Feb 9, 2007 By Lou Gaul Calkins Media Film Critic 4 min read

An adult melodrama (“Breaking and Entering”), a stylish biography (“Factory Girl”), a horror prequel (“Hannibal Rising”) and a broad comedy (“Norbit”) are the top titles arriving in theaters on this pre-Valentine’s Day weekend. On Wednesday, a family drama (“Daddy’s Little Girls”) and a romantic comedy (“Music and Lyrics”) will land in theaters. The new films (with all dates subject to change) opening at a theater near you include:

Opening Friday

? “Breaking and Entering,” with Jude Law (“Alfie”), Juliette Binoche (“The English Patient”), Robin Wright Penn (“The Princess Bride”) and Vera Farmiga (“The Departed”) in an R-rated drama about how a robbery connects the lives of some very different people in the distressed King’s Cross section of north London.

? “Factory Girl,” with Sienna Miller (“Casanova”) in a decadent R-rated drama about the initially glamorous, ultimately tragic life of Andy Warhol’s 1960s’ “it girl” Edie Sedgwick. Guy Pearce (“Memento”) plays the controlling Warhol, and Hayden Christensen (“Star Wars: Episode I”) appears as a Bob Dylan-like folk singer who tries to coax the ill-fated Sedgwick away from the eccentric artist.

? “Hannibal Rising,” with French actor Gaspard Ulliel (“A Very Long Engagement”) in an R-rated adaptation of Thomas Harris’ novel about how the torture and mistreatment of a young Hannibal Lecter transformed him into a serial killer with cannibalistic tendencies.

? “The Last Sin Eater,” with Louise Fletcher (“One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest”) and Henry Thomas (“E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial”) in a faith-based film about a girl who, while seeking relief from the sorrow she feels over the death of a loved one, uncovers a dark secret that threatens her family. Michael Landon Jr. directed the PG-13 picture, based on the novel by Francine Rivers.

? “Norbit,” with Eddie Murphy (“Dreamgirls”) using state-of-the-art shape-shifting imagery to play numerous roles in a PG-13 comedy about a sad-sack guy who vows to get out of his unhappy marriage to a tyrannical wife (also portrayed by Murphy) and marry the girl (Thandie Newton of “Mission: Impossible II”) of his dreams. Brian Robbins (“Varsity Blues”) directed.

? “An Unreasonable Man,” with Henriette Mantel and Steve Skrovan co-directing an unrated documentary on Ralph Nader, the consumer advocate who launched an unsuccessful run for the presidency. That political move infuriated many Democrats who blamed Nader for taking away votes from Al Gore and costing the former vice president the election.

Arriving Wednesday

? “Daddy’s Little Girls,” with Gabrielle Union (“Bad Boys II”), Idris Elba (HBO’s “The Wire”) and Lou Gossett Jr. (“An Officer and a Gentleman”) in a romantic drama about a single father who works as a garage mechanic in a poor neighborhood and struggles to raise three daughters on his own. When his drug-dealing ex-wife wins back custody, the dad hires a brilliant attorney to take his case and ends up romantically involved with the lawyer. Tyler Perry (“Madea’s Family Reunion”) wrote and directed the PG-13 picture.

? “Music and Lyrics,” with Drew Barrymore (“50 First Dates”) and Hugh Grant (“Four Weddings and a Funeral”) in a PG-13 romantic comedy about a fading singing star who approaches an eccentric young woman who possesses a way with words and asks her to help him write some pop songs. The mismatched couple soon find they were made for each other.

At the buck$ office

Teens were obviously seeking chills at the movies over the Super Bowl weekend as they turned “The Messengers” into the top box-office title with a gross of more than $14 million.

The PG-13 fright film was followed by the comedy “Because I Said So,” which stars Diane Keaton and Mandy Moore and opened with $13 million.

According to the Associated Press, the top-10 movies last weekend were:

1. “The Messengers” ($14.5 million)

2. “Because I Said So” ($13 million)

3. “Epic Movie” ($8.2 million)

4. “Night at the Museum” ($6.75 million)

5. “Smokin’ Aces” ($6.3 million)

6. “Stomp the Yard” ($4.2 million)

7. “Dreamgirls” ($4 million)

8. “Pan’s Labyrinth” ($3.7 million)

9. “The Pursuit of Happyness” ($3.1 million)

10. “The Queen” ($2.7 million)