Armageddon

Packed with big men, big machinery, big explosions, and big problems, Armageddon follows a crew of oil drillers led by Bruce Willis as they try to save Earth from an asteroid. Willis and company receive their assignment from nerdy government officials and seem to be more interested in destroying them than the asteroid. But after consenting to a few days of training, the drillers blast off into space, leaving Willis’ daughter (Liv Tyler) behind to mourn her father and her fiancé (Ben Affleck), a troublesome driller. Disaster soon ensues, and tough decisions must be made. Although rife with impressive special effects, Armageddon is one of the silliest thrillers ever concocted. Frenetic direction and editing it make it even harder to bear. (150 mins, $15.99; Register Ratings V-3 L-2 N1 S-3)

The Avengers

Many fans of the stylish, whimsical, and clever '60s TV series known around the world as “The Avengers” awaited the release of the film version of their beloved show with deep anxiety. Their doubts have been more than fulfilled by the oddity that hit the multiplexes last summer as The Avengers. The filmmakers behind this movie seem to have no idea of what they were assembling. The movie is part thriller, part satire, part cartoon, part love story, and mostly incomprehensible. Its story loosely follows the adventures of Ralph Fiennes as the imperturbable John Steed and Uma Thurman as the svelte Mrs. Peel as they attempt to defeat Sean Connery, an obscenely wealthy villain who is determined to gain worldwide domination through his control of the weather. The only interesting aspects of The Avengers are the brilliant art direction and the quality of the actors, who try mightily with impossible parts. Everything else is a misfire. (89 mins., rental only; Register Ratings V-2 L-2 N-1 S-1)

The Truman Show

Australian director Peter Weir is known for the luminosity and subtlety of his films, and his latest is no exception. At first sight, it's the story of Truman Burbank (Jim Carrey), a 30-year-old insurance salesman whose entire life has been lived as a television show. Millions of viewers have watched Truman grow up in Seahaven, a set in the world's largest soundstage. This young man has no idea how artificial his life is until a series of unsettling incidents gives him an inkling. Increasingly desperate, Truman struggles to discover who he is and who is controlling him. Working to counter him is Christof (Ed Harris), the all-powerful director who runs nearly every aspect of his star's life. The Truman Show is a complex allegory that works on many levels. It asks questions about the artificiality of modern life, the corrosiveness of the celebrity culture, the power of free will, the meaning of freedom, and the role of religion. This is one of the few movies to emerge in the past year that's worth debating. (104 mins., rental only; Register Ratings V4 L-1 N-0 S-1)

— Loretta Seyer