Your guide to what’s ahead in the entertainment world:

NEXT WEEK AT THE MOVIES

What to watch for at your neighborhood theater beginning Jan. 6:

Heath Ledger does an about face from playing the closeted cowboy in "Brokeback Mountain," to becoming a notorious playboy as "Casanova" goes from limited to wide release.

Steven Spielberg follows the example of "Good Night and Good Luck," and incorporates actual footage of sportscaster Jim McKay from the 1972 Summer Olympics into "Munich," which explores the aftermath of the massacre of 11 Israeli athletes at the Games.

"Grandma’s Boy" takes a comic look at the life of a video game tester, an "Hostel" is another college-students-on-a-lark-that-turns-dark horror flick.

NEXT WEEK’S TELEVISION

TV critic Terry Morrow gives you a capsule look at the week ahead (All times EST):

NBC comes out swinging in the new year: "Scrubs" (9 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 3) makes its fifth-season debut with a story told from the eyes of an intern.

Meanwhile, sitcom "Four Kings" (8:30 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 5), from the creators of "Will & Grace," unfolds the story of four lifelong buddies who decide to share an apartment in New York. Seth Green co-stars.

"The Book of Daniel" (9 p.m. Friday, Jan. 6) is a soap opera about a pill-popping minister and his bed-hopping congregation.

NEXT WEEK’S MUSIC

Pop writer Chuck Campbell wants you to be aware of the following CD releases, due in stores Tuesday, Jan 3:

16 Braz, "Transition"

Drivetrain, "One Wish Wonder"

K-Maro, "Million-Dollar Boy"

The Strokes, "First Impressions of Earth"

NEXT WEEK ON VIDEO

Entertainment writer Wayne Bledsoe tells you what to watch for on video shelves starting Tuesday, Jan. 3

"Alien Nation: Season One."

"All In the Family: Fifth Season"

"Broken Flowers"

"The Cave"

"The Gospel"

"Hunter: Third Season"

"Jesus, You Know"

"Have Gun _ Will Travel: Third Season"

"School of Life"

"Secuestro Express"

"Silk Stalkings: Fourth Season"

"Tony Takitani"

"The Wedding Crashers"

NEXT WEEK’S VIDEOGAMES

Game Guy Bill Hutchens tells you what to watch for in the gaming world:

Monday, Jan. 3, look for two double packs of Sega games for the Xbox. One pack features "Sonic Heroes" and "Super Monkey Ball," and the other features "Sonic Mega Collection" and "Super Monkey Ball DX 2."

Test your "Friends" knowledge with the new trivia game "Friends: The One with All the Trivia" for PC. It’s due Sunday, Jan. 8.

Monday, Jan. 9, look for your next music puzzle game addiction in "Electroplankton" for the Nintendo Dual Screen.

PlayStation Portable Movies due next week include "The Transporter 2," "Red Eye," "Underworld" and "The Island."

SHOW-BUSINESS BRIEFS

The latest news tidbits about actors, musicians, Hollywood and other celebrities:

Talk about a tough category. The seven films in consideration for the Visual Effects Oscar are an impressive lot. They will be winnowed to three by the time the Academy Award nominations are announced the morning of Jan. 31.

In contention are: "Batman Begins," "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory," "The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe," "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire," "King Kong," "Star Wars: Episode III _ Revenge of the Sith" and "War of the Worlds."

The Visual Effects Award Nominating Committee will screen 15-minute clip reels from the seven and pick three that will compete for the 78th Academy Awards.

In other Academy Awards news, some familiar faces return behind the scenes:

Wolfgang Puck will create the menu for the Governors Ball held after the March 5 ceremony. It’s still the shank of the evening on the West Coast, after all. He and his team will develop a sit-down dinner for 1,600 guests who will include winners, nominees, presenters and other participants.

Oscar-winning composer Bill Conti will return as musical director for the Academy Awards. This will be Conti’s 18th time conducting the Academy Awards Orchestra. _ BARBARA VANCHERI, The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.