The five best movies in theaters this week

"Dave Chappelle's Block Party": For anyone who likes hip-hop music, this party, which mixes Chappelle's hilarious riffs with musical performances by Kanye West, Common, Erykah Badu and the Fugees' astonishing Lauryn Hill, is a nonstop joy. **½

"Eight Below": Fans of Carroll Ballard's man-and-nature movies ("The Black Stallion," "Duma") will love this adventure about a man (Paul Walker) trying to get back to the sled dogs he deserted during one of the worst storms in Antarctic history. Although Walker is fine, the dogs act the pants off him. PG ***½

"Cache": The more you contemplate this absorbing shocker about a comfortable family that's about to become profoundly uncomfortable, the more disturbing it becomes. The theme: If you are not a compassionate person, then you are making this world a worse place to be. ***

"Nanny McPhee": All hail Emma Thompson, who wrote this charmingly bent take on "Mary Poppins" and stars (along with seven rascally British kids) as the nanny. Let's hope it means she's going to be working more again. PG ***½

"Brokeback Mountain": In some ways, it's revolutionary: the first big-budget drama with a romance between two big stars who are men. But it's also the oldest story in the book: the unhappy consequences of the head not comprehending what the heart needs. The cast is led by the brilliant Heath Ledger and Michelle Williams. ***

— Chris Hewitt

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