FILM SNEAK PEEK FOLLOWING TEN COMMANDMENTS AT THE THEATER.

Krzysztof Kieslowski's 10-part film series, ``The Decalogue,'' opens its Los Angeles premiere extended run today at Landmark's Fine Arts Theatre in Beverly Hills.

Each of the 10 films, less than one hour in length, is based on one of the Ten Commandments. Kieslowski, also known for his ``Blue,'' ``White'' and ``Red'' trilogy, released the 10 films on Polish television in 1988 and 1989. Until this release, the films have been shown in Los Angeles only in limited runs.

The Fine Arts will run the films in pairs for one week at a time, with matinees and evening shows, beginning this week with ``I am the Lord thy God; Thou shalt not have other gods before me'' and ``Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain.''

Tickets are $8.50 for adults and $5.25 for seniors and children. The Fine Arts is located at 8556 Wilshire Blvd. For more information, call [phone].

CRITICAL ACCLAIM: Film critics take a lot of heat from studios, actors, directors and readers nearly every time they lay their opinions out for everyone to see. But this weekend they get to accept a pat on the back for their collective endorsements of films later praised as classics.

The American Cinematheque's 25th anniversary salute to the Los Angeles Film Critics Association opens at 7 tonight with Quentin Tarantino's ``Pulp Fiction,'' which made Tarantino a household name and yanked John Travolta's career out of the ``Look Who's Talking'' wasteland.

The first feature Saturday is ``Dog Day Afternoon,'' the 1975 Sidney Lumet drama with Al Pacino playing an everyman-turned-bank-robber. The second film is Barry Levinson's ``Bugsy,'' with Warren Beatty as the gangster and Las Vegas visionary Bugsy Siegel and Annette Bening as his knock-out moll, actress Virginia Hill.

Sunday's features are Spike Lee's controversial urban drama ``Do the Right Thing'' and David Cronenberg's ``Dead Ringers,'' starring Jeremy Irons as twin gynecologists in a twisted psychological thriller.

Some LAFCA members will introduce screenings or lead discussions afterward. Tickets are $7 for general admission and $5 for American Cinematheque members. The Egyptian Theatre is located at 6712 Hollywood Blvd. For more information, call [phone] or go to www.egyptiantheatre.com on the Web.

ALWAYS A 'CATCH': Mike Nichols' 1970 adaptation of Joseph Heller's anti-war black comedy, ``Catch-22,'' will be shown Sunday during a tribute to its art director, Richard Sylbert.

Sylbert will be on hand for the event sponsored by the Art Directors Guild's Film Society and will take questions after the screening.

Sylbert, who received the guild's lifetime achievement award earlier this year, was the production designer on such films as ``Splendor in the Grass,'' ``The Manchurian Candidate,'' ``Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?'' (for which he won an Oscar), ``The Graduate,'' ``Rosemary's Baby'' and ``Reds.'' He also designed the barroom set for TV's ``Cheers.''

The screening begins at 5 p.m. at the Directors Guild Theatre, 7920 Sunset Blvd. Admission is free on a space-available basis, and reservations may be made by calling the Art Directors Guild at [phone].

'IL POSTINO' PLAYS: ``Il Postino,'' the bittersweet romantic tale of the friendship between poet Pablo Neruda and the letter carrier who delivers his daily mail, will be screened Sunday at Bergamot Station in Santa Monica.

The 1994 Italian-French production stars Phillippe Noiret as Neruda and Massimo Troisi as the postman. Troisi was ailing during filming and died of heart failure just 12 hours after the production wrapped.

Tickets are $20 in advance or $25 at the door and include food, drinks and entertainment. Bergamot Station is at 2525 Michigan Ave., Santa Monica. The evening, which starts at 8, is hosted by the Santa Monica Film Festival and the Italian Institute of Culture. For tickets or other information, call [phone] or go to www.smff.com on the Web.

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``Pulp Fiction,'' starring Uma Thurman and John Travolta, will be shown tonight at the American Cinematheque as part of the Los Angeles Film Critics Association's 25th anniversary.