With Christmas coming on Saturday, the normal entertainment lineup is slightly skewed. Movies opened Wednesday, one comes to theaters today and four more start their local runs tomorrow. Meanwhile, the Ross Media Arts Center is closed until 2005.

On the music scene, there's nothing going on tonight. But the next week does have some homecoming shows for musicians who are back in town for the holidays and picking up a gig or two.

On screen

Wednesday, "Meet the Fockers," sure to be the biggest hit of the holiday season came to theaters along with "The Phantom of the Opera," an overblown version of the Andrew Lloyd Webber musical that is for fans only.

Today, "Kinsey," a picture that has been open in major cities since mid-November, starts its run at the Douglas Grand Theatre.

Saturday, "The Aviator," the Martin Scorsese biopic of Howard Hughes starring Leonardo DiCaprio, comes to the Grand, as does "The Life Aquatic With Steve Zissou" and "Fat Albert," the live- action version of the '70s Bill Cosby cartoon. It's also playing at Edgewood.

The final release is a horror movie for Christmas. That's enough to make you wonder who's in charge in Hollywood. In any case, "Darkness" opens at East Park tomorrow.

There are reviews of "Kinsey" and "The Life Aquatic"and feature stories about "Meet the Fockers" and "The Phantom of the Opera" elsewhere in Ground Zero. Reviews of "Darkness" and "Fat Albert" will run in Saturday's paper.

MoPix movie

"Meet the Fockers" will be the MoPix movie for the next two weeks. MoPix is a system that provides access to films for the deaf and blind and is available in one theater at the Grand.

Clubland

The first of the homecoming shows is set for Sunday night at the DelRay Ballroom, 817 R St., where Laurie McClain will play a 7:30 p.m. benefit show for KZUM radio.

Singer/songwriter McClain, who moved to Nashville several years ago and has become a staple on the national folk circuit, will be joined by her husband, Charlie Chadwick on bass, and Lincoln's own Steve Hanson will be playing a bunch of different instruments, including guitar and mandolin. Cover charge is $7.

There are two shows on Wednesday night.

At Knickerbockers, it's the return of the Aaron Zimmer Band, while Gina Lee and the Brisket Boys are at the Zoo Bar.

Zimmer moved to New York City's East Village in January of this year, put together a band and played his first show there the next month. Since then, the band has played more than 30 NYC shows at such venues as CBGB's, the Knitting Factory and Arlene's Grocery.

"Inside My Skin," Zimmer's latest CD is now in the Top 30 at 26 college radio stations and in the Top 10 of seven of those stations.

The Aaron Zimmer Band will be joined by More Than Yesterday at the 10 p.m. Wednesday show. Cover charge is $5

Over at the Zoo, Lincolnites Marty Steinhausen on bass fiddle, Justin G. Jones (from the Forbidden Pigs) on drums, and Steven "Fuzzy" Blasek on steel will join Gina Lee and keyboardist Sweet Basil McJagger in a local version of Austin's Gina Lina and the Brisket Boys.

The western swing band had a big year in 2004, playing dance halls and honky-tonks all over central Texas. The band played a showcase at the historic Broken Spoke during SXSW and also played at the Houston Ballet. In October, Bloodshot Records released a compilation album called "Hard-Headed Woman: A Celebration of Wanda Jackson" that includes Lee's version of the song "Why I'm Walking."

Gina Lee and the Brisket Boys will be playing a late show on Wednesday, probably starting at about 9:30 p.m.

Before they take the stage, Chris Duarte will be bringing his brand of guitar-drenched Texas music back to the Zoo — one of three local favorites that will play the club this week.

On Thursday, it's reggae time at the Zoo with the return of Yabba Griffiths.

And, as almost always, the Christmas night tradition continues with Magic Slim playing the blues. He'll hit the stage in the 9:30 p.m. range Saturday night to send out the holiday in style.

Reach L. Kent Wolgamott at 473-7244 or kwolgamott@journalstar.com.