New in theaters this week: Monsters vs. Aliens, Haunting in Conn., 12 Rounds

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This week’s movies include what will probably be the first blockbuster of 2009 (aside from Paul Blart) with Dreamworks’ Monsters vs Aliens. The Haunting in Connecticut and 12 Rounds are the other films opening nationwide – not exactly stiff competition. The 3D Monsters vs. Aliens is opening in over 4,000 theaters, and should rake in $50-60 million. The Haunting in Connecticut should get $10-15 million while 12 Rounds stars wrestler John Cena, who has proven nothing as a movie star. And to compound his issues, the director is Renny Harlin. Remember Renny? Renny made Die Hard 2 and Cliffhanger back in the early 90s and was seen as a hot young action director. Since then, it’s been nothing be piece of shit after piece of shit. We don’t see the trend reversing itself, but Cena’s film will still get the action fans for somewhere between $5-9 million. Holdovers Race to Witch Mountain, Knowing, Duplicity and I Love you, Man should all hang out, most, if not all of them, beating out 12 Rounds.

Monsters vs. Aliens
The trailer has been giving this film great buzz. The early reviews are solid – some great – but it just looks like a whole lot of fun that the family can all go to – and enjoy – so big bucks are in store for this one. This has a serious chance at becoming a franchise for Dreamworks.

The Haunting in Connecticut
This film has a solid cast (Virginia Madsen, Elias Koteas), and the spookiness is a nice change of pace to the slasher films of late. Early buzz is pretty good, so watch for it to do pretty well and possibly have a few weeks of legs and a good run on video.

12 Rounds
What do you expect from this film? The PG-13 rating means it’s not going to be a balls-to-the-walls action film, so it doesn’t bode well. The reviews have not helped much – pretty much what you expect – average film for those who just a bit of blood and a bit of violence. If the WWE and John Cena want to do something special, they need to go all out and do a straight kick ass action movie – blood, violence, mayhem – R-rated style.