or learn for the first time, the show should be unforgettable.