Reel Critics:

The nature documentary crew at Disney takes a venerable movie format to a new level with the visual splendor of “Oceans.” This amazing journey into the deepest blue sea brings us face to face with remarkable creatures both beautiful and strange. Many look like life forms from some other planet. But underneath the waves they mingle with more common species to intertwine the familiar with the bizarre.

Breathtaking scenes of whales, dolphins and seals at play fill the screen. But we also see very peculiar animals in the joyous dance of the salt water ballet. There are a few dramatic moments that depict the struggle to survive when feeding time arrives. A great white shark takes out a seal with a single bite. A swooping bird has a baby turtle for a quick lunch. But overall this movie is a dazzling homage to its remarkable subject.

So many family movies offer cartoon characters and silly stories to entertain. But in the efficient 84-minute running time of “Oceans,” kids and parents can see firsthand the magnificent variety of creation. We can all marvel at the stunning beauty and dramatic reality of our planet’s primordial existence.

Don’t miss this crime thriller

One of the few upsets of the March Oscars ceremony was the best foreign film winner, Argentina’s “The Secret in Their Eyes,” and it’s finally screening in Orange County. Don’t miss it.

Director Juan José Campanella has directed American TV, including “Law & Order: SVU,” which is evident in the more clinical aspects of this crime thriller. But this is more a story of lost loves, regret and a bit of political commentary.

Benjamin, a retired criminal investigator, decides to write a novel about a still-unresolved 1974 murder case. He visits former boss and soul mate Irene to talk about the case, which stirs up many bittersweet memories. They, too, are among the victims left in the wake of a horrible crime.

Although the movie’s pacing is slow, it does build up to some very tense moments. Stars Ricardo Darín and Soledad Villamil are quietly affecting.

Javier Godino, resembling a younger Christian Bale, plays the sort of quietly menacing villain that makes your skin crawl.

Most notable is famed Argentine comic Guillermo Francella, as Benjamin’s boozy former colleague. Their easy banter and bungling detective work bring some well-needed comic relief to this haunting tale of crime and punishment.

JOHN DEPKO is a Costa Mesa resident and a senior investigator for the Orange County public defender’s office. SUSANNE PEREZ lives in Costa Mesa and is an executive assistant for a financial services company.