Weekend ending Sunday, Dec. 15:

1. Maid in Manhattan

(Columbia, PG-13) Director: Wayne Wang. Jennifer Lopez, Ralph Fiennes, Tyler Posey.

Take One: Updated Cinderella romantic comedy stars Fiennes as a wealthy politician who mistakes single-mother Lopez for a wealthy guest at the hotel where she works as a maid.

Take Two: Fairy-tale formula gives way to modern mores when the ballroom scene gives way to a bedroom scene.

It's unclear whether Lopez was ever married to her son's worthless father.

Final Take: Agreeably diverting viewing for most of its length, though after the magic runs out at midnight the movie meanders through an autopilot resolution that lacks a glass slipper.

2. Star Trek: Nemesis

(Paramount, PG-13). Director: Stuart Baird. Patrick Stewart, Brent Spiner, Tom Hardy.

Take One: The “Next Gen” crew returns after four years in a tightly plotted movie that includes a crew wedding, Shakespearean double sets of twins, a great starship dogfight and Romulan intrigue.

Take Two: Non-Trekkers may find the setup a little dense. And with intense sci-fi action and a brief scene of newlyweds in bed (no nudity) that takes a disturbing turn, it's not for young fans.

Final Take: Better than Generations or Insurrection, Nemesis is rivaled only by First Contact as the best “Next Gen” Trek movie and is definitely worthwhile for fans. (See Spotlight below)

3. Drumline (20th Century Fox, PG-13). Director: Charles Stone. Nick Cannon, Zoe Saldana, Orlando Jones.

Take One: Rhythm and half-time showmanship drive a good-natured story about a talented but self-aggrandizing drummer who has to learn to be a team player instead of a showboater.

Take Two: The story is formulaic and cliched and, while relatively wholesome for an urban comedy, includes some ribald dialogue.

Final Take: Marching-band esprit de corps and a rousing finale make Drumline a modest crowd-pleaser despite some drawbacks.

4. Die Another Day (MGM, PG-13). Director: Lee Tamahori. Pierce Brosnan, Halle Berry, Toby Stephens, Rosamund Pike.

Take One: After a three-year hiatus, Agent 007 returns for his 20th official outing, with numerous homages to earlier entries, a bravura swordfight and Oscar-winner Berry as a liberated Bond girl.

Take Two: Always problematic for James Bond's cartoonish womanizing, the series has traditionally been more discreet than one bold scene here. The double-entendres are lame rather than lascivious; the stylized violence is typical.

Final Take: Neither an overall high point nor a low point for the durable franchise, Bond's 20th is part thrills, part shrugs, with some impressive set pieces and a dragging final act.

5.Treasure Plane (Disney, PG). David Hyde Pierce, Emma Thompson. Take One: Treasure Island meets Star Wars in this visually lavish reimagining of Stevenson's tale, featuring space-faring galleons and aliens in 18th-century attire.

Take Two: The action may be too intense for the youngest kids; the plot's a mite predictable for grownups. A few plot holes and an overlong denouement are also flaws.

Final Take: Literary purists may balk, but this dazzling and exciting yarn works well enough on its own terms. And, despite another absentee Disney father, the ultimate message is pro-family.