Mel Gibson plays a former priest who lost his faith after his wife was killed in a freak car accident. Six months later, he discovers a gigantic crop circle in his yard, similar events happen all over the world. Graham’s children think it’s aliens, his brother thinks it’s pranksters, and Graham doesn’t know what to think. The crop circles cause a media frenzy and test Hess’s faith as he journeys to find out the truth behind the crop circles. However, as more and more strange events occur, he regains his faith and realizes something big is coming, and it’s probably not going to be friendly. Written by George

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Remember the good old days of 2003 when audiences had the choice of the shiny, happy “Elf” or the distinctly darker comedy, “Bad Santa?” Oh, if only one of those two holiday films had been released in 2004… But no, this year’s servings of holiday treats, including “Christmas with the Kranks,” have all the appeal of week-old, dried out turkey.

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If “The Passion of the Christ” didn’t have the backing of a Hollywood player such as Mel Gibson, it’s extremely likely this movie would have been shown in a handful of art house theaters or gone straight to video. With someone as powerful and connected as Gibson behind it, “The Passion of The Christ” is finding wide release throughout the United States, with some theaters showing the film on multiple screens, and many showings bought out well in advance.

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Eddie Hawkins, called Hudson Hawk has just been released from ten years of prison and is planning to spend the rest of his life honestly. But then the crazy Mayflower couple blackmail him to steal some of the works of Leonardo da Vinci. If he refuses, they threaten to kill his friend Tommy. Written by Harald Mayr {marvin@bike.augusta.de}

When Pete (Eldard), one of five friends who share an Iowa house, invites Zack (Paxton), a man who gave him a lift home in for supper, the night turns suddenly sour when Zack irrationally attacks Pete, but is killed by the other friends. After this episode, the friends suggest that, having ridden the world of one bad person, they should continue to do the same thing every Sunday night at supper. Written by Jonathan Broxton {j.w.broxton@sheffield.ac.uk}

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AXIS, a gigantic coiling plant, stretches high above the clouds… At its center is a village whose people are in mortal danger because Axis is withering… it’s sap is drying up. The people beg their gods for help… but to no avail. Compelled by a mysterious force, Kaena, a rebellious, high-spirited teenage girl will defy the High Priest and her people’s ancestral beliefs to take the perilous journey through the Axis and discover what dark secrets lie beyond the clouds… A dying world, an evil force, a terrible secret… Written by Aline

“Million Dollar Baby” was a last minute addition to the list of 2004 Oscar contenders. In fact, Clint Eastwood’s critically acclaimed boxing drama was so late upon the scene that when brought up in conversation as a possible Best Picture nominee back in early December, the response usually was something along the lines of, “Clint Eastwood has a new movie?”

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In 1412, a young girl called Jeanne is born in Domrémy, France. The times are hard: The Hunderd Years war with England has been going on since 1337, English knights and soldiers roam the country. Jeanne develops into a very religious young woman, she confesses several times a day. At the age of 13, she has her first vision and finds a sword. When coming home with it, she finds the English leveling her home town. Years after that, in 1428, she knows her mission is to be ridding France of the English and so sets out to meet Charles, the Dauphin. In his desperate military situation, he welcomes all help and gives the maiden a chance to prove her divine mission. After the successful liberation of Orléans and Reims, the Dauphin can be crowned traditionally in the cathedral of Reims - and does not need her anymore, since his wishes are satisfied. Jeanne d’Arc gets set up in his trap and is imprisoned by the Burgundians. In a trial against her under English law, she can’t be forced to tell about her divine visions she has had continuously since childhood. Being condemned of witchcraft and being considered as relapsed heretic, she is sentenced to death. Jeanne d’Arc is burnt alive in the marketplace of Rouen on May 30th, 1431, at only 19 years of age. Written by Julian Reischl {julianreischl@mac.com}

“Houses don’t kill people. People kill people.” That’s as deep as this 2005 version of “The Amityville Horror” gets. But then again, I don’t know a single person who goes to an American horror movie and expects deep, philosophical entertainment. Studios understand that and anything that’s even slightly intellectual is yanked out of the horror genre and labeled a thriller. And this isn’t a thriller by any stretch of the imagination. This new, reworked, revamped “Amityville Horror” is a full-on horror flick with character development taking a back seat to ghosts and other things that go bump in the night (at 3:15am to be exact).

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Moisés Kaufman and members of New York’s Tectonic Theater Project went to Laramie, Wyoming after the murder of Matthew Shepard. This is a film version of the play they wrote based on more than 200 interviews they conducted in Laramie. It follows and in some cases re-enacts the chronology of Shepherd’s visit to a local bar, his kidnap and beating, the discovery of him tied to a fence, the vigil at the hospital, his death and funeral, and the trial of his killers. It mixes real news reports with actors portraying friends, family, cops, killers, and other Laramie residents in their own words. It concludes with a Laramie staging of “Angels in America” a year after Shephard’s death. Written by {jhailey@hotmail.com}