Lantern openings: Arthurian legendry and Billy Tipton

Above: Dev Patel stars in "The Green Knight," which opens Friday at the Magic Lantern Theatre. (Photo/A24)

When mainstream theaters are filled with movies that feature superheroes saving the world, criminals attempting (often vainly) great heists, teens feeling as if not having a date for the prom is the end of the world, or a gang of animated characters sharing some quest …

… well, you know we can depend on the Magic Lantern Theatre to provide us something just a tad more cerebral to watch.

Not that I’m being judgmental, you understand. I like escapism just as much as the next moviegoer.

Still, I support the Lantern as much as I can. And in return, the theater will add two new films to its lineup on Friday, one that has its roots in the King Arthur legend, the other being a documentary study of the legacy of the late Spokane jazz musician Billy Tipton.

“The Green Knight”: Dev Patel stars as Sir Gawain, a knight of King Arthur’s Round Table, whose honor is tested by the mysterious character of the film’s title.

“Those expecting an Arthurian sword-and-sandals battle epic will be sorely disappointed,” wrote Brandon Katz in the Observer. “Instead, (director David) Lowery has delivered a dense, sensual, almost dream-like tale of chivalry, magic, temptation and transformation.”

"No Ordinary Man": When he died in 1989, Spokane Valley resident Billy Tipton was discovered to have been born a woman. Less of a biography than an exploration of what it means to be a trans person, “No Ordinary Man” is a story that is as compelling as it is educational.

Elizabeth Weitzman wrote in TheWrap, “A fascinating deconstruction of history, culture, and identity, ‘No Ordinary Man’ raises so many crucial questions – and answers them so thoughtfully – that it moves beyond entertainment into the realm of essential text.”

I’ll update as the week’s releases firm up.