New Movies

There’s one big and very loud film at the top this week, two small ones and a whole bunch of documentaries at the annual DOXA festival.

Here’s the list:

The Avengers  3 ½ stars

Darling Companion  2 ½

Headwinds  3

DOXA: Do You Really Want to Know? 3 ½

DOXA: Hard Light  3

DOXA: Who Cares?  4

THE AVENGERS: This is a very good version of something we’ve seen many times before and will be offered many times again. It’s a straight comic book story with a familiar arc. Villain threatens. Superhero rallies. (In this case six of them, brought together like some rock and roll supergroup). They hurtle forward to a major battle at the climax where a lot of buildings, roads and vehicles are trashed. The Dark Knight  Batman films may have more substance but you’ll relish this one for pure escapist fun. And the droll humor between spectacles of action.

Disney’s annual Earth Day film leads off this week’s new movies. A sardonic look at college life, some obsessive pop culture fans and two views of modern Africa and two Canadian films are among the others.

Here’s the whole list:

Chimpanzee:  4 ½ stars

The Lucky One:  2 ½

Damsels in Distress: 3

Sleeping Sickness: 3 ½

Comic Con Episode 4:  3

Hard Core Logo:  2 ½

The Odds:  --

Think Like a Man:  --

CHIMPANZEE: This is a superb wildlife documentary and a great film for any young naturalist you know and for anybody at all. That’s because there’s more than information and stunning photography here. There’s a narrative that’s just as dramatic as any regular movie.

The choices are wide this week including a legendary maritime tragedy, a sequel to the raunchy American Pie, stylish ultra-violence, an angry Brit, a painting German and a horny Italian.

Here’s the list:

Titanic 3-D:  4 stars

American Reunion:  3

The Raid: Redemption:  3 1/2

The Salt of Life:  4

Tyrannosaur:  3 ½

Gerhard Richter Painter:  2 ½

The Moth Diaries:  2

TITANIC 3-D: Before James Cameron topped himself with Avatar, this was the biggest money- making movie ever. Most of us have seen it; some many times, so the only question on its return is this: Is the 3D worth it? I’d say, “somewhat.”It’s certainly a very good conversion technically. The depth it creates does add an extra shimmer of life to some scenes, notably the ship’s upright throes, writhing as she protrudes up out of the water and then finally sinks. But it’s still unnecessary. The picture is darker and the glasses are a bother. Cameron says it makes the film more “immersive”. I say its story and special effects were already immersive enough.

There’s one movie at the top this week. You may have heard of it. The Hunger Games. It’s turned into a phenomenon and good luck getting in these first few days if you don’t have a ticket already.

As an alternative, there’s a great wildlife film just arrived plus a poignant struggle by a teen lesbian to be herself and a montage of sibling rivalry and bonding.

Here’s the list:

The Hunger Games:  4 stars

One Life:  4

Sisters & Brothers:  2 ½

Pariah:  3 ½

Payback: --