Lars and the Real Girl posterFirst up, Lars and the Real Girl is delightfully odd indie starring Ryan Gosling as a lonely and damaged young man who finds love on the Internet. With a doll named Bianca. Paramount, Penthouse.

Also at the Paramount, just for Wahine Week is a documentary about the disaster called The Wahine Disaster. Another documentary, that I missed in my sweep last week, is John Pilger’s The War on Democracy which is now playing at the Lighthouse Petone only. It was originally going to play at the Paramount as well but was cut by the owners for being ‘too left wing’. Some Paramount customers have already begun a boycott protesting this simple-minded attack on free speech (not to mention an attack on the Paramount itself and it’s grand history of showing films with a humanitarian and anti-establishment position). Feel free to voice your displeasure to the management.

[The rest of this week’s new releases after the jump]

If that isn’t enough documentary for you, Helen Smyth’s excellent investigation of an elderly Cuban double-agent ¿La Verdad? (The Truth?) is playing exclusively at the Empire in Island Bay.

Back in the land of blockbusters, Will Ferrell offers up another sports movie (basketball this time): Semi-Pro. Readings only. Family-friendly fantasy The Spiderwick Chronicles can be found at Readings, Empire and Embassy. Finally, How She Move is another urban dance competition movie: Readings and Regent.

Lars and the Real Girl and ¿La Verdad? (The Truth?) are reviewed this week at Funerals & Snakes while the others will get their spot in the limelight next week.