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Lately, love is a much-maligned thing, from thick, syrupy assurances that love means misery—A Lot Like Love, Love, Actually, Down With Love—to Closer's conviction that everyone is a louse. Steve Martin's Shopgirl is similarly unsplendored, though it is easy on the eyes. With Claire Danes in classic clothes, glistening in a Los Angeles that will surprise everyone but those who live here, it is more style than substance.

Few paid to watch someone else play a video game over the weekend, and fewer were interested in a hyper-precocious girl and her horse and a beautiful actress in another de-glamorized role. Dwayne JohnsonArnold SchwarzeneggerKurt RussellDakota FanningCharlize Theron

Vanity vehicle North Country gives Charlize Theron a chance to huff and puff as a working stiff—unglamorous, again—and she's fine. This tiring showcase is not without value, notably performances by Sean Bean, Linda Emond and Sissy Spacek, and its scattered thoughts on sexual harassment, child psychology and human resources are interesting as disjointed pieces.

Charged by another good performance by affable Kurt Russell, Dreamer: Inspired by a True Story trots without much purpose until it crosses the finish line, which it does, barely. Writer and director John Gatins, who wrote the rousing basketball winner, Coach Carter, uses a similarly self-reliant theme—complete with a cameo by The White Shadow coach, Ken Howard—but the track is muddier than the court. This movie is a sloppy ride.

Burbank, California—Like his movies, including this year's box office hit, Batman Begins (available this week on DVD), writer and director Christopher Nolan's office at Warner Bros. is entirely functional: a desk, chair and sofa surrounded by exotic Batman paraphernalia. During a recent interview, the British native, who has successfully reimagined the studio's lucrative Batman franchise, is forceful, confident and intellectual. Michael CaineKatie HolmesSean ConneryMorgan FreemanTim BurtonAl PacinoGary OldmanLiam NeesonMarlon BrandoChristopher Nolan

Fueled by an impressive start in its native United Kingdom, Wallace and Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit dominated the foreign box office over the weekend with a $20.8 million haul, lifting its total to $40 million. Jodie Foster

The weekend's top-grossing picture, The Fog, couldn't muster much bluster, and overall business was down ten percent from the comparable weekend in 2004 when Shark Tale dominated in its third outing. Indifference to the new releases, including Elizabethtown and Domino, was expected—after an up September, recent box office has suffered from a glut of unappealing new movies. John CarpenterCameron CroweOrlando BloomKirsten DunstTom CruiseTony ScottKeira KnightleyGeorge Clooney

Burbank, California—If you thought Janet Jackson's Super Bowl nipple flash launched a religious revival in Washington, wait until the government gets hold of the movies. Conservative Congressman Mike Pence (R, IN) slipped a provision imposing restrictions on motion pictures into the Republican government's latest sex crime bill, according to The Hollywood Reporter's Brooks Boliek.

Wallace and Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit knocked off the four-week reigning champion, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, at the foreign box office over the weekend. Led by the United Kingdom's strong $5 million in paid previews, the clay-animated feature produced $9.2 million from 13 countries.

Literally having feet of clay couldn't stop Wallace and Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit from catching the top spot in its super-saturated release, while The Gospel preached to a sizable choir at about a quarter of the theaters. Star vehicles In Her Shoes and Two for the Money were met with indifference, and Serenity lost nearly half its audience. Cameron DiazAl PacinoGeorge ClooneyJodie Foster

There are exactly two reasons to see the plodding Loggerheads, and they're both wonderful actresses who deserve good roles: Tess Harper (Tender Mercies) and Bonnie Hunt (Jumanji). Unfortunately, their tidy work doesn't lift this gay-themed movie, written and directed by Tim Kirkman, above itself.

Burbank, California—Another star, another purported paparazzi chase, another car crash. How long before another tragic death? Though the Los Angeles County Sheriff insists photographers played no role in this week's Lindsay Lohan automobile accident, which recalls the actress' May incident in which police say a photographer rammed her vehicle, eyewitnesses claim that the stalkerazzi had been following the teenage actress. Witnesses told the Los Angeles Times that, seconds after Lohan's Mercedes broadsided a van, inflating the car's airbags, paparazzi were taking pictures, which puts them in hot pursuit. Lohan and a passenger were hospitalized for minor injuries. Reese WitherspoonArnold SchwarzeneggerGeorge ClooneyCameron CroweOrlando BloomKirsten Dunst

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory led the foreign box office once again over a quiet weekend. The only stand out came from Spain, where the local comedy, Torrente 3: El protector, smashed all debut records with Euros 7.2 million ($8.7 million) from 465 screens, surpassing Star Wars: Episode III—Revenge of the Sith's Euros 6.14 million. Tim BurtonJodie FosterRussell Crowe

With sharp yet safe adult humor, Wallace and Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit offers a satisfying titch of creator and stop-motion animator Nick Park's dry, light humor. DreamWorks largely leaves Park, who co-created the charming Chicken Run, alone in his popular characters' first feature outing. The benefits, even for the uninitiated like me, are a Saturday morning cartoon-ish delight made in clay.

The box office reception for Serenity, riding a heap of hype and a devoted fan following, was decidedly calm. Flightplan boarded the top spot by default with $14.8 million, leading overall business to be down 22 percent compared to the analogous frame in 2004 when Shark Tale and Ladder 49 opened. Jessica Alba

Burbank, California—Congratulations to Robert Iger, who takes the lead to run the great Walt Disney Company—Iger's only the sixth man to do so, following Michael Eisner—and cheers to his restoration of what was once America's most magical motion picture company. Walt Disney was a genius—Mr. Eisner had his day, too, especially early on—and if low-key Iger merely polishes and protects what Mr. Disney created, his stewardship will put recent troubles in the past. Julia RobertsGarry MarshallBette Midler

Affection for Joss Whedon's Serenity characters is well-deserved, though the spin-off of the writer's television series, Firefly, a quasi-Western science fiction series that clicked in some quarters, is more episodic (and cacophonous) than cinematic. Buckle up and enjoy the ride—but bring the earplugs.

Somebody ought to write a part for actress Lee Grant, who adds spice to almost every character, from In the Heat of the Night's widow to the judge in Defending Your Life. However, when Miss Grant gets to Going Shopping as a deranged grandmother, she sinks beneath her talents. Writer and director Henry Jaglom's tale of a multi-generational retail family is as much fun as a picked-over garage sale.

A strong launch in Italy was enough to send Charlie and the Chocolate Factory past the $200 million mark and remain No. 1 at the foreign box office. After a $13.8 million weekend from 52 markets, the picture jumped to $201.1 million—the sixth movie of the year to reach that milestone. Tim BurtonRussell CroweJodie Foster

One of the season's best pictures, The Prize Winner of Defiance, Ohio ought to be seen by anyone either struggling through, or bracing for, hard times. Putting a subtle touch on a classic American archetype—the industrious suburban housewife—writer and director Jane Anderson practically makes you want to clip coupons.