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[CHRISTMAS WISH] Irish political films, boxing dramas are critical faves
[NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTION] Say RIP for I.R.A.; Some Mother's Son, Michael Collins were no-go at B.O.
[TITLE] GREAT EXPECTATIONS
[OPENS] Dec. 31
[PLAYERS] Gwyneth Paltrow, Ethan Hawke; dir. Alfonso Cuaron
[IN A PHRASE] Gives Dickens an MTV makeover
[CHRISTMAS WISH] Hey, if it worked for Shakespeare...
[NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTION] See the 1946 David Lean version again; it really was unimprovable, wasn't it?
[TITLE] OSCAR AND LUCINDA
[OPENS] Dec. 31
[PLAYERS] Ralph Fiennes; dir. Gillian Armstrong (Little Women)
[IN A PHRASE] Love story from Peter Carey's prize novel
[CHRISTMAS WISH] Ralph + exotic amour = The English Patient
[NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTION] Repeat after me: English Patient was a fluke...English Patient was a fluke...