OPENING THIS WEEK:

ANITA O’DAY: THE LIFE OF A JAZZ SINGER—Documentary about—well, the title pretty much says it all. Directed by Ian McCrudden (Mr. Smith Gets a Hustler). Eastern Hills

DELGO—Animated story set in a fantasy kingdom where a Romeo and Juliet type romance stirs trouble. With the voices of Freddie Prinze, Jr., Jennifer Love Hewitt, Anne Bancroft, Eric Idle, Chris Kattan, and Val Kilmer. Directed by Marc F. Adler. Flix, Regal Elmwood. Regal Hollywood, Regal Quaker, Regal Transit, Regal Walden Galleria

MILK—Sean Penn as Harvey Milk, San Francisco’s first openly gay officeholder, who was murdered along with the city’s mayor in 1977. With Josh Brolin, Emile Hirsch, and James Franco. Directed by Gus van Sant (Good Will Hunting). Reviewed this issue. Amherst

NOTHING LIKE THE HOLIDAYS—Trouble and laughs among the members of an extended Latino family in Chicago reunited for Christmas. Starring Freddy Rodriguez, John Leguizamo, Debra Messing, Alfred Molina, Elizabeth Peña and Jay Hernandez. Directed by Alfredo de Villa (Adrift in Manhattan). Flix, Regal Elmwood. Regal Hollywood, Regal Quaker, Regal Transit, Regal Walden Galleria

THE DAY THE EARTH STOOD STILL—Remake of the 1951 sci-fi classic, with Keanu Reeves as the visitor from space who comes to warn mankind away from their violent ways. Can I be the first to say, “Klaatu barada nikto, dude!”? Nah, probably not. Jennifer Connelly, Jon Hamm, John Cleese, and Kathy Bates. Directed by Scott Derrickson (The Exorcism of Emily Rose) Reviewed this issue. Flix, Maple Ridge, Market Arcade, Regal Elmwood. Regal Hollywood, Regal Quaker, Regal Transit, Regal Walden Galleria

THE DUKES—Character actor Robert Davi wrote, directed, and co-stars as a member of a doo-wop group who turns to crime. With Chazz Palminteri, Peter Bogdanovich, Frank D’Amico, and Elya Baskin. Regal Quaker

ETC:

BLACK CHRISTMAS (1974)—An early film from Bob Clark, the director of A Christmas Story, from which it couldn’t be more different. Also known as Silent Night Evil Night, his proto slasher movie (minus the silly gore) is an effective little chiller in the style of Halloween (which it predates by a few years). With Olivia Hussey, Keir Dullea, Margot Kidder, John Saxon, and Andrea Martin. Fri 9pm. The Screening Room, Northtown Plaza in Century Mall, 3131 Sheridan Drive, Amherst (837-0376).

SANTA CLAUS CONQUERS THE MARTIANS (1964)—An object lesson in being careful about what you let your kids watch, because they’ll grow up being nostalgic for it, just as far too many people from my generation have warm memories of this godawful no-budget holiday movie. A camp classic even before we realized that the nine-year-old actress playing Martian child Girmar was the one and only Pia Zadora. Fri 7:15pm. The Screening Room, Northtown Plaza in the Century Mall, 3131 Sheridan Drive, Amherst (837-0376).

VERTIGO (1958— Guilt ridden over the death of a policeman and a woman he was hired to watch, James Stewart falls madly (literally) in love with a shopgirl who resembles the dead woman in one of Alfred Hitchcock’s most critically admired films. Sat midnight, Sun 4pm. Hamburg Palace Theatre, 31 Buffalo St, Hamburg (649-2295 / www.hamburgpalace.com).

BREAKFAST WITH SCOT—Canadian comedy-drama about a Toronto gay couple who keep their relationship secret for professional reasons, until their unwilling adoption of a flamboyant 11-year-old threatens to publicly “out” them. Starring Tom Cavanagh, Ben Shenkman and Noah Bernett. Directed by Laurie Lynd. Fri 7pm. Albright-Knox Art Gallery, 1285 Elmwood Avenue (882-8700) / www.albrightknox.org).