Five movies are coming out this week in Buenos Aires: a local production based on a story written by Argentine author Cortazar, a German movie about authoritarianism, a US drama with Sigourney Weaver and two pop-corn films from Hollywood.

MENTIRAS PIADOSAS (Argentina, 2008, in Spanish).
Based on Julio Cortázar’s short story “La salud de los enfermos”, Mentiras piadosas, produced by Habitación 1520 and San Luis Cine features acclaimed actress Marilú Marini, as an unconsolable mother after her son leaves for France and no word is heard from him. To prevent her from sinking into depression, the whole family plots a scheme whereby the mother receives fake letters from the estranged son.
Directed by: Diego Sabanés. Written by: Diego Sabanés, based on Cortázar’s La salud de los enfermos. With: Walter Quirós, Marilú Marini, Claudio Tolcachir, Paula Rasemberg, Lydia Lamaison, Mónica Lairana. Distributed by 15/20. NR. Running time: 100 minutes.

LA OLA (Die Welle, Germany, 2008, in German with Spanish-language subtitles).
A German teachers tries to raise his students’ awareness about the danger of authoritarianism, which his own grandparents had inflicted upon others. However, things get out of hand, and what’s intended as a representation becomes true.
Directed by: Dennis Gansel. Written by: Dennis Gansel and Peter Thorwarth, based on Todd Strasser’s novel. With: Jürgen Vogel, Frederick Lau, Max Riemelt, Jennifer Ulrich, Christiane Paul, Jacob Matschenz. Scope. Distributed by: Impacto Cine. NC16. Running time: 102 minutes.

INVOCANDO ESPIRITUS (The Haunting in Connecticut, US, 2009, in English with Spanish-language subtitles).
After moving into a beautiful, Victorian-style mansion, a family discovers it has a horrendous past. Dark, supernatural forces are thus unleashed. The events are said to be based on real life, but it is up to each viewer to accept this notion or not.
Directed by: Peter Cornwell. Written by: Adam Simon and Tim Metcalfe. With: Virginia Madsen, Kyle Gallner, Elias Koteas, Amanda Crew, Martin Donovan, Sophi Knight. Scope. Distributed by Alfa. NC16. Running time: 102 minutes.

PEQUEÑOS INVASORES (Aliens in the Attic, US / Canadá, 2009, in English with Spanish-language subtitles).
Family-oriented movie about a group of kids facing an alien invasion at the attic of their house, where they spend their summer vacation hours. The aliens bear some resemblance with E.T. The Extraterrestrial, which sort of anticipates a reasonable amount of comedy, suspense and tenderness.
Directed by: John Schultz. Written by: Mark Burton and Adam F. Goldberg, based on a story by Mark Burton. With: Carter Jenkins, Austin Butler, Ashley Tisdale, Ashley Boettcher, Henri Young, Regan Young. Distributed by Fox. NR. Running time: 86 minutes.

LA CHICA DEL PARQUE (The Girl in the Park, US, 2007, in English).
Actress Sigourney Weaver is back as a mother whose daughter goes missing in New York’s Central Park. Sixteen years after that fateful event, the woman is still unable to cope with her loss, and lives a daily routine mourning her missing child, but something unexpected happens that gets the cold case out of the ice box.
Written and directed by: David Auburn. With: Sigourney Weaver, Elias Koteas, Kate Bosworth, Alessandro Nivola, Keri Russell, David Rasche. Distributed by CDI Films. NC13. Running time: 109 minutes.