November 26, 2014 THE VILLADOM TIMES I • Page 27 ‘What If’ traces development of platonic relationship by Dennis Seuling “What If” (Sony) is the story of med school dropout Wallace (Daniel Radcliffe), who has had only bad luck with relation- ships. While everyone around him, includ- ing roommate Allan (Adam Driver), seems to be finding the perfect partner, Wallace decides to put his love life on hold. It is then that he meets Chantry (Zoe Kazan), an animator who lives with her longtime boyfriend Ben (Rafe Spall). Wallace and Chantry form an imme- diate connection. She is the only woman who has been able to lift Wallace out of his funk in over a year. He has been writing technical manuals and living in the attic of his sister’s house. Wallace and Chantry strike up a close friendship. Both are respectful of her existing relationship and don’t want to ruin it, but can a man and a woman in their 20s truly remain friends? This romantic comedy/drama heads in a direction one would expect, with Radcliffe turning in an easygoing, likable characterization as a heartsick, thoughtful guy straining to make the best of a platonic relationship. The Blu-ray and DVD editions both contain two behind-the-scenes featurettes and a digital HD copy. “L’Avventura” (The Criterion Collec- tion), directed by Michelangelo Antonioni in 1960, is about the disappearance of Anna (Lea Massari), daughter of an Ital- ian diplomat, during a yachting trip off the coast of Sicily, and the search taken up by her disaffected lover Sandro (Gabriele Ferzetti) and best friend Claudia (Monica Vitti). During the search, Sandro and Claudia fall for each other. The second Chantry (Zoe Kazan) and Wallace (Daniel Radcliffe) strike up a friendship in ‘What If.’ part of the film focuses on the couple’s tortured affair, rife with guilt and regret. They go to great lengths to find out what happened to Anna, but their motivations have definitely shifted. If, after all, she is never found, they can pursue their affair unencumbered by guilt. The film’s wealthy characters are privileged, easily bored, and incapable of expressing real love and respect. To them, only lust and desire matter. They are not likable people. Antonioni paces the film slowly, reflecting the tedium of the pleasure- seeking hedonists on the yacht. Anna’s disappearance seems more an irritating inconvenience to them than a tragedy. This movie paints a complex picture of decadence, questionable contemporary values, and rudderless youth. Bonuses on the Blu-ray edition include audio commentary, a three-part analysis of the film, the 58-minute documentary “Antonioni Documents and Testimonials,” writings by Antonioni read by actor Jack Nicholson, and a critical essay. “The Expendables 3” (Lionsgate) brings together several former ‘80s action stars in a far-too-complex plot with an excessive running time. The film opens with Barney Ross (Sylvester Stallone), Lee Christmas (Jason Statham), Gunner (Dolph Lundgren), Toll Road (Randy Coture), and Caesar (Terry Crews) rescu- ing an imprisoned former member, Doc (Wesley Snipes). After a scene involving a train and a massive explosion, the team is off to the next CIA-sponsored mission: eliminating the global arms dealer Stone- banks (Mel Gibson), a former member of the Expendable team. Amazingly, the movie manages to make screen action look dull and repeti- tive. Harrison Ford, a replacement for Bruce Willis, looks half asleep, though Antonio Banderas does manage to provide some new energy to the ensemble. The franchise is a live-action cartoon, with muscle-bound middle-aged guys running around with enormous weapons in a noble effort to protect the world from megalo- maniacs. Fans of action flicks might enjoy the film from a nostalgic point of view, and each of the stars is given a showcase (continued on Crossword page)