THE RUINS (Paramount) Between the killer vines here and the evil trees in The Happening, it’s been a boffo year for botanical horror movies. Though nearly as ridiculed as M. Night Shyamalan’s pollen-filled mess, this story of American college kids terrorized by a rapacious life force at an ancient Mayan temple is better than you’ve been led to believe. Fashion photographer turned filmmaker Carter Smith first gained note for the 2006 short Bugcrush, an eerie mix of Cronenbergian body horror and queer-punk horniness. Helming his first feature, he gets the most out of ace cinematographer Darius Khondji and a strong cast that includes Jena Malone and Shawn Ashmore. What first appears to be another allegory about young Americans dying in a hostile foreign land becomes something more insidious. Gorier, too — the unrated cut is surely the bloodiest recent studio horror pic, yet there’s less of the genre’s post-Saw penchant for cruelty and sadism. The unrated cut also includes a more satisfying ending than what capped off the theatrical release. Another extra reveals that the nefarious plants here were modelled after pumpkin vines, proving that your childhood fears of the Great Pumpkin were well-founded.

THE Tracey Fragments (Alliance) If only Bruce McDonald’s split-screen teen-girl confessional  were released in Canadian movie theatres after Juno had grossed a gazillion dollars, it might’ve gotten more traction on the basis of Ellen Page’s lead performance. Then again, this adaptation of the novel by Maureen Medved makes for confrontational viewing, what with Page’s motor-mouthed rants as Tracey and McDonald’s determination to continually carve up the frame into a dozen separate images or more. It only really works in fits and starts but its energy is undeniable. The DVD also includes winning entries in an unorthodox online contest that encouraged entrants to provide their own cuts. (Alas, no one had the gall to pair Page with JarJar Binks.)

Also this week
LATE FRAGMENT(Mongrel) With its three storylines jutting out in different directions chosen by the viewer, this Canadian-made experiment in interactive filmmaking is part movie, part jigsaw puzzle. Since the contents are so grim and seedy, it all plays out like a Choose-Your-Own-Angst-Ridden-Adventure story. Still, it’s a courageous step in a new direction. EXTRAS: none. (DVD release party July 10 at Tattoo, 567 Queen W.).

Stop-Loss (Paramount) Boys Don’t Cry director Kimberly Pierce made a valiant effort to interest moviegoers in the lives of the youngsters being sent to fight in Iraq. For the most part, moviegoers went “Feh!” Will video consumers be more compassionate? EXTRAS: commentary by Pierce and co-writer Mark Richard, deleted scenes, making-of doc, boot-camp featurette.

Out July 15
The Bank Job, Penelope, season one of Saving Grace and the indescribably awesome Step Up 2: The Streets — now in the works, Step Up 3-D will surely make our heads explode.