I'm getting off track, but what I mean to say is that October, while it has its share of obvious blockbusters and bombs, holds some films of lesser profile and pedigree that could end up being like big candy bonuses to their owners, and others that, were they animate, would come to your studio offices and egg the building, making you wish you'd never hired them. Yuck. (Do you think my Snickers product placement can net me some Halloween goodies of my own? Let's hope.) Here's a look at October's tricks and treats:

TRICKS

A few weeks ago in my holiday shopping list column, one reader commented that it wouldn't be surprising if The Seeker (Oct. 5) ended up as one of the top grossing fall/winter films. While I did neglect to mention the potential of fellow Oct. 5 release The Heartbreak Kid, I must respectfully disagree. The Seeker will come nowhere near excellence, and is highly overpriced even at the relatively low price of $6 in September-November Box Office Moguls leagues ($12 in August-October leagues). The film has already undergone a name change; the original title (which, coincidentally, is also the title of Susan Cooper's source novel), The Dark Is Rising, is now merely the movie's subtitle, and I can't figure out why. Was the name tracking poorly? Did The Dark Is Rising sound like a movie that was too grim for kids? Either way, Fox has had to bear the expense of making new materials just to reflect the information change. It's probably not a huge expense, and I know that a title change in itself isn't the kiss of death for a film, but in this instance, I really feel like that'll only help The Seeker find the road to quick obscurity.

A trailer has been released, but to be honest, it looks subpar at best. Also not helping is a no-name cast. (Except for maybe Ian McShane, but what has he done for me lately? Hot Rod? Not cutting it. A voice role in Shrek the Third? Like anyone saw the movie because of that.) One of last year's fantasy book adaptations, Eragon, also had a relatively unknown cast, but that series is generally better known and better liked than is the Dark Is Rising sequence, so Eragon had a bigger audience from the get-go. And even when a fantasy film does have some big name actors, it's not a lock for success (yes, Stardust, I'm looking at you.) As far as families go, The Seeker comes just a week after Disney's The Game Plan, which stands to rake it in given that there's no viable competition for that demographic for a month in either direction. The Seeker should limp to the finish line even in its first weekend, and is definitely one to leave off your slate (unless, of course, you're playing Fantasy Bankrupts!)

Of all the films you wouldn't think to expect sequels from, 1998's Elizabeth has got to be one of them. Yet, you'd be wrong; Cate Blanchett reprises her Oscar-nominated role in Elizabeth: The Golden Age (Oct. 12). (Not returning: Daniel Craig. Pity.) The last film was a critical success (a sterling 7.6 IMDb user rating), launched Cate Blanchett to international stardom and even brought home an Academy Award ... and for all that made just $30 million in its entire domestic run. The 2007 installment should have equally favorable reviews, but I think the projected $41 million box-office take is a bit too high, despite the film's getting a wide release from the get-go. I anticipate something closer to that $30 million mark. Because of that wide release, PTA points will only be gained on the first weekend, if at all (although 20th Century Fox's moving Hitman off the date does mean there's a bit more breathing room). It's still a decent Ultimate Movie Moguls play, but not great, and if you're going to invest one-fourth of your funds in a film, you want it to be more than decent. I think $24 is a bit pricey; I'd rather spend $26 on The Brave One or $22 on Michael Clayton. In Box Office leagues, Elizabeth's $15 price tag would be better spent on Mr. Woodcock or Shoot 'Em Up (unless you're in an August-October league, in which case Elizabeth's $2 price tag makes it tempting indeed).

Ever since I first saw it on a release schedule, I've been slightly confused by the title of Wristcutters: A Love Story (Oct. 19). I'd think wristcutters would be, I dunno, a band of slashers, killers, or otherwise violent people, and a love story wouldn't really involve too much suicide, unless maybe you're adapting Shakespeare. (After reading a plot summary, I understand the film better — the entire movie takes place in "a strange afterlife way station," a section reserved for those who've committed suicide.) Thinking it was a violent movie may also stem from the fact that the distributor is AfterDark Films, who've brought you this year's trifecta of amazingness, The Abandoned, Captivity, and Skinwalkers. (Oh, and the fact that it's being released just two weeks before Halloween helps that train of thought too.) While Wristcutters does have an existing 7.4 IMDb rating and several film festival wins, I just don't think it will make much of an impact upon its release. Part of that is AfterDark's track record, and the other is that there are many PTA competitors on the weekend of Oct. 19 (as well as holdovers from the week before). IMDb score should remain solid, since nearly 700 votes have already been cast, but its $8 Ultimate price tag is too much to pay for a mere IMDb boost.

It's ironic that this next film makes my tricks list, because there are plenty of tricks, both mental and physical, to be had in the other films in its series. (And in fact, that's part of their appeal, right? I wouldn't know; I've never watched any of them, as seeing lots of blood just really isn't entertaining to me. Unless it's caused by venomous snakes, and takes place aboard an aircraft.) Regardless, Saw IV (Oct. 26) will take in far less money than did its predecessors, because even the Saw franchise won't reverse this year's trend away from "torture porn." The general vibe I get from reviews is that the first two films were intelligently frightening, but that the third relied purely on the shock factor of blood and gore, and as a result turned many people off. (It's true; I've heard comments regarding Saw IV, even from fans of the series, to the effect of "What? ANOTHER Saw?" Followed by a dismissive shrug or scoff.) I can see why this sequel was made from a business standpoint: it's cheap to produce, and so profit comes very easily. But from an audience standpoint, c'mon, enough is enough. Saw V might be greenlit after the opening weekend, but I anticipate a massive second weekend drop (60 percent or more, on par with most other comparable films this year) and a final tally right around the projected $45 million, just over half of what Saw III took in. Is that enough to cap the series at four? I certainly hope so. Is it enough to kill your hope of Moguls victory? You betcha.

This next film is technically a November release, but qualifies for this column because it was originally slated for October. Based on the video game series of the same title, Hitman (Nov. 21) had a target release date of Oct. 12, and looked to strike it big (or at least, strike it medium) as a slick fall action movie. Yet, last week, just after releasing a new trailer, Fox bumped it back to Thanksgiving, and I have two guesses why. One is simply that more post-production time was needed; after all, filming only started in April of this year. The other is that early tracking is better than expected, and so it was moved in order to get a bigger holiday audience. (I will admit, I thought the new trailer made it look pretty cool, and I've never said that about any video game adaptations. The trailer is especially cool if the theater you frequent has good subwoofers, because there are lots of low rumbles.) Regardless, the date change seriously diminishes Hitman's value in all leagues, because prices do not change even when release dates do. If you've got it in August-October leagues, where its $2 price tag made it a steal, well, it's now an ineligible steal. Also, now it only has two weekends before the end of September–November leagues. Three weekends would be better, and I definitely wouldn't be worried if there were a whole month, but two measly weekends (even though one is a holiday weekend) is precious little time for a $28 investment. I'd spend $27 on The Kingdom, or $26 on The Brave One, in a heartbeat over Hitman. In Box Office leagues, that $19 would be better given to Fred Claus.

TREATS

These first few treats are, to be fair, released in late September, but I think they can still contribute once October rolls around. First up is Sydney White (Sep. 21), Amanda Bynes' latest starring role, which I swear appeared on the release schedule just in the last month. The working title was Sydney White and the Seven Dorks, so the plot outline should come as no surprise: Bynes' character, Sydney, in her freshman year of college, must rally seven uncool frat brothers to take down a vain sorority president and "change the school's misguided social hierarchy." Sounds like Mean Girls meets Van Wilder 2: The Rise of Taj. (What? You never saw that one? I KNEW I was the only one who had.) I know the last movie about breaking up cliques, Bratz, failed miserably, but Sydney White has a premise beyond a line of dolls, and a recognizable actress to carry it, which is more than Bratz can say.

Fantasy Moguls predicts a lowly 4.9 IMDb rating, a meager $14 million, and no Top 5 or PTA points for Sydney White, so as a result, it costs just $5 in Box Office leagues and an even cheaper $2 in Ultimate leagues. Now, let's face it; a $2 Ultimate pick will rarely net you much of anything, unless it's a very small release with a decent to good IMDb score (or if it's Superbad). A $2 pick won't win your league for you, but if you've got to pick something that cheap, this looks like your best bet. Why? Well, if Amanda Bynes can "re-imagine" Shakespeare to the tune of $33 million, as she did with She's the Man a year-and-a-half ago, I think an "update" to the Snow White story should be good for at least $20-25 million and, if you're lucky, it might even squeeze out a Top 5 point or two. It may not dampen your IMDb score as much as you'd think, either; even She's the Man managed a very respectable 6.5 in that category. (And at such a cheap price, even if it does fail, it won't hurt too badly.)

Next up is Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson channeling Vin Diesel's career path from action star to family man in The Game Plan (Sep. 28). Just like previous Disney breakouts The Pacifier ($30 million opening, $113 million total) and Wild Hogs ($39 million opening, $168 million total), I expect The Game Plan to be a bigger-than-anticipated success. As I mentioned earlier, there's nothing in the way of family movies for a month in either direction of this film. There are no significant family releases between now and then, and it's got October all to itself, until Bee Movie hits in early November. Also keep in mind that the Disney name always attracts families, regardless of how awful the premise may look (and boy, did those two precedents look like stinkers). Frankly, The Game Plan looks very similar to The Pacifier. Like Vin Diesel's federal agent character, Johnson's tough guy pro athlete Joe Kingman must suddenly become a parent. Hilarious antics and an endearing message about the value of family undoubtedly ensue.

At just $7 in Ultimate leagues, The Game Plan is an absolute steal. It should easily double its projected $31 million, and I'm prepared to say it will triple the projection and make 9 Top 5 points at the very minimum. (For comparison's sake, The Pacifier would've earned 13 Top 5 points and Wild Hogs grabbed 16. And not much was expected of those two films, either.) It's IMDb score should land in the high 5s to low 6s, which isn't spectacular, but that'd be just fine by me if it can score double digit Top 5 points. Maybe it can even manage some opening weekend PTA points, too. At $11 in Box Office leagues, you'll certainly get value for your money; The Game Plan should out-gross all of the other $11 movies, and should also make more than $13 pick Enchanted (at least in the time frame of the season). It's been said before: never underestimate the power of PG.

It's been a successful year for Tyler Perry, with a $30 million movie in Daddy's Little Girls and a popular cable sitcom, House of Payne. At $11 in Box Office leagues, his new film, Why Did I Get Married? (Oct. 12) could be a surprise. It's projected to make $29 million, but if it performs like Perry's hits of past years (in particular, like Diary of a Mad Black Woman, which made $50 million in 2005), it'll certainly give you some bang for your buck. With Mr. Perry himself acting in this one as well as directing, that should give the film an extra boost: part of Daddy's Little Girls relative underperformance could be credited to the fact that neither Perry nor his alter ego Madea made an appearance. There's still no Madea in this one, but a modestly wide release should net solid box office results, especially since the removal of Hitman from the Oct. 12 weekend lightens the competition a bit. Why Did I Get Married? will run you $5 in Ultimate leagues, but I wouldn't pick it up; sadly, many IMDb voters think all predominantly African-American films are bad, and so said films often have poor (though undeservedly so) user ratings. Another case of apparent racism might rear its ugly head here, and even if the film takes in a surprising amount of money, a poor IMDb score will still hurt you. In Box Office leagues, I'd still take The Game Plan first, but if you want two $11 movies, this one could be worth a shot.

As terrible as they are, audiences still pay to see spoof movies like Date Movie ($21 million opening, $48 million total) and Epic Movie ($18 million opening, $39 million total). Next on that list is sports spoof The Comebacks (Oct. 26), and while I generally think David Koechner is funny, I think the movie looks pretty bad. There's one scene where the football team is playing hockey (and falling all over the place, in true slapstick fashion), but I don't understand why a football team would be on a hockey rink. Is it an attempt to hone the players' skills? Is it a team building activity? If so, why not pick something more recreational than hockey, like bowling or golf? Nevertheless, The Comebacks only costs $5 in a Box Office league (and that's the only place you should pick it, because in an Ultimate league, the low IMDb score would kill your ninth-inning rally). Just like those other generic send-ups, The Comebacks is simply a parody of recent sports movies, like Friday Night Lights, Miracle, Invincible, Dodgeball and Radio (to name just a few), and surely uses every possible sports movie cliché along the way: the ragtag team of misfits, the washed-up coach, and so on and so forth. Yet, bad as it looks, it's still a bargain in Box Office leagues, because if history is any indication, it'll make comfortably more than the projected $14 million, probably even on opening weekend. It may not make more than $30-35 million overall, but that's double the projection, and that isn't too shabby for a $5 pick.

And last but not least, we come to what will certainly be a Halloween treat for many, Simon Pegg's latest project, Run, Fat Boy, Run (Oct. 26). David Schwimmer (huh?!) makes his feature film directing debut with a script by Michael Ian Black. The movie was pushed back from its original Sept. 28 release date, but I don't think that spells trouble. It's projected to make $13 million, have a 5.5 IMDb rating, and score a single PTA point, but given the success of Pegg's last outing, Hot Fuzz ($23 million, 8.2 IMDb, 4 PTA points), I think the box office could approach $20 million and the IMDb score will almost certainly exceed 6. PTA should be more than one single point, as well. Even though Pegg doesn't have Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz collaborator Edgar Wright along for this one, if the trailers are any indication, it should still be good for a bunch of laughs, as Pegg's deadpan style of humor looks to be in full effect here. For $5 in an Ultimate league, this is a great way to spend those last few bucks, and for $5 in a Box Office league, it could be one to take a flyer on (although The Comebacks would still be my first $5 choice, there). It won't make a LOT of dough, but a small contribution in every category could be just the boost your slate needs.

And there you have it, a rundown of October's lesser known tricks and treats. Think of it like planning out your trick or treating route to get the optimal amount of goodies. Special congratulations go out to Brandon Sawyer, by the way, who e-mailed me last week with his $936 million May-July slate, squeaking past the previous high I'd seen, $931 million. Well done! Until next week, here's hoping everyone can turn some October treats into a decadent feast atop your league's leaderboard (and stay away from that anise). Good luck!

Don't go by Mister Informative's house on Halloween night. He gave out M&Ms last year ... one per trick or treater. If you represent the Snickers corporate peeps, however, feel free to send kickbacks to misterinformative@fantasymoguls.com.