Lantern continues to spotlight real cinema

The fact that nothing new is opening this week at the Magic Lantern simply means that you have one more week to see the films that are now playing there. And the range of those films, in both subject and style, is impressive.

The documentary “Kedi” is a study of the street cats of Istanbul. “A United Kingdom” is the based-on-a-true-story of the relationship (later marriage) between Seretse Khama of Botswana and Ruth Williams of Great Britain. “The Salesman” is Asghar Farhadi’s Oscar-winning film about how a husband and wife react to her being sexually assaulted. “Lion” tells the story of an Indian man’s struggle to find the home he barely remembers. And then “My Scientology Movie” is a documentary that uses a unique style in which to look at the religion that L. Ron Hubbard founded.

As for that last one, here are a few critical comments:

Noel Murray , Los Angeles Times: “(Presenter Louis) Theroux raises troubling questions about psychological warfare and how devoutness shades into fanaticism.”

John Semley , Globe and Mail: “What the film lacks in the way of harrowing, jaw-dropping revelations, it makes up for with Theroux’s charm and breezy charisma.”

Jeannette Catsoulis , New York Times: “At times it plays like an extended skit on ‘The Daily Show’; yet its disorder also makes its insights — like how strongly the church’s training sessions resemble acting classes - feel refreshingly organic.”

The Lantern is scheduled to open the Oscar-nominated animated film “My Life as a Zucchini” on March 31.