Regardless of how you feel about it, last week’s Oz gave the box office a much needed jab in the lassitude. While this week does have one really choice—and really specialized—title, that won’t have any bearing on national figures, it looks likely that Oz will top the box office again. But we’ll see.

Much like last week, this one is not exactly bubbling over with titles. In fact, we once again find ourselves faced with two movies. Unlike last week, there’s no sense here of movies being brought in just to put something new up on those screens. Indeed, these are movies people — not necessarily the same people — have been waiting to see.

Usually by this time of the year I’ve started giving some thought to what’s likely to qualify for a “Best of” list come the year’s end, but the truth is that so far the pickings have been what you’d call lean. We’ve had one sure thing and a couple of maybes — and leave us face it, that’s not so hot for a year that’s racing toward being half over. With that in mind, I’m pleased to announce that one more strong candidate opens this Friday. There are also three other titles that are not strong candidates.

A documentary! Animation! Science Fiction! Heart-warming comedy! No, they’re not all in one movie (but, boy, there’s an idea for you). They are, however, all coming our way this week. They do say that variety is the spice of life. Now we shall see if it’s the spice of moviegoing.

It’s a two and two week — two mainstream titles and two art titles (there’s a flood of art titles just now), and all in all, it looks like the art titles are the better deal, though it’s just possible that one of the mainstreamers will be a pleasant surprise. The other one? Far less likely. In fact, it’s so less likely that no one booked the lesser one after all. However, something else is!

Only three movies come our way this week. Two of them look … well, pretty grim — or so it seems to me. The third is something else altogether — and something that does much to make up for the other two. Some may disagree.