The third month of the year is well known to begin stormy and turbulent and end as gentle as a newborn sheep. And the new films opening in theaters this weekend stay true to that reputation, as hyper-popular Disney stars, an adaptation of a beloved and violent video game, an honest look at immigration issues in Los Angeles and a tale of romance spanning generations all duke it out for box office supremacy.

Building on the record-breaking success of the recent 3-D concert movie from fellow Disney star Miley Cyrus, teen sensations the Jonas Brothers are starring in their own musical spectacular, Jonas Brothers: The 3D Concert Experience. The movie was filmed over the course of the group’s 2008 Burning Up Tour and includes both live performances and behind-the-scenes footage documenting the lives of the three siblings.  And the boys are giving theater-goers even more incentive to fill the seats: the trio will be randomly dropping by unannounced theaters around the country and surprising fans.  A Jonas Brothers movie and the chance to see the guys live will probably be more than most teen fans can resist.

Those who prefer to get their adrenaline rushes from their X-Box should line up for Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun Li. This film treatment of the wildly popular video game franchise follows the game’s first female character Chun Li, played by Kristin Kreuk (Smallville), and her Lightning Kicks, giving audiences an insight into her personal history and her ongoing quest for justice for her murdered father. The film promises lots of action and combat and is a must-see for fans of the game and of strong female characters in general. Those who enjoy Lara Croft and the Tomb Raider series should get a kick out this movie as well.

Fans of more serious and politically-relevant fare who enjoyed the in-your-face aspects of films like Crash and Babel should appreciate Crossing Over, also opening this weekend. This intense drama stars Harrison Ford (Indiana Jones, The Fugitive), Ray Liotta (Goodfellas, Smokin' Aces) and Ashley Judd (Kiss the Girls, Double Jeopardy) and revolves around the struggles of immigrants from various countries living in Los Angeles and attempting to gain American citizenship. The movie deals with a wide range of real-life issues, including the US-Mexican border, document fraud, the asylum and green card process, work-site enforcement, naturalization, the office of counter terrorism, among others. The director, Wayne Kramer, is an immigrant from South Africa himself and he adapted the feature-length film from his 1995 short film of the same name. Crossing Over doesn’t offer too much in the way of levity, but it does hope to provoke some thought and conversation. (See our conversation with Ford and Judd In the Spotlight.)

For some more light-hearted fare, turn to Play the Game, a romantic comedy about David, a young ladies-man, played by Paul Campbell (Battlestar Galactica), who teaches his widower grandfather, portrayed by Andy Griffith (The Andy Griffith Show), how to get back in the dating game, while pursuing his own love interest, Julie, played by Marla Sokoloff (The Practice, Full House). As Grandpa Joe goes about wooing the rest of his retirement community, the tables are turned and Joe slowly starts to teach David about getting back the love of his life. The movie promises not only romance but a look into the often complex intergenerational relationship between a young man and his grandfather. Anyone looking to avoid the lion-esque offerings at this week’s box office and get a preview of the “lamb” days to come should consider seeing Play the Game.

—John Bavoso