YOUR GUIDE TO THIS WEEK'S NEW CINEMA RELEASES

Movies opening this week are primarily for the kids - with just one for the adults ...

TOP PICK TO SEE

EVEREST is about a climbing expedition on Mt. Everest which is devastated by a severe snow storm. Also available in 3D which should be spectacular given the setting. But it sounds like Mt Everest eclipses the humans - maybe rightly so. According to The Playlist's Jessica Kiang, Salvatore Totino's crisp 3D photography and Kormakur's way with a clear, fluid, thrilling action sequence show off the mountain in immensely impressive ways. But the humans involved get short shrift.

OTHERS TO SEE

ODDBALL looks like a cute movie. It's the story of Allan "Swampy" Marsh and his Maremma dog Oddball. Swampy convinced local authorities to allow Oddball to protect a colony of Little Penguins on Middle Island from wild cats and dogs. Oddball succeeds in his campaign and becomes a front runner for Maremma dogs being used to protect other endangered Australian wildlife. Based on a true story. Opens in cinemas on Saturday.

TO AVOID

A few movies that will probably worth avoiding (but may be ok for young kids):

BLINKY BILL THE MOVIE: The story of Allan "Swampy" Marsh and his Maremma dog Oddball. Swampy convinced local authorities to allow Oddball to protect a colony of Little Penguins on Middle Island from wild cats and dogs. Oddball succeeds in his campaign and becomes a front runner for Maremma dogs being used to protect other endangered Australian wildlife. Opens Saturday.

TWO BY TWO (or OOPS! NOAH IS GONE...): It's the end of the world. A flood is coming. Luckily for Dave and his son Finny, a couple of clumsy Nestrians, an Ark has been built to save all animals. But as it turns out, Nestrians aren't allowed. Sneaking on board with the involuntary help of Hazel and her daughter Leah, two Grymps, they think they're safe. Until the curious kids fall off the Ark. Now Finny and Leah struggle to survive the flood and hungry predators and attempt to reach the top of a mountain, while Dave and Hazel must put aside their differences, turn the Ark around and save their kids. It's definitely not going to be smooth sailing. Opens Saturday.

That's it for this week. See you at the movies!

*NOTE* Movie summaries are adaptations of movie summary on IMDB. Opinions are mine unless credited. These updates are written from an Australian perspective so openings of the movies in cinemas may vary in other parts of the world.