Playing at local movie theaters

BIG FISH — Director Tim Burton's style-heavy adaptation of the best-selling novel stars Billy Crudup as a son trying to reconcile with his tall-tale telling father (Albert Finney). Reviewed in this section. PG-13 (violence, profanity, vulgarity, brief nudity, brief sex). (Broadway, Carmike 12, Century, 5-Star, Gateway, Holladay, Jordan Landing, Megaplex 17, Ritz.)

CHASING LIBERTY — Mandy Moore stars in this comedy-drama as a runaway who just happens to be the daughter of the President of the United States (Mark Harmon). Reviewed in this section. PG-13 (profanity, vulgarity, violence, nude photos). (Carmike 12, Century, Gateway, Jordan Landing, Megaplex 17, Ritz.)

THE HOME TEACHERS — The makers of "The R.M." and "The Singles Ward" return with this comedy about the bungling title characters (Michael Birkeland and Jeff Birk). Reviewed in this section. PG (violence, vulgarity). (Century, Gateway, Holladay, Jordan Landing, Megaplex 12, Megaplex 17, Ritz.)

MY BABY'S DADDY — Eddie Griffin co-wrote this comedy about three immature men (Griffin, Anthony Anderson and Michael Imperioli) who discover they're going to be fathers. Not screen for critics. To be reviewed later. PG-13 (vulgarity, profanity, slapstick violence). (Carmike 12, Century, Jordan Landing, Ritz.)

ZERO DAY — First-time filmmaker Ben Coccio's award-winning drama about school shootings takes the form of a video "diary" of two embittered high school students. Reviewed in this section. Not rated, probable R (profanity, violence, vulgarity, brief gore). (Tower.)

MIDNIGHT MOVIE

ELECTION — *** — This crude but funny satire is still a much-needed comeback vehicle for Matthew Broderick, who stars as a teacher too involved in school elections. Reese Witherspoon is terrific as the school's star student. Running time: 103 minutes. R (sex, profanity, vulgarity, nudity, drug use, violence). (Tower, tonight and Saturday.) (May 7, 1999)

SPECIAL SCREENINGS

ADRENALINE RUSH: THE SCIENCE OF RISK — ** 1/2 — This adventure can't make up its mind between being a documentary or an "extreme-sports" travelog as sky diver Adrian Nicholas puts to a real-life test Leonardo da Vinci's 500-year-old sketch for a parachute. Large-screen format. Running time: 40 minutes. Not rated, probable G (nothing offensive). (Megaplex 17.) (April 22, 2003) — Ivan M. Lincoln