I knew, when I began this project of documenting the finest films of the sound era, that the decade I would find most difficult was the first of the new millennium. It's not a problem of quantity or quality - there have been many great movies released in the past several years - but of distance.

JUST OUT: The Haunted Mansion and Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World

JUST OUT: Brother Bear, House of Sand and Fog and The Texas Chainsaw Massacre

Movies are listed with theater locations through Wednesday. Listings subject to change. Call theaters for times. For an online movie guide, see augustachronicle.com/movies.

LOS ANGELES -- The Academy Awards return to full-glamour mode Sunday after two years in which Hollywood's prom night was muted by world events - the aftermath of the Sept. 11 attacks in 2002 and the Iraq war in 2003.

The 2003 Academy Awards race has been marked with strong showings by grand (Lord of the Rings, Master and Commander) and the grim (Mystic River, House of Sand and Fog, Monster) with a few oddball eccentrics (Lost in Translation, Pirates of the Caribbean) thrown in for good measure.

You can never count out surprises at the Academy Awards, but this season is shaping up as fairly predictable. Associated Press movie reviewers David Germain and Christy Lemire, much to their chagrin, agree on many predictions for the top Oscar categories:

LOS ANGELES -- Mel Gibson is adding 800 theaters to the debut of his controversial Crucifixion drama, "The Passion of the Christ," next Wednesday.

LOS ANGELES -- Catherine Zeta-Jones has joined Julia Roberts in the cast of "Ocean's Twelve."

LONDON -- Jack Nicholson said Monday he can see some of himself in his role in the romantic comedy "Something's Gotta Give" - an older man with a penchant for younger women.