Eccleston

The Seeker: The Dark is Rising would be more potent if the filmmakers were more patient. Loosely based on Susan Cooper's acclaimed middle-school bestseller, The Dark is Rising, it's hardly got a difficult plot - it really is about Light versus Dark, white magic pitted against black magic. The hero, Will Stanton (Alexander Ludwig), an adolescent in a large American family in England, discovers he's the youngest in a line of immortals who must defend the Light against the forces of the Dark, especially the fearsome Rider (Christopher Eccleston)

On March 8, 2004 ERNEST DUANELESSNER beloved husband of Gloria E. Lessner (nee Eccleston); dear brother of Constance Wilson, brother-in-law of Alice F. Hill. Also survived by many nieces and nephews. Service will be held at the family owned Ruck Towson Funeral Home, Inc., 1050 York Road (Beltway Exit 26A) on Thursday March 11 at 1 p.m. Entombment will follow in Lorraine Park Cemetery. Friends may call on Wednesday 2 to 4 and 7 to 9.

On November 25, 2005, RICHARD M. BABCOCK, beloved husband of Grace Thomsen Babcock. Devoted father of Richard M. Babcock, Jr., David G. Babcock, Ellen B. Bragg and her husband Jeffery, Sr., John F. Babcock and his wife Lori. Brother of Dorrice Baker, the late Malva Eccleston and the late Roslyn Sandler. Grandfather of Jeffrey, Jr., Grace, Greg, Max, Nathaniel and Tessa. A Memorial Service for Richard M. Babcock will be held on Saturday, January 21, 2006 at 12 noon at Saint Mary's Episcopal Church, 1 Saint Mary's Road, Emmorton, MD.

House fire kills woman, 2 childrenEDMONSTON -- Two young children and a pregnant woman died in a fire yesterday at a small house shared by two families, county fire officials said.The children were found in a back bedroom of the house, where they apparently had attempted to escape from the fire. The woman was found in another room toward the front of the house.The house was engulfed in flames when firefighters arrived shortly after 9 a.m., said Capt. Victor Stagnaro, county Fire Department spokesman.

Nancy Lee Thompson, a homemaker who enjoyed entertaining family and friends, died Sunday of Alzheimer's disease at her Lutherville home. She was 85. Born in Baltimore, the former Nancy Lee Schenuit was the daughter of Frank G. Schenuit, the founder in 1912 of Schenuit Industries Inc., which manufactured aircraft tires, and Hilda Koester, whose family owned the E.H. Koester Bakery Co., which produced Koester's bread. Mrs. Thompson was raised in Roland Park and spent summers at a family home on Gibson Island.

With a playoff berth and a Howard County title on the line last night, coach Pete Hughes was keeping the offense conservative for seventh-ranked Long Reach, and host Mount Hebron was staying in the game. The Vikings (5-5) drew within 14-12 in the second quarter when tailback Chris Eccleston caught a deflected pass and raced 69 yards for a touchdown. Long Reach fumbled the ensuing kickoff, but its defense stiffened and the Lightning took control after that for a 34-12 victory over the Vikings.

Renee Zellweger, she of the pillowy cheeks and preternatural lip-pucker, has made a bid for artistic integrity in "A Price Above Rubies," her first movie since she won audiences' hearts in "Jerry Maguire." In that film, she had all the makings of a contemporary Jean Arthur, meaning that her pertness was mellowed by her smarts and unaffected grace.None of that is in evidence in "A Price Above Rubies," not because she doesn't still have it, but because she's not supposed to. As Sonia, a young Orthodox Jewish woman who feels increasingly repressed by her religion's sexist moral strictures, she's supposed to be burning with repressed sexual heat.

Their playoff hopes dashed by a crushing, 15-14 loss at Long Reach two weeks ago, River Hill had to win its last two games and get some help to get into the Class 3A East regional playoff race. It took only the next game to put River Hill back in it. The Hawks' 22-7 victory over Mount Hebron on Friday, coupled with Annapolis losing 33-24 at North County, has given the Hawks new life. River Hill (8-1) has moved into fourth place in the region with 83 playoff points. Long Reach (8-1) is third in Class 3A East with 85.6 points.

The Libertine [Weinstein Co.] $29 Until Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl three years ago, Johnny Depp was never considered a "family friendly" actor. The majority of his films, including Donnie Brasco, Ed Wood and From Hell, certainly were aimed at adult audiences. But since playing the eccentrically comic Capt. Jack Sparrow, Depp has enjoyed a larger and younger fan base, following with Finding Neverland, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and the second installment of Pirates, which opened last week with record-setting box-office numbers.