Nick’s Picks 12/14/11

FEATURE FILM REVIEW

SHERLOCK HOLMES: A GAME OF SHADOWS

Sherlock Holmes (Robert Downey Jr.) has always been the smartest man in the room…until now. There is a new criminal mastermind at large-Professor Moriarty (Jared Harris)-and not only is he Holmes’ intellectual equal, but his capacity for evil, coupled with a complete lack of conscience, may actually give him an advantage over the renowned detective. When the Crown Prince of Austria is found dead, the evidence, as construed by Inspector Lestrade (Eddie Marsan), points to suicide. But Sherlock Holmes deduces that the prince has been the victim of murder-a murder that is only one piece of a larger and much more portentous puzzle, designed by Professor Moriarty. The cunning Moriarty is always one step ahead of Holmes as he spins a web of death and destruction-all part of a greater plan that, if he succeeds, will change the course of history.

Sherlock Holmes is simply a popcorn flick. It is was it is and no apologies are necessary, whatsoever. Robert Downey Jr. is campy, is entertaining and is the epitome of what a 21st century audience needs in order for the Holmes series to be palatable. The same could easily be said with Jude Law as Watson as well. The chemistry between the two is palpable and without it, the film would flop worse than a WWF wrestler. If you were a fan of the first film, you will definitely enjoy this one. Consequently, if you didn’t care for the first, save your cash as this is simply more of the same. Personally, I enjoyed this film better than the first because the focus is more on Moriarty and his contentious relationship with Holmes. With the money made from the first film and the quality of the first and second, I have no doubt that Sherlock Holmes will have a third installment on the way soon.

Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows
Starring: Robert Downey Jr., Jude Law & Noomi Rapace
Director: Guy Ritchie
Company: Warner
Now Showing: Local Area Theatres
MPAA Rating: PG-13
Grade: A

DVD REVIEWS

FREE DVD GIVEAWAY

We are doing a Free DVD Giveaway! If you are interested in a chance at winning a free copy of Gunsmoke: Season 5 Volume 2, The Cleveland Show: Season One, Brand New Day, Goosebumps: Attack of the Mutant, The League: Season One, Raising Hope: Season One, Big Mommas Like Father Like Son or Dylan Dog: Dead of Night, it is really easy! All you have to do is send me an email at HoustonMovieGuy@gmail.com. The subject line of the email should read DVD GIVEAWAY. In the body of the email, be sure to put your name, full mailing address and which DVD or Blu-ray you would like. Winners will be selected by random drawing. Best of luck!

GUNSMOKE: Season Five, Volume Two – Paramount

Matt Dillon (James Arness) is in charge of Dodge City, a town in the Wild West where people often have no respect for the law. He deals on a daily basis with the problems associated with frontier life: cattle rustling, gunfights, brawls, stand over tactics, and land fraud. Such situations call for sound judgment and brave actions: of which Marshal Dillon has plenty.

DETECTIVE DEE & THE MYSTERY OF THE PHANTOM FLAME – Vivendi

A period epic from genre master Tsui Hark, Detective Dee is an action-packed, visually breathtaking Sherlock Holmes-style mystery starring some of China’s top acting talent. Stunningly choreographed by master Sammo Hung, this intricately plotted whodunit is set in an exquisitely realized steam punk version of ancient China. On the eve of her coronation as Empress (Carina Lau), China’s most powerful woman is haunted by a chilling murder mystery: seven men under her command have burst into flames, leaving behind only black ash and skeletal bones. Recognizing this threat to her power, she turns to the infamous Dee Renjie (Andy Lau): a man whose unparalleled wisdom is matched only by his martial arts skills. As he battles a series of bizarre dangers, he unveils a chilling truth that places his life, and the future of an entire dynasty, in peril.

THE LIFE AND TIMES OF TIM: Season Two – HBO

Everybody makes mistakes, but for Tim – a self-conscious young guy living in New York – just getting out of bed in the morning could be the worst decision he makes all day. No matter the situation, life’s little challenges always manage to demand the most offensive solutions, which wouldn’t be such a problem if he weren’t continually caught red-handed. From the mind of Steve Dildarian – the Clio-winning ad man behind Budweiser’s famous ‘Lizards’ campaign – The Life and Times of Tim follows this everyday working guy from one scandalous crisis to the next.

MEET ME IN ST. LOUIS – Warner

The city is St. Louis and the year is 1903. The well-off Smith family has four beautiful daughters, including Esther and little Tootie. 17-year old Esther has fallen in love with the boy next door who has just moved in, John. He however, barely notices her at first. The family is shocked when Mr. Smith reveals that he has been transferred to a nice position in New York, which means that the family has to leave St. Louis and the St. Louis Fair. One of the most recognizable and memorable musicals of all time, Meet Me in St. Louis is perfect for the entire family!

VIETNAM IN HD – A&E

Their story is in danger of being lost to history. The men who came home from the Vietnam War represent a second silent generation. These are the men who won every battle in a lost war. Using the same experiential approach to storytelling as WWII in HD, History gives these veterans a voice. Through a collection of color Vietnam footage never seen by the public from private collections, museums, the US government, veteran’s and news organizations as well as sources from Vietnam, they tell their stories and relive their struggles, courage and fears. This six-hour miniseries spans the massive initial troop build-up in 1965 to the fall of Saigon a decade later. Sound design, using popular music from that era, powerfully evokes the time period and experience. This 2-disc set presents all 6 episodes in stunning Blu-ray high-definition. This is a must own for any fan of history!

CIRCUMSTANCE – Lionsgate

Winner of the 2011 Sundance Film Festival Audience Award, Circumstance is a provocative coming-of-age story that cracks open the hidden, underground world of Iranian youth culture filled with sex, drugs and defiance. From newcomer Maryam Keshavarz, this suspenseful tale of love and defiance unfolds as a wealthy family struggles to contain their teenage daughter’s growing sexual rebellion and her brother’s dangerous obsession.

FRIGHT NIGHT – Dreamworks

Senior Charley Brewster (Anton Yelchin) finally has it all. He’s running with the cool kids and dating the hottest girl in high school (Imogen Poots). But all hell breaks loose when charming Jerry Dandridge (Colin Farrell) moves in next door. Charley thinks there’s something odd about him, although no one – including his mom (Toni Collette) – seems to notice. But after too many of his classmates vanish under bizarre circumstances, Charley comes to an unmistakable conclusion: Jerry is a vampire preying on his neighborhood! Get set to sink your teeth into this thrilling, modern-day re-vamp of the wickedly entertaining horror classic. Featuring a star-studded cast and crawling with bonus, Fright Night will captivate you from the very first bite!

SWITCHED AT BIRTH: Volume One – ABC

Bay Kennish grew up in a wealthy family with her happily married parents and older brother. Daphne Vasquez lost her hearing as a child, and grew up with a single mother in a working class neighborhood. Life as they know it is turned upside down when Bay’s school project about blood types reveals she is not genetically related to her parents, and a series of tests confirms she and Daphne were accidentally switched at birth. Together with their families, Bay and Daphne struggle with their own identities and prejudices against one another, all while facing everyday teenage girl drama dating, friendships, and family.

SLEDGE HAMMER: Complete Series – Image

If this is law enforcement, God help us all! Rebel cop, Sledge Hammer (David Rasche) is everyone’s favorite trigger-happy lawman and a one-man crusade against crime. His extreme, unorthodox methods which include, firing warning shots at jaywalkers, dragging suspects around parking lots by his rear bumper until they confess, blasting a building-demolishing bazooka shot at a sniper, and talking to his .44 Magnum have gotten him suspended from the force more times than he can remember… but he gets results! Harrison Page and Anne-Marie Martin co-star in this hilariously deranged lampoon of Dirty Harry. This special collection includes both seasons from Sledge Hammer!, one of the funniest, most notorious series in television history whose rabid cult of fans grows to this day.

THE BLACK POWER MIXTAPE – IFC

During the rise of The Black Power Movement in the 60 s and 70 s, Swedish Television journalists documented the unfolding cultural revolution for their audience back home, having been granted unprecedented access to prominent leaders such as Angela Davis, the SNCC’s Stokely Carmichael, and Black Panthers founders Huey P. Newton and Bobby Seale. Now, after more than 30 years in storage, this never-before-seen footage spanning nearly a decade of Black Power is finally available. Director Goran Hugo Olsson presents this mixtape, highlighting the key figures and events in the movement, as seen in a light completely different than the narrative of the American media at the time. Talib Kweli, Erykah Badu, Abiodun Oyewole, John Forte, and Robin Kelley are among the many important voices providing narration and commentary, adding modern perspective to this essential time capsule of African-American history.

BRANDED TO KILL – Criterion

A delirious fever dream of a film, Seijun Suzuki’s Branded to Kill takes the familiar elements of “B”-movie crime drama and transforms them into something outrageously bizarre and unexpectedly poetic. The film’s story centers on Hanada, a.k.a. “No. 3 Killer,” the third-best hit man in Japanese organized crime. Near the top of his game, his fortunes change when he encounters Misako, a mysterious, death-obsessed woman who brings him a particularly difficult mission. In a famous moment indicative of the film’s eccentric sensibility, a butterfly lands on his gun’s sight at the exact moment he pulls the trigger, causing him to miss the shot. This failure means that the killer becomes the target, and must run for his life from his former employers, and the mysterious “No. 1 Killer.” – AMG

THE SIMPSONS: Season 14 – Fox

Kang and Kodos invite you to add this Emmy Award winning season to your collection filled with your favorite guest stars (Mick Jagger Lenny Kravitz Tony Hawk Blink 182 and more) and exclusive features that will satisfy your hunger. The Simpsons Season 14 is available on Blu-ray and DVD. This four-Disc Set Contains the Complete Fourteenth Season with all 22 Episodes. There are a number of bonus features that include: A Haunting Invite From Matt Groening, Audio Commentaries on every episode with Executive Producers Al Jean and Mike Scully joined by Writers Actors and Directors, Its Only Rock N Roll The 300th Episode Featurette, In The Beginning The Halloween Classics Foolish Earthlings, Deleted Scenes with Commentary, Multi-Angle Animation Showcase Original Sketches and much more!

MR POPPER’S PENGUINS – Fox

Chill out with the funniest family comedy of the year! Jim Carrey stars as Tom Popper, a successful businessman who’s clueless when it comes to the really important things in life…until he inherits six “adorable” penguins, each with its own unique personality. Soon Tom’s rambunctious roommates turn his swank New York apartment into a snowy winter wonderland — and the rest of his world upside-down. Adapted from the award-winning classic children’s book, Mr. Popper’s Penguins is a cool blast of fun for all ages!

AWKWARD: Season One – MTV

Narrated in the first-person voice of Jenna’s blog posts, Awkward, captures the humor within the struggles and experiences everyone can relate to from their formative years. The series picks up in the aftermath of the accident as she must deal with a new not-so-fun stigma, while at the same time managing the other daily drama that comes with being a teenager. From a secret relationship with a popular guy, to being undermined by a mean girl, and parents who just don’t get it-Jenna’s misfortune will eventually serve as the catalyst for amazing change, but it’s not without some missteps and mishaps along the way. This set includes all 12 episodes, plus special features.

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Posted by FortBendStar on Dec 15 2011. Filed under Nick's Picks. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.