Departure Time

Martin Scorsese's eagerly anticipated, star-powered drama, The Departed (reviews), finally arrives. Judging by the positive reaction the film is generating from the nation's critics, thus far, Scorsese has hit a grand slam with this one. The movie leads a trio of high profile new releases.

Scorsese on The Departed set with stars Leonardo DiCaprio and Matt Damon

The horror prequel, Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning (reviews), may not have the endorsement of critics...As a fan of the 2003 remake and of the 1974 classic, on which this series is based, I'm looking forward to seeing this anyway. The producers of the 2003 flick are behind the new film as well. Given that, I'm hoping for good things from this scare-fest.

Actor Matthew Bomer, in the Texas Prequel, is just hanging around on set

The comedy, Employee of the Month (reviews), has 2 things going for it. Some of the folks behind Wedding Crashers worked on this film as well, and comedian Dane Cook (in his first "leading man" role). Will the Wedding Crasher momentum hold? As a fan of Cook's--I'm pulling for the film to do well...

Cook and Jessica Simpson get real close for a scene in "Employee"...

Here's an overview of the weekend landscape, courtesy of Variety's Ian Mohr:

Columbus Day weekend is usually friendly to family pics, but it's the very grown-up "The Departed" and "Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning" that look to have the inside track this weekend.

Martin Scorsese's latest is bowing on 3,017 screens -- the most ever for the filmmaker -- as the frame's widest rollout.

New Line's latest installment in its "Chainsaw" franchise has drawn strong interest from the under-25 crowd and will hit 2,820 playdates.

The school holiday on Monday, meanwhile, bodes well for Sony's CG animated holdover "Open Season," the No. 1 pic last [weekend]. A year ago, DreamWorks' animated "Wallace and Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit" was able to take the top spot thanks to the added availability of family auds Sunday.

Lions Gate's PG-13 Jessica Simpson starrer "Employee of the Month" also could enjoy a bump from the holiday weekend, as could Disney's holdover "The Guardian."...

Read more here...

Joshua Rich of Entertainment Weekly predicts that Scorsese's "Departed" will be a raging bull this weekend...saying

Harking back to his grittier beginnings, the "Mean Streets" and "GoodFellas" director will score big with "The Departed"

Whether The Departed ends up being number one, or not, I'm hoping that the positive buzz for the film finally translates to Oscar gold for Scorsese.