This week's movie releases (Sept 26th) at Rotten Tomatoes

This week's movie releases (Sept 26th) at Rotten Tomatoes

There are two wide national releases:

The Equalizer: rated R without nudity; 3200 theaters; 58% positive reviews. Director Antoine Fuqua and Denzel Washington are reunited to dispense some vigilante justice.

The BoxTrolls: animated family film rated PG; 3400 theaters; 71% positive reviews.

There are some limited releases of note:

The Song: rated PG-13, several hundred theaters; 0% positive reviews. One critic: "Press materials for The Song describe it as 'the sexiest faith-based movie ever.' While that's technically true, it's also an incredibly low bar to clear." LA Times: "A ceaseless, hurtin' tune of a music-driven romantic drama, "The Song" plays out its tired refrain with all the subtlety of a Sunday sermon."

The Two Faces of January: rated PG-13; theater count not established, 83% positive reviews. Most critics loved this romantic thriller based on a Patricia Highsmith novel and starring Viggo. RT consus: "With striking visuals, complex characters, and Hitchcockian plot twists, The Two Faces of January offers a pleasantly pungent treat for fans of romantic thrillers." All of that pleasant pungency was apparently not enough to merit a significant release. One reservation: The Village Voice gave it a positive review, which has the same meaning as a kiss from a Mafia Don, or a cow skull next to a water hole.

Jimi: All is by My Side: rated R without nudity; theater count not established, 74% positive reviews. Andre Benjamin as Jimi Hendrix, directed by the same guy who did 12 Years a Slave. Unfortunately, the producers did not secure the rights to Jimi's major songs, so ...

Weekend Box Office:

Denzel is expected to rule the roost with a gross exceeding $30M, which is mighty fine for an R-rated release in late September. The BoxTrolls should finish second or third with a gross in the teens. The Song may sneak into the very bottom of the top ten, but is not likely to gross more than two million, given its weak distro. Jimi and The Two Faces of January will be also-rans because they are not coming to a theater near you unless you live in the NYU dorms. At least the Village Voice guy will get to watch it again.