Editor's Picks: March 25, 2011

By Adam Mazerall

After the drudgery of this week’s winter wonderland redux, it is apparent that spring isn’t quite ready to manifest itself. This means that people such as I -– those of us mired in disdain towards cold weather and snow-covered rooftops –- will undoubtedly be hibernating for another couple of weeks. If a decision is made to venture out into the Junior Yukon that Toronto has become, it will likely be for a quick jaunt to a restaurant or theatre -– or any venue that has four walls, a roof, and blasting furnaces. With that being said, here are a couple bets for this week’s cinematic viewing for us, the children of the cult of Spring.

In Theatres
A Matter of Size– Select Cinemas March 25, 2011
A group of overweight people in the Israeli city of Ramla rebel against the diet workshop they participate in, fleeing and discovering the world of sumo where they are not only accepted but honoured. My bet: Everyone loves an underdog story, especially if the underdogs are worse off than the viewer. Think Run, Fatboy, Run in a sumo ring.

The Boat Race (La Régate)– Select Cinemas March 25, 2011
Familial-abused 15-year-old Alex escapes the daily nightmare of his home-life by rowing the Meuse River. With one goal in mind -– winning the Belgian Singles Championships -– Alex learns to rediscover his lost values with the help of his coach Sergi, and Muriel, his budding love interest. My bet: European films about teen drama are typically less self-serving than those from our side of the pond. Expect a touching story without the dreck of emotional angst typical for films about teenage life.

At the Store
How Do You Know– Released March 22, 2011
This romcom from director James L. Brooks centres around down-on-her-luck Reese Witherspoon and down-on-his-luck Paul Rudd as they partake in the friendship foxtrot until such a time when the screenwriters deem fit to have them realize what’s been in front of each other all along. Watch out for: Jack Nicholson as Rudd’s loveable yet sleazy father and Owen Wilson as Witherspoon’s one-night-stand-turned-bumbling-boyfriend.

The Tourist– Released March 22, 2011
Two of the world’s hottest sex symbols – Angelina Jolie and Johnny Depp – unite in a film about a man who is manipulated by a beautiful woman. No, this isn’t a documentary. Jolie uses Depp as a pawn to deflect attention from her true love, a man being hunted by the British government, until Depp foils her plans of a reunion with sappy consequences. Watch out for: A lacklustre plot. The only reason to pick this one up is to see how miraculously Jolie’s terrible performance infects Depp’s acting abilities.