By MICHAEL BOYLAN
Weekend Editor

The kids have torn through all of their gifts underneath the tree and the big meal is long over. It is still very early in the day and it is not like you can go back to bed just yet, so why not go to the movies?

It is a tradition that seems to grow each year. More and more movie studios are releasing films on or around Christmas to get the post-Christmas celebrators in the audience. There are five movies scheduled for release on Christmas Day, which is on a Saturday this year. Strange, because most movies open Wednesday or Friday.

Another reason for the seasonal release is that to be considered for Academy Award nominations films must be in a certain number of theaters on or before Christmas Day.

The five films scheduled to be released this Saturday are “Galaxy Quest,” “The Talented Mr. Ripley,” “Snow Falling on Cedars,” “Magnolia” and “Any Given Sunday.” They seem to offer something for everybody in the family and look to make huge pushes at the upcoming awards ceremonies.

“Galaxy Quest” is the story of a group of actors that played space explorers on a hokey television show. A race of people from a distant planet see their show and think that they are real heros. They send for them to come to their planet and rescue them from an evil presence. It kind of sounds like “Three Amigos in Space,” and “Three Amigos” wasn't a terrible film. “Galaxy Quest” stars Tim Allen and Sigourney Weaver and is rated PG.

“The Talented Mr. Ripley” features one of the most talented writer/directors and some of the hottest talent in Hollywood. Anthony Minghella, director of “The English Patient,” directs this tale of a young man who is sent to Italy to retrieve a wealthy man's playboy son. Once there, Ripley becomes envious of the son and his girlfriend.

This is a fairly dark piece and Mr. Ripley's talents are neither legal nor moral. The film looks every bit as lush and detailed as “The English Patient” and the performances should be nothing short of excellent. “The Talented Mr. Ripley” is rated R.

“Snow Falling on Cedars” is based on a book of the same name and stars Ethan Hawke. His ex-lover is falsely accused of a crime and it is up to Hawke, a journalist, to save him, despite being bitter and still very much in love with the girl. Hawke is great when his characters are tortured and in love. “Snow Falling on Cedars” is rated PG-13.

“Magnolia” is the third film from Paul Thomas Anderson, the writer and director of “Boogie Nights.” Much like an Altman film, “Magnolia” focuses on 11 people and the circumstances that bring them together. The cast is stellar; Julianne Moore, Jason Robards, Phillip Seymour Hoffman and Tom Cruise head the cast in what is being hailed as Anderson's masterpiece. High praise considering “Boogie Nights” was an excellent film in its own right. “Magnolia” is rated R.

“Any Given Sunday” is the latest film from Oliver Stone. It deals with a fictional professional football team and their coach. When their veteran quarterback goes down, the backup takes the field and the league by storm. The team goes topsy-turvy and it is up to Pacino to lead the team to glory. The buzz is that Stone is finally back making hard-hitting, high quality films and that Pacino hasn't been this good since the late 1970s. “Any Given Sunday” is rated R.

Two other films that should be quite good are “Man on the Moon,” the new Jim Carrey film, and “The Cider House Rules,” based on John Irving's best seller.

“Man on the Moon” is the story of the life of Andy Kaufman. The film is directed by the same team who made “The People Vs. Larry Flynt” and lovingly recreates many of the ups and downs of Kaufman's crazed career. One interesting note about the film is that for all of the scenes dealing with Kaufman's stint on the sitcom “Taxi,” the original cast of “Taxi” reunites. “Man on the Moon” comes out today and is rated R.

“The Cider House Rules” came out in Atlanta last Friday. It is the story of an orphanage and one orphan in particular, Homer Wells. Wells is adopted twice but is eventually placed under the wing of the orphanage director Dr. Wilbur Larch, played by Michael Caine. The film is being considered the best adaption from an Irving novel, possibly because he penned the screenplay. “The Cider House Rules” is rated PG-13.

The theaters also are stuffed with other holiday fare that has come out recently. “Anna and the King,” “Stuart Little,” “Bicentennial Man” and “The Green Mile” have all been in theaters for over a week now and offer fun for the whole family.

“Anna and the King” tells the same story that “the King and I” told, only without song. It stars Jodie Foster and Hong Kong action hero Chow Yun Fat. “Stuart Little” is loosely based on E.B. White's children's classic about a mouse adopted by a human family. Stuart is voiced by Michael J. Fox and his human brother is played by Jonathan Lipnicki, the kid from Jerry McGuire.

“Bicentennial Man” focuses on the life of an android as he becomes more human. Robin Williams plays the android and the film is directed by Chris Columbus (“Home Alone” and “Mrs. Doubtfire”).

“The Green Mile” is about a falsely accused man on death row with the power to heal people. Tom Hanks plays the guard who starts to believe in miracles. “Stuart Little” and “Bicentennial Man” are rated PG, “Anna and the King” is rated PG-13 and “The Green Mile” is rated R.

If you do decide to venture out to the theaters on Christmas Day, check your local listings for showtimes.

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