by Colin Walsh

The film industry is apparently recession proof. Whether or not we’re buying more tickets because we want a cheap night out in this bad economy is irrelevant.Because – and don’t lie and say you won’t go see it again – James Cameron is re-releasing “Avatar” (extended by 17 minutes) and will undoubtedly make another $100,000,000.  Many of -you will be partaking in America’s other favorite pastime this semester. Big blue people aside, the big screen has plenty to offer in the coming months. Here are five notable selections.

1. Machete, Sept. 3 The original trailer for “Machete” was actually a joke. It appeared in the B movie double header homage “Grindhouse” in 2007. Director Robert Rodriguez thankfully recognized the fact that this film needed to be made. A powerhouse movie cast will overshadow a likely pointless and certainly violent plot about a renegade Mexican Federale. The cast includes Danny Trejo, Michelle Rodriguez, Steven Seagal, Lindsay Lohan, Don Johnson, Jessica Alba and Robert De Niro.

2. Freakonomics, Oct. 1  Based on a bestseller by the same name, “Freakonomics” looks like the most exciting documentary in recent memory. Just like the book, “Freakonomics” uses economical research techniques to objectively study subjects ranging from cheating in sumo wrestling to the socioeconomic patterns of naming children. If it’s anything like the book, “Freakonomics” will challenge conventional wisdom and reach unsettling conclusions.

3. Jackass 3-D, Oct. 15 Johnny Knoxville and company are back to make people laugh at their own expense. Though it might be the last movie that “needs” 3-D treatment, it’s getting it anyway. The third installment of the franchise that was founded by the marriage of idiocy and hilarity is a sure-fire bet.

4. Due Date, Nov. 15 A goofy Zach Galifanakis and skittish Robert Downey Jr. road-trip film is a can’t-miss flick. Galifanakis invented a breed of humor with his “The Hangover” character, Alan, and since then directors and film makers have been chasing him for it. The trailers hint that Galifanakis will bring his signature humor back for “Due Date” as well.

5. Red Dawn, Nov. 24  In 1984, the Cold War was coming to a close, but that didn’t erase the ingrained cultural fear of the Red Army in the minds of Americans. Filmmakers jumped at the opportunity to exploit that fear with “Red Dawn,” an action film about a group of American teenagers saving their rural town from a Russian invasion. It’s not going to help foreign relations, but this remake, which replaces the Soviets with the Chinese, looks intriguing and exciting.