A quiet week with only two films opening in wide release, and strangely, not a horror film in sight as we approach Halloween. First up is the Bruce Willis old-guys-and-guns vehicle “Red,” which is basically a slightly classier version of August’s “The Expendables” and about as good. Next up is “Jackass 3D,” the latest entry in the venerable franchise, which should take the top spot at the box office this weekend, especially with the inflated 3D ticket prices. The first two films grossed $64.3M and $72.8M respectively, which may shock some, but these films are promoted heavily and certainly have a dedicated fanbase. On the limited front, Clint Eastwood debuts his latest, the “Crash”-like “Hereafter” on a few screens, while Hilary Swank and Sam Rockwell try their best to wet your eyes in the legal drama “Conviction.” Foreign nuts should be prepared to spend a lot of time in theaters this weekend as Olivier Assayas’ six-hour epic “Carlos” hits the big screen. Or if your bladder’s a little on the weak side, Warwick Thornton finally gets a stateside release for his outback drama “Samson & Delilah.”
In Wide Release: Based on the cult DC graphic novel by Warren Ellis and Cully Hamner, “Red” is the story of a group of aging CIA agents who become targets themselves when the government decides they know too much. The action-comedy stars Bruce Willis, Morgan Freeman, Helen Mirren and John Malkovich as the agents in the film from director Robert Schwentke (“Flightplan,” “The Time Traveler’s Wife”). We’ve been excited to see the film after a string of recent summer action disappointments and the trailers were great, but the film itself doesn’t quite deliver, even with the talent involved (our review here). RT: 70% Metacritic: 62.
Johnny Knoxville and the “Jackass” gang have been quiet since 2006’s “Jackass: Number 2,” but they are back in a big way with “Jackass 3D.” The TV show hasn’t been in production for several years either, so it will be interesting to see whether or not the franchise has retained the loyalty of its fans. You probably know whether “Jackass” is your cup of tea or not, so reviews aren’t much of a factor here, but if it helps, we liked it. RT: 43% Metacritic: 54.
In Limited Release: Workaholic director Clint Eastwood opens his latest, “Hereafter” on six screens this weekend with a wide release coming in a couple of weeks. The film meshes three parallel storylines of people — a blue collar psychic, a French journalist and a London schoolboy — dealing with grief. Matt Damon plays the psychic and gets most of the attention in the trailers, but his story shares equal screen time with the others, to varying effect. We caught the movie back at the Toronto International Film Festival and found it intimate and interesting, but ultimately let down by a clichéd script. RT: 69% Metacritic: 54.
Also hitting a few screens before a wider release is “Conviction” from director Tony Goldwyn. Awards show-horse Hilary Swank stars in the true story of a woman who dedicates her life to overturning her brother’s life sentence for murder, putting herself through law school in the process. Sam Rockwell co-stars as the brother, alongside a cast that includes Minnie Driver, Melissa Leo and Peter Gallagher. RT: 68% Metacritic: 60.
Opening this week are a couple of notable films we’ve been covering throughout the festival circuit. Olivier Assayas’ “Carlos” is the six-hour exploration of cold war terrorist and assassin Carlos The Jackal. The film also hit the Sundance channel earlier this month and may be better suited for the small screen, for which it was originally conceived. We first reviewed the film at Cannes and revisited it at the New York Film Festival; it’s definitely worth a look however you manage to take it in. RT: 93% Metacritic: 96. The Camera d’Or winner at 2009 Cannes, “Samson & Delilah,” finally scores a stateside release this week. The coming-of-age tale follows two aboriginal teens in the remote Australian outback who try to escape the harsh realities of their lives. The buzz and reviews have been fantastic, so we really can’t wait to check this one out. RT: 97% Metacritic: 73.