Following last week’s big box-office for a widely varied selection of new films, another diverse crop shows up this week and should keep the box-office hot into Halloween. Looking to kick “Where the Wild Things Are” from its throne are several films aimed at a younger audience from animated action to grisly horror, the young set has many options, almost all of them unappealing and cynical-looking. “Wild Things” hopefully will have the staying power to keep kids hopeful and joyous, but it’s not likely going to reign at the top of the box-office charts again.
In Wide Release: The only movie opening for level-headed adults this weekend is Mira Nair’s Amelia Earhart biopic simply titled “Amelia.” Two-time Oscar winner Hilary Swank portrays the legendary and mysterious aviation icon with supporting turns from Richard Gere and Ewan McGregor, all of them presumably looking to clear some space on the awards mantle. We posted our review the other day, finding the film to be largely unremarkable and short on zest. If you are really hungry for intelligent adult drama, there are much more interesting things still playing in art-houses across the country. “Amelia” is currently only 23% fresh on Rotten Tomatoes and a 48 score from Metacritic.
While his younger brother Chris is putting the finishing touches on next month’s “New Moon,” big brother Paul Weitz unleashes his own blood-sucking saga “The Vampire’s Assistant.” Like “Twilight” and HBO’s “True Blood,” the film is based on a saga of books, in this case the “Cirque du Freak” series. This one has been sending mixed messages for a while in its marketing campaign, we really aren’t certain whether it is a comedy or a horror flick, but we do know that it is aimed squarely at teenage girls (surprise, surprise). John C. Reilly, Salma Hayek, Chris Massaglia, and Ken Watanabe star and hopefully will make this thing somewhat tolerable. The film has a 23% fresh rating from RT and a 43 score from Metacritic. Be careful.
Originally debuting in a Japanese manga, “Astro Boy” finally makes his way to the big screen. Director David Bowers (“Flushed Away”) brings the iconic character to life with what looks to be animated action galore, hopefully as young-male centered antidote to all this romantic vampiring going around. Coming at the heels of “Wild Things,” “Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs,” and the “Toy Story” 3D re-release, this one is going to have to work really hard to lure parents into theaters. With an excellent voice cast that includes Nicolas Cage, Kristen Bell, Samuel L. Jackson, Bill Nighy and Freddy Highmore there should at least be some worthwhile performances. Rotten Tomatoes has it at 62% fresh, while it currently has a score of 59 from Metacritic.
Also making it into cinemas this week in very wide release is freakin’ “Saw VI.” We don’t really know anyone who goes to see these movies, but they keep opening reliably around 30 million each year. The costs are kept to a minimum, so these films are hugely profitable. Who can blame a little cash-grabbing in the current economic climate? Just don’t expect us to be there this weekend. The Kevin Greutart-directed film isn’t screening for critics, so there isn’t a lot RT or Metacritic can tell us at this point.
In Limited Release: The moment you’ve all been waiting for since the polarizing premiere at Cannes, Lars von Trier’s “Antichrist” opens this weekend. Starring Charlotte Gainsbourg and Willem DaFoe, grieving their dead child by relocating to a secluded forest where things go from bad to worse. We’ve had many reviews of the film, from the self-proclaimed “best director in the world” on this site, calling it “an exorcism of foulness and unmitigated hatred” after seeing it at Cannes and most recently the “ultimate art as therapy.” However you feel about it, the film is certainly worth seeing and deserving of your support, as filmmaking is rarely this daring. Predictably divisive, “Antichrist” is 51% fresh at Rotten Tomatoes and has a 46 score from Metacritic.
After a bit of an absence, Uma Thurman returns to the screen in the comedy “Motherhood.” Director Katherine Diekmann’s film follows one day in the life of Thurman’s character Eliza as she tries to decide what motherhood really means to her. We’re hoping the presence of an actor of Thurman’s caliber can elevate what looks to be “Lifetime” network-ready material. Anthony Edwards, Minny Driver, and Samantha Bee co-star in the film which has a 33% fresh rating from RT and a 46 score from Metacritic.
“(Untitled)” is director Jonathan Parker’s (“Bartleby”) new film, a satire of the contemporary art world. Adam Goldberg plays a aggravatingly avant-garde modern composer who falls for his painter brother’s (Eion Bailey) love interest played by Marley Shelton. We just saw the movie and found it a decent little indie with small aims. Currently the film is 43% fresh at Rotten Tomatoes with Metacritic not registering enough reviews at this time.
Also in limited release this week Tony Jaa returns to the role that made him an international star in “Ong Bak 2: The Beginning.” This time the Thai martial-arts king directs the prequel, which finds Jaa on a warpath to avenge the death of his nobleman father. The original “Ong Bak” was great, kinetic fun, so hopefully this will be on par. RT has it at 53% fresh while Metacritic gives it a 57 score.
Also of interest to serious film geeks, Peter Greenaway’s new documentary “Rembrandt’s J’accuse.” Greenaway, who once studied to be a painter, examines Rembrandt’s most famous painting “The Night Watch,” uncovering its mysteries and possibly giving insight into the demise of the legendary artist himself. Greenaway doesn’t make films often, and this one looks personal and fascinating, we can’t wait to see it. The film is currently 100% fresh on RT with an 80 score on Metacritic. Lastly, Korean auteur Hong Sang-soo’s “Night And Day” limps into limited release. We received no screening invite and realized it was opening in New York just yesterday. Someone give some sarcastic applause to the PR people that dumped this one into theaters. Total shame.