Entertainment

And here, I'd thought I was gonna be able to skip town before "Daylight." No such luck, however, and I wind up sitting through this suffocating "disaster" movie feeling every bit as trapped as its characters. Turns out that "Daylight" is the very movie that Sylvester Stallone'sdetractors had hoped "Cliffhanger" (1993) would be - plodding, incoherent, and driven by neither action nor character. But "Cliffhanger's" breathtaking high-altitude maneuvers and utter sincerity proved an antidote for the incoherence bug that afflicts that entire genre. "Daylight" has no such salvation.

Spanning a half-dozen years, this adaptation of Michael Ondaajte's critically acclaimed novel is an epic World War II romance involving expected attraction, betrayal and the kind of passion that only the threat of sudden death can kindle. Ralph Fiennes is the title character, but the likes of Kristin Scott Thomas, Juliette Binoche, Willem Dafoe and Naveen Andrews are just as memorable.

The exhibit "Treasure of Antiquities: Greek and Roman Art, From the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston" continues through December at Cheney Cowles Museum, 2316 W. First. Admission: $4, $3 seniors, $2.50 for students and children age 6-16, $10 family.

A do-it yourself tree cutter hauls his prize out of the Colville National Forest. File/The Spokesman-Review

The holidays will soon be behind us and the rest of winter will spread ahead, full of an eclectic mix of entertainment and fun things to do. To help readers plan their social schedules so they don't miss a beat, we'll publish a day-by-day entertainment guide for the rest of winter. To get your event into the guide, send us the name of the event, the date, time, ticket information and a phone number where we can get additional information. The guide will be published Jan. 3 in the Friday Weekend section. Submit information by Dec. 20 to: Weekend Guide, Features Department, The Spokesman-Review, 999 W. Riverside, Spokane, WA 99210; fax it to (509) 459-5098; or e-mail it to susane@spokesman.com.

The ad in last week's newspaper announcing the closing of Salty's came as no big surprise. On a couple of recent visits for lunch, the dining room was nearly deserted. The lack of customers led to the company's decision to call it quits at the end of the month.

Sparks flew Tuesday night from the high stage at Ugly Rumors Lounge as pianist Danny McCollim led a new edition of Jazz Conspiracy through a spirited set of standards, originals and pop covers. McCollim plays keyboard for All Fall Down, a Top-40 act, but his first love is jazz. Having spent the last year recovering from carpal tunnel syndrome surgery, he reconvened Jazz Conspiracy, a longtime favorite of local jazz fans.

After Thanksgiving, the Christmas-related events start happening in bunches, so it's important to plan your schedule carefully to maximize the season's offerings. Here's a rundown of some of the region's holiday entertainment: The third annual Spokane Winter Lights display at the Creek At Qualchan golf course runs through Christmas. Hours are 5-9 p.m., except Christmas week, when they are 5-10 p.m. Admission is $6 per car, $18 per van. "A Christmas Carol" will be staged tonight and Saturday and Dec. 13-15 at the Performing Arts Theatre in Sandpoint. Tickets are $7, $5 students-seniors, $3 for children 12 and younger, available by calling (208) 265-5316.

The Rude Boys play two shows at Ugly Rumors on Saturday.

Natascha McElhone stars with Anthony Hopkins in "Surviving Picasso." Photo Seth Rubin/Warner Bros.

1. Glenn Close plays her role to the hilt as a devilishly cruel Cruella De Vil. 2. Jeff Daniels and his wiggly co-stars are adorable in "101 Dalmatians." 3. (Photo of dalmatians)

The perennial favorite "It's A Wonderful Life" contains all the elements of a great holiday movie.

Santa is coming to town at least he'll be at NorthTown today from 8:30 to 9:30 a.m. to kick off the opening of the Vanessa Behan Crisis Nursery's Santa Express Store. The event will be breakfast with Santa and children will get a free breakfast, compliments of Yoke's Pac 'n Save. There will also be entertainment and after breakfast, Santa will escort kids to the Santa Express Store where kids can buy and wrap their own gifts (prices range from 50 cents to $5). Proceeds benefit the Crisis Nursery. For more information: 482-4800.

(Photo of Barbra Streisand)

"The English Patient" is an epic. That's Movie Critic Code for "long." It begins with a stunning shot of a biplane flying over zaftig, almost humanly curved sand dunes. It's Tunisia, the country to which the title character (Ralph Fiennes) keeps returning in his dreams. A dying World War II pilot who was burned badly in a crash, he flashes back to his one, great love (Kristin Scott Thomas), while a selfless nurse (Juliette Binoche) cares for him and a drifter (Willem Dafoe) wonders why the patient can't - or won't - remember who he is. It seems the English patient is not English, and that he has many other secrets.

The Meices will appear at Outback Jack's on Tuesday.

The exhibit "Treasure of Antiquities: Greek and Roman Art, From the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston" continues through December at Cheney Cowles Museum, 2316 W. First. This week's activities: Today - Come Home for the Holidays (Campbell House) through December. Wednesday - Wednesday Night Program: Lawrence J. Bliquez, University of Washington professor, "Tools of Asklepions: Surgical Instruments in Greek and Roman Times," 7:30 p.m.

"Treasures of Antiquity: Greek and Roman Art, From the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston" continues at Cheney Cowles Museum, 2316 W. First. Admission: $4, $3 seniors, $2.50 for students and children age 6-16, $10 family.

Isn't the term, Christian punk-rock, an oxymoron? Traditionally, punk strived to chisel away at the foundation of organized religion, particularly Christianity. Bremerton's MxPx, which plays an all-ages show at the Howard Street Underground on Saturday, doesn't see a conflict in juggling their devotion to the Sex Pistols and to Jesus.