In Secret (Cert 15, 105 mins). Starring Elizabeth Olsen, Oscar Isaac, Tom Felton, Jessica Lange, Shirley Henderson, Matt Lucas, Mackenzie Crook, John Kavanagh, Lily Laight, Matt Devere, Dimitrije Bogdanov.

***

THERESE (Lily Laight) is abandoned by her father (Matt Devere) into the care of domineering aunt, Madame Raquin (Jessica Lange), and sickly cousin Camille (Dimitrije Bogdanov). The boy’s coughing keeps Therese awake at night so by the time she turns 21, Therese (now played by Elizabeth Olsen) is wearily devoted to Camille (Tom Felton) as a nursemaid. Madame Raquin orchestrates a marriage and the dysfunctional family transplants to Paris. HereTherese serves behind the counter of Madame’s shop. Out of the blue, Camille’s old friend Laurent (Oscar Isaac) visits the Raquins and ignites Therese’s dormant desires. Sexual tension sparks an affair. Based on Emile Zola’s scandalous 1867 novel Therese Raquin, In Secret is an artfully composed tableau of sexual repression and murderous intent. Unfortunately, we fail to forge a strong connection to any of the morose protagonists. Sexual chemistry between Olsen and Isaac barely simmers and Felton’s maligned husband is an insipid wimp. Only Lange fully enters into the spirit of Zola’s source text, delivering a commanding performance. Nothing is left to nuance in writer-director Charlie Stratton’s screenplay and composer Gabriel Yared adopts a similarly heavy-handed approach.

Legends Of Oz: Dorothy’s Return (Cert U, 88 mins). Featuring the voices of: Lea Michele, Dan Aykroyd, Kelsey Grammer, Jim Belushi, Bernadette Peters, Martin Short, Hugh Dancy, Patrick Stewart, Megan Hilty, Oliver Platt, Tacey Adams, Michael Krawic **

DOROTHY Gale (voiced by Lea Michele) wakes in Kansas. A giant tornado has devastated the community and Aunt Em (Tacey Adams) and Uncle Henry (Michael Krawic) are reluctantly preparing to move on rather than rebuild.

Back in Oz, where time unfolds much quicker than in our world, The Jester (Martin Short), devious brother of the Wicked Witch of the West, is upholding family values by attempting to enslave the kingdom. Scarecrow (Dan Aykroyd), Tin Man (Kelsey Grammer) and Cowardly Lion (Jim Belushi) summon Dorothy to Oz to spearhead a rebellion.

The heroine journeys towards the Emerald City in the company of new friends including Wiser The Owl (Oliver Platt), Tugg the Treeboat (Patrick Stewart), soldier Marshal Mallow (Hugh Dancy) and the China Doll Princess (Megan Hilty).

Legends Of Oz: Dorothy’s Return is a computer-animated musical sequel to The Wizard Of Oz, which fails to recapture the magic and sense of wonder of Victor Fleming’s 1939 film. This odyssey is neither fun-filled nor magical, punctuating the heroine’s journey with songs composed by Bryan Adams, which run the gamut of insipid empowerment ballads and up-tempo calls to arms. Michele is a chirpy yet bland central character and supporting vocal performances are similarly forgettable.