“Down with Love” (2003) Director: Peyton Reed Starring: Renée Zellweger, Ewan McGregor, Sarah Paulson, David Hyde Pierce Rating: (5/5)

McGregor’s same-year performance in “Big Fish” met with such critical acclaim that it was easy to overlook the smaller production that was “Down with Love,” but he and Zellweger absolutely shine here. Equally adept at the most serious of drama and the quirkiest of comedy, the pair brings depth and enjoyment to the screen in a way reminiscent of Rock Hudson and Doris Day.

Set in the 60s, “Down with Love” is a story of a womanizing journalist, Catcher Block (McGregor), and the author of a soon-to-be-published “how to” book, Barbara Novak (Zellweger), who has devised a way for women to have sex “a la carte,” without emotional attachments. When Novak’s book is published, Block is assigned to write a cover story on the author—but he is too busy bopping every flight attendant he meets to actually make it to a meeting with Novak. However, when Down with Love becomes an astronomical success, Block can no longer get near Novak and has to get creative to get her story.

The plot is masterful; it manages to twist and turn in a way most contemporary thrillers should note, yet remains light and playful throughout. The art direction and cinematography are superb; “Down with Love” captures the colorful, happy 1960s America with a nostalgic sentimentality, gently poking fun at the women’s movement without judgment.

Superb performances complete this rare treat. McGregor’s natural charm helps create a character that is both obnoxious and appealing. Zellweger fans may remember her similarly comedic performance in the unexpectedly charming “Nurse Betty” (2000)—she is equally dizzy as Barbara Novak… or is she? David Hyde Pierce (television’s Frasier) is phenomenally neurotic as Catcher’s boss and best friend. All in all, this flick is among the best recent installments in the “light entertainment” category. —J.D-P.

“Gothika” (2003) Director: Mathieu Kassovitz Starring: Halle Berry, Charles Dutton, Penélope Cruz, Charles Dutton, Robert Downey Jr. Rating: (3/5)

Imprisoned for a murder she can’t remember committing, Halle’s character must solve the mystery from behind bars. If only her part were better written… The plot just doesn’t make it; about two-thirds into the film, you realize that whatever surprising, novel turn you had been waiting for simply is not coming. The “vengeful ghost” premise is tired enough, and “Gothika,” while taking a slightly different approach to this general concept, fails to make it any more entertaining than the run-of-the-mill possession stories that grace the early morning hours of cable television. Worse yet, the movie poses some interesting psychological and spiritual questions, but doesn’t bother to actually address any of them in its over two hours of time.

And there is more. Robert Downey Jr. is billed alongside Berry on all “Gothika”-related promotions, yet his character’s on-screen time is nearly as short as Jack Nicholson’s famed five minutes in “A Few Good Men” (1992)—and nowhere near as remarkable. If anything, it makes one wonder as to the point of casting a veteran in a role that doesn’t require any skill. Much the same can be said of Penelope Cruz’s character in terms of impact; while we get to see more of Cruz’s pretty face, the script doesn’t really require her to do much acting—all of which leaves Berry holding the bag alone, and as hard as she tries, “Monster’s Ball” convincing she is not. —J.D-P.

“The Haunted Mansion” (2003) Director: Rob Minkoff Starring: Eddie Murphy, Terence Stamp, Nathaniel Parker, Marsha Thomason, Jennifer Tilly Rating: (1/5)

Yet “The Haunted Mansion” is a complete and total miss. The movie is based on an amusement park ride, similar to the same year’s “Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl,” which pulled off this concept much more successfully. “The Haunted Mansion” sports beautiful sets and equally impressive visual effects but gets stuck in the general vicinity of eye candy due to a poorly crafted plot and sub-par acting.

Instead of taking the family on a promised outing, realtor Jim Evers (Murphy) drags his neglected wife Sarah (Thomason) and two children to an historic manor in the hopes of a huge real estate commission. There, the gang discovers evidence of a long-ago tragedy and must find the answers while contending with the host’s unhealthy affection for the mother, the butler’s (Stamp) obviously shady motives, and a sizeable quantity of otherworldly beings like ghosts, talking crystal ball heads and singing statues. As the movie progresses toward the formulaic ending, all relationship problems are resolved with speed and efficiency that would make the family therapist profession obsolete.

The attempt at fairy tale romance is quite sad, mainly because Marsha Thomason fails to take a step in a believable fashion—much less carry the lead, as this script would have her do by focusing mainly on the character of the wife. Murphy’s antics are unobjectionable but diminished by the annoying children characters and plot twists that couldn’t surprise a five-year-old. Regrettably, the considerable abilities of Terence Stamp and Jennifer Tilly are plain wasted on characters written without depth. Move along, ladies and gentlemen—there is nothing to see here, unless you are interested in the sets. —J.D-P.

“The Medallion” (2003) Director: Gordon Chan Starring: Jackie Chan, Lee Evans, Claire Forlani, Julian Sands Rating: (2/5)

Stunningly beautiful and successful British women in their early thirties routinely fall for aging Chinese men who are barely conversant in English. If that sentiment rings true, you might actually like “The Medallion,” which pairs the usually more appropriately cast Jackie Chan with Claire Forlani (“Meet Joe Black,” 1998)—and that’s not even the bad news.

If it were better written, the plot could have been plausible in a mystical, childhood fairy tail kind of way. Eddie (Chan) is a Hong Kong cop who has a fatal accident but is resurrected and endowed with superhuman powers with the help of a mysterious medallion. Together with Interpol agent and former fling Nicole (Forlani), Eddie must protect the medallion from those who’d misuse its powers. Unfortunately, the “good vs. evil” formula is supported by painfully dull dialogue and predictable yet illogical plot twists, losing all of its potential appeal in the process.

Chan fans will be disappointed to see their hero showing signs of aging by moving away from his trademark—fighting scenes made unique by Chan doing all of his own stunt work—towards ubiquitous use of digital effects. While competently executed, “The Medallion” feels like a video game, instantly becoming passé—after “The Matrix,” its sequels, and the herd of wannabes that followed, it’s rather hard to wow today’s audiences with spiffy graphics alone. Further, Chan doesn’t possess the appeal of a macho action hero; he’s more of a good-natured family entertainer who comes across as out of place in both digital and romantic environments. His comedic partnerships with the likes of Owen Wilson (“Shanghai Noon,” “Shanghai Knights,” 2000 and 2003) and Jennifer Love Hewitt (“The Tuxedo,” 2002) have been much more successful.