You know Halloween is close when a new Saw movie comes to theatres.

While it has a few sequels to go before it reaches the numbers of A Nightmare on Elm Street and Friday the 13th, it seems to be an ongoing annual event.

Saw VI continues the saga of torture, as Detective Hoffman emerges as the unchallenged successor to Jigsaw’s legacy of terror.

Since I am not a fan of the series (the first one was strangely compelling but ultimately too grotesque and sadistic for my taste), I do not know what that all means, but fans will know what is going on.

A possible new Halloween tradition could be movies based upon the Saga of Darren Shan book series. Cirque Du Freak: The Vampire’s Assistant is based upon the first three books, a fantasy-adventure about a teenager who unknowingly breaks a 200-year-old truce between two warring factions of vampires. Pulled into a fantastic life of misunderstood sideshow freaks and grotesque creatures of the night, one teen will vanish from the safety of a boring existence and fulfill his destiny in a place drawn from nightmares.

The cast includes John C. Reilly, Willem Dafoe and Salma Hayek.

You may or may not have heard about Astro Boy, but in Japan, he is like Mickey Mouse is to us.

The animated movie is based upon the popular franchise which is about a young robot with incredible powers created by a brilliant scientist in the image of the son he had lost.

Unable to fulfill the grieving man’s expectations, Astro Boy embarks on a journey in search of acceptance.

He experiences betrayal after becoming part of a group of rowdy kids led by a girl named Cora and a netherworld of robot gladiators led by the greedy ring master before returning to save Metro City and reconcile with the father who had rejected him.

It features the voices of Freddie Highmore, Nicolas Cage, Donald Sutherland, Kristen Bell, Eugene Levy, Nathan Lane and Bill Nighy.

For the more discerning crowd there is Amelia.

Starring Academy Award-winner Hilary Swank, it chronicles the rise to fame of doomed aviator Amelia Earhart and her relationship with publisher George Putnam.

After becoming the first woman to fly across the Atlantic, Amelia was thrust into a new role as America’s sweetheart—the legendary “goddess of light,” known for her bold, larger-than-life charisma.

Yet, even with her global fame solidified, her belief in flirting with danger and standing up as her own, outspoken woman never changed.

It is directed by Mira Nair (Vanity Fair) and also stars Richard Gere as Putnam and Ewan McGregor as long time friend and fellow pilot Gene Vidal.

And opening next Wednesday, Oct. 28, is the much hyped Michael Jackson’s This is It, a glimpse into the final days of Michael Jackson The documentary is compiled from an estimated 80 hours of rehearsal and behind-the-scenes footage of the legendary entertainer preparing for his 50 sold-out shows at London’s O2 Arena that were scheduled to commence in July 2009 before his untimely death in June.

Rick Davis is the manager of the Capitol Theatre in West Kelowna.

capitol_wes@

landmarkcinemas.ca