For the last time, “Fantastic Animal Beings 3” was able to hold the 1st place in the German cinema charts, but that will change this week. Because with the long-awaited Marvel film “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness” movement comes into play for the top positions.
By Markus Tschiedert
The second most promising candidate is the 3rd adventure about “Maya the Bee”. Sandra Bullock could also be worried about her second place in “The Lost City”.
“Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness” – The surgeon with magical powers is back
THE STORY: Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) is amazed when a dead man lies in front of him who looks just like him. America Chavez (Xochitl Gomez) brought him from a parallel world. Because the girl has the key to the multiverse, she can jump back and forth between the universes. The witch Wanda Maximoff (Elizabeth Olsen) also wants to make this power her own.
THE STARS: Benedict Cumberbatch first played Doctor Strange in 2916 and went on to play him in various Avengers and the final Spider-Man adventures. Meanwhile he is also in the cinema with “The wondrous world of Louis Wain”. Elizabeth Olsen has also played her role in several “Avengers” films.
THE DIRECTOR: Sam Raimi directed the Spider-Man films starring Tobey Maguire between 2002 and 2007. He began his career with hard horror fare like “Tanz der Teufel” and “Darkman”.
BG RATING: For the sequel to “Doctor Strange”, Raimi and his stars were recently in Berlin to boost the hype. In fact, Marvel fans get everything they expect – and even a little more. A special effects orgy with horror elements and a twisted story to explain the multiverse. Fast-paced, but also too much of everything (126 min., free from the age of 12).
“Memoria” – The sound of the week
THE STORY: Scotland has left florist Jessica (Tilda Swinton) behind to start a new life in Colombia. A bang woke her up at night. She wants to get to the bottom of the noise, but it seems she’s the only one who hears it.
THE STARS: Tilda Swinton played Master in the first Doctor Strange film. But blockbuster trips tend to be the exception for the Brit. She enriched the art house cinema with “Orlando”, “Susperia” and most recently “The French Dispatch”. The Frenchwoman Jeanne Balibar (“Barbara”) can be seen in another role.
THE DIRECTOR: Thai director Apichatpong Weerasethakul won the 2010 Cannes Palme d’Or for Uncle Boonmee Recalls His Past Lives.
BG RATING: It remains a mystery what this film actually wants. Every viewer has to answer that for themselves if they don’t nod off beforehand due to the sluggish narrative pace (136 min., free for ages 12 and up).
“Navalny” – Putin’s most dangerous adversary
THE STORY: Almost two years ago, Alexei Navalny was the victim of a poison attack. The Russian opposition figure is rescued at the Berlin Charité, and it turns out that the toxin must have come from the Russian secret service. Nevertheless, after recovering, he decides to return to Moscow again, where he is immediately arrested.
THE STAR: Alexei Navalny is a lawyer by profession who uncovered the first cases of corruption in 2011. He went into politics and thus made himself an opponent of Putin. He was dragged into court again and again. In 2021, Navalny was sentenced to several years in prison.
THE DIRECTOR: The Canadian Daniel Roher has previously made a name for himself as a documentary filmmaker with “Once Were Brothers”.
BG RATING: Despite or precisely because of its documentary work, “Navalny” looks like a thriller. Extremely exciting how the facts are conveyed to you again. At the same time, one is appalled at the unscrupulousness and contempt for human beings with which people act in the Kremlin (99 min., free from the age of 12).
The special film: “When Susan Sontag sat in the audience”
THE STORY: In 1971, the elite of the New York artist scene met to discuss the women’s movement in a panel. 50 years later, the stage situation at that time is re-enacted, and what has happened in society since then is discussed behind the scenes.
THE STARS: Heike-Melba Fendel (“Heil”) Saralisa Volm (“Königskinder”), Luise Helm (“Fikkefuchs”) play some of the women’s rights activists of the time, but then again express themselves under their real names on the topics.
THE DIRECTOR: Rolf Peter Kahl (“A Thought of Ecstasy”) not only staged the whole thing, but is also the only man sitting between the women to provoke patriarchal statements.
BG RATING: An experimental film that goes beyond our usual viewing habits. A mixture of feature film and documentary, which then again looks like filmed theater. An intellectual sauce emerges from this, which unfortunately does not bring any new insights (86 min., free from the age of 12).
Cinema for kids: “Maya the Bee 3 – The Secret Kingdom”
THE STORY: Spring awakening on the poppy meadow. While the other bees are still asleep, Maya and Willi can’t wait to fly outside. They meet an ant who wants to save her people and entrusts them with a valuable ball. A little queen soon hatches out of it, and aggressive noise beetles are after her.
THE STARS: Theresa Zertani is a young dubbing artist from Berlin who already spoke Maya the Bee in the last feature film. The rapper Jan Delay is also back as the voice of Willi. Emila Schüle (“beautiful”) and singer Sasha speak the evil noise beetle.
THE DIRECTORS: Alexs Stadermann has already directed the first two feature films about “Maya the Bee 2”. Co-director began his career as an animator at Disney (“The Jungle Book 2”).
BG RATING: The new screen adventure no longer has much to do with the children’s books by “Biene Maja” inventor Waldemar Bonsels, but it is once again based on the popular TV cartoon series from the seventies. It is the same spirit that has now inspired several generations (88 min., free from the age of 12).
