releasing this week: Due Date and Jackass 3D

So I’ve missed doing this article the last couple of weeks. What can I say? Sorry about that. I shall endeavour to do better by you in the future. Don’t forget as well, you can always give out to me on facebook or twitter if you think I’m slacking off. I probably am so just shout at me if you want…

I reckon I’ll make Due Date the first film I highlight this week. It come to us from the writing team and the director of last year’s “surprise smash hit comedy” The Hangover.

Ah, I shouldn’t be sarcastic, The Hangover was a pretty decent laugh. Especially the photos at the end. I should probably watch it again. But anyway, yeah. Oh, I do think this trend of trying to market a film as “The funniest film since The Hangover!” is hilarious. It was only last year, so all you’re saying is that it’s the funniest film lately. Not really worth putting the posters is it?… anyway. I digress, as I am often wont to do.

So Due Date stars Zack Galifianakis, of The Hangover and Tru Calling (or am I the only person who watched that show?) and Robert Downey Jr., who I’m gonna call a true film star. When he’s on the screen you can’t help but watch him. He’s great. Though just to be clear, this isn’t some veiled way of saying I fancy him – I usually just come out and say that – I just think think he’s a great actor.

Basically Due Date is a road trip movie, Robert Downey Jr. plays Peter Highman, a man who just wants to get home to his pregnant wife who’s due to give birth. Unfortunately for him, a series of unlikely events occurs, he ends up on a road trip with aspiring actor, Ethan Tremblay (Galifianakis), a man who um… is unpleasant to travel with. Am I that interested in a road trip film? Not really, but Downey Jr. and Galifianakis are funny funny people so I’m well on for spending an hour and a half or so in their company.

I gotta say, I didn’t want to mention Planes, Trains and Automobiles but you can’t really help but think of it. That said, director Todd Phillips does seem to just be interested in road trips… after all, he did direct… Road Trip. Besides, Planes, Trains and Automobiles is a good film. Maybe Due Date will stave off a remake of that ’80s classic.

Next up, Jackass 3D. The Boys are Back. Ok, it’s not called The Boys are Back but it may as well be. Every time I hear mention of it I think of this so…

I did used to watch Jackass back in the day. Course I pretty much watched it for one reason and one reason only… You know how earlier I said I’d just come out and say it? Well I’ll say it now. I watched it for Johnny Knoxville. Yeah, I think he’s pretty great, and not in an acting sense…

That said, I’m sure many people watch it for Knoxville. He is the ringmaster after all. As long as he’s laughing it’s a-ok to watch people get smacked in the face, fall on their heads, get thrown into a pit of snakes, be up-ended by a bull, bitten by a dog, shot at by, well… all manner of things really and most of all, be in pain. And he laughs all the time.

So, if you enjoy that kind of thing then Jackass 3D is the movie for you this week. I mean what can I say to recommend this really? Everyone knows Jackass right, you like it or you don’t. I’m not going to intellectualise it but if you want to hear about some people who do then have a look at The Guardian’s interview with Knoxville. Maybe the whole Jackass thing is of “cultural significance”. Orm maybe if you hang around for long enough people will make excuses for you…

Anyway, I have already seen this and I thought it was brilliant. I’m still not entirely sure how they’re all still alive. Honestly, there’s definitely a couple of times that you think, “There’s no way he’s getting up”, but then you see Johnny Knoxville laughing… and you know everything will be a-ok.

Other films out this week…

Let Me In – I’m not entirely sure if this is a remake of the 2008 Swedish film Let The Right One In or an adaptation of the novel of the same name. I guess it could be a combination. Either way, it’s brought to us by Matt Reeves, the director of Cloverfield (but that really means nothing in this context) and stars Chloe Moretz (the little girl from Kick-Ass) and Kodi Smit-McPhee (the little boy from The Road.) So, creepy kids a-go-go.

Anyway, I’ve seen this one as well and I wasn’t overly impressed. Then again, I wasn’t that impressed with the Swedish film either and that appeared on many “Top films of the year” and even a few “Top films of the decade” lists. So, well, if I were you I wouldn’t bother… but it has been getting some decent reviews around the place and if you haven’t seen Let The Right One In then maybe you’ll like it.

Another Year – New film from acclaimed writer and director Mike Leigh. If I felt shame I’d be somewhat ashamed of the fact that I actually haven’t seen any of his films. Not one. I heard of him, after all, he’s been nominated for 6 Oscars, but I’ve just never been that interested in seeing any of his films.

I’m very interested in this one though. I don’t know why. It doesn’t really sound like my kind of film. It’s about an old married couple and their friends… so I guess it’s about relationships, growing old, that kind of thing. Mind you, I could be completely wrong, they’ve gone to lengths in the trailer to make sure that you can’t really tell what’s going on. Nice work, I’m sick of trailers that tell you everything. Maybe that’s why I want to see it. Also, I like Jim Broadbent and co-star Lesley Manville is currently being heavily tipped for an Oscar nomination from this so… Sounds like it should be good. I know it may not seem like it from some of my comments, but I do like to see good films from time to time too.

So that’s it for this week. Hopefully I’ll be organised enough during the week to get next week’s preview out on time… you’d never know.

Jackass 3D, Due Date, Another Year and Let Me In are all in Irish cinemas from Friday 5th November 2010.