Premieres

Adaptation
2002
Village Theatre, Westwood

Nicolas Cage portrays Charlie, a screenwriter who is attempting to adapt a best-selling novel, "The Orchid Thief," about a dealer who clones rare orchids and sells them at a high price. As Charlie's adaptation unfolds, the audience wonders if they are in the here and now or in the story itself. Meryl Streep is the novel's writer and Chris Cooper is the orchid thief. Spike Jonze directs, and his first helmer was "Being John Malkovich," which could give you a clue.

At the after-party, one guest said it could become "The Rocky Horror Picture Show" for Writers Guild members. Ellen DeGeneres said it was "really unpredictable."

Other partygoers who enjoyed "the twists and turns" were Tilda Swinton, Jonathan Demme, Sydney Pollack, Brad Pitt, Jodie Foster and Norman Lear.

Producer Jonathan Demme arrives at the Westwood bow with Jodie Foster.

Helmer Spike Jonze and wife, Sofia Coppola, join her cousin and pic's star Nicolas Cage at the L.A. bow of "Adaptation."