With Pirates, Spider-Man and Shrek taking up most of the screens at the multiplexes, you’ll have to look hard if you want to catch Ashley Judd’s new psychological horror flick BUG.

It’s worth the effort because it’s genuinely creepy.

Based on a stage play, Bug is the story of a woman who finds herself occupying a hotel room with a former soldier who is convinced the army is infecting people with bugs that live under a person’s skin.

After a while, you’ll likely be feeling your arms to see if there’s some movement.

On DVD this weekend you can catch Mel Gibson’s Apocalypto which purports to explain why the Mayan Empire disappeared.

It’s a violent, blood chase film but very compelling.

Who really cares if it isn’t historically accurate.

It sure is one heart-pounding ride.

If you want historical accuracy, check out Clint Eastwood’s harrowing war film Letters from Iwo Jima which gives us glimpses from the Japanese viewpoint of that crucial battle.

It is a wrenching story of heroism in the face of certain defeat.

There’s also a new version out of Eastwood’s companion piece Flags of Our Fathers which shows the battle from the American point of view.

Rent both and put away five hours.

It’s really the best way to watch either of these movies which cement Eastwood’s reputation as a master filmmaker and storyteller.

Calgarians in search of some great laughs can check out Vertigo Theatre’s production of the comic whodunit Shear Madness in which the audience gets to play detectives and actually get to decide which of the four possible endings will play out at a given performance.

This is one of the most popular plays ever staged in Calgary so it is advisable to call ahead for availability of seats.

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