Movie fans get early treat with frightening films for Halloween
A family adventure (“Alex Rider: Operation Stormbreaker”), a horror sequel (“The Grudge 2”), a factual drama (“Infamous”), a political satire (“Man of the Year”), an action flick (“The Marine”), a controversial documentary (“Jesus Camp”) and a sex romp (“Shortbus”) are the major titles landing in theaters on this Friday the 13th. The new films (with all dates subject to change) opening at a theater near you include:
? “Alex Rider: Operation Stormbreaker,” with Ewan McGregor (“Moulin Rouge”) and Mickey Rourke (“Sin City”) in a PG-rated British production about a 14-year-old boy (newcomer Alex Pettyfer) who discovers that his seemingly ordinary late uncle was a British spy and England now needs the nephew to help on a dangerous mission that has him battling a deadly billionaire. This PG-rated picture is based on the youth novel “Stormbreaker,” which is the first of author Anthony Horowitz’s six installments – “Point Blank,” “Skeleton Key,” “Eagle Strike,” “Scorpia” and “Ark Angel” -about a teen drafted to be a 007-like operative.
? “The Grudge 2,” with Amber Tamblyn (“Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants”) in a PG-13 horror sequel that has an evil spirit vacating a burned-down house in Tokyo to terrify new victims. The distributor declined to screen the follow-up in advance for reviewers.
? “A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints,” with Robert Downey Jr. (“Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang”), Shia LaBeouf (“Constantine”), Chazz Palminteri (“The Usual Suspects”) and Dianne Wiest (“Hannah and Her Sisters”) in an R-rated ensemble drama. The fact-based story concerns a man who moved to Los Angeles from his old Astoria, Queens, neighborhood 15 years ago and returns to see his seriously ill father. The sick parent never forgave his son for leaving, and the visit stirs the memories of the California man who thinks about the old neighborhood and his friends (the “saints” in the title), most of whom either landed in prison or died. The independent picture is based on the memoir by Dito Montiel, who lived in Astoria during the mid-1980s.
? “Infamous,” with British actor Toby Jones (“Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets”) playing – a la Oscar-winner Philip Seymour Hoffman in “Capote” – author Truman Capote around the time he was writing “In Cold Blood” in the 1960s. Daniel Craig (“Munich”) and Sandra Bullock (“The Lake House”) co-star in the R-rated picture that strongly echoes the previous film on the colorful author and claims that Capote had a sexual relationship with Perry Smith, one of the killers.
? “Jesus Camp,” with Heidi Ewing and Rachel Grady, who previously teamed on “The Boys of Baraka,” co-directing a PG-13 documentary about the extreme reactions of children as young as 6 attending a North Dakota religious retreat. The participants are taught to be evangelical Christian soldiers during intense training lessons that often have them crying, screaming, begging for forgiveness and speaking in tongues.
? “Man of the Year,” with Robin Williams (“RV”), Christopher Walken (“Click”) and Lewis Black (TV’s “The Daily Show”) in a PG-13 comedy about a comic who specializes in political humor. He runs for the presidency as a joke, wins the highest office in the land and discovers that he only triumphed due to a malfunction in the voting machines. He then must decide whether to tell the American public.
? “The Marine,” with WWE favorite John Cena in a PG-13 action tale about a soldier who returns from Iraq and then must use his combat skills to locate his wife after she’s kidnapped by a crime syndicate. The distributor declined to screen the film in advance for reviewers.
? “Riding Along for Thousands of Miles” with Ken Takakura in a PG-rated Asian import about a father who works in a remote fishing village. The simple man embarks on an extremely long journey to videotape a stage performance that his estranged and very ill son, an actor, dreamed of attending so that he could hear a legendary singer.
??”Shortbus” with Sook-Yin Lee and Paul Dawson in a controversial unrated film in which writer-director John Cameron Mitchell (“Hedwig and the Angry Inch”) uses graphic scenes during a story about relationships. The title is the name of an underground New York City salon where group sex experiences – ones that leave nothing to the imagination – are encouraged.
At the buck$ office
Director Martin Scorsese’s mob epic, “The Departed,” easily muscled its way to the top spot at the box office last weekend.
The R-rated picture, starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Matt Damon and Jack Nicholson,” opened with $27 million.
Following was “The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning.” The grisly R-rated prequel opened with more than $19 million.
According to boxofficemojo.com, the top-10 movies last weekend were:
1. “The Departed” ($27 million)
2. “The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning” ($19.1 million)
3. “Open Season” ($16 million)
4. “Employee of the Month” ($11.8 million)
5. “The Guardian” ($9.6 million)
6. “Jackass: Number Two” ($6.4 million)
7. “School For Scoundrels” ($3.4 million)
8. “Gridiron Gang” ($2.3 million)
9. “Jet Li’s Fearless” ($2.1 million)
10. “The Illusionist” ($1.8 million)
Coming soon!
The major titles scheduled to open Oct. 20 include: “Flags of Our Fathers” (with Ryan Phillippe and Adam Beach in a World War II drama about Iwo Jima) and “Flicka” (with Maria Bello and Tim McGraw in a remake of the family film about a young woman taming a wild horse).
Gaul on the radio
My “At the Movies” radio segment will air live at 11:30 p.m. on Friday as part of “The Dom Giordano Show” (WPHT-AM/1210 and www.thebigtalker1210.com).
The broadcast, which can be heard every Friday night, will include discussions of newly released movies and DVDs, as well as motion picture news and trends.