Nick’s Picks 01/04/12

FEATURED FILM REVIEW

WAR HORSE

From director Steven Spielberg comes an emotional epic on a classic scale. It is the story of a miraculous horse in wartime – a stirring journey that explores a bond of friendship, loyalty and courage. Within the tale of a boy and the feisty colt he never stops believing in, there are sweeping battles, desperate escapes and an evocative odyssey through a world at war. But no matter where they go or what they experience both boy and horse keep forging ahead, driven by devotion and the hope of returning home. Adapted from one of the great modern stories of friendship and war, the film is drawn from the novel that sparked a rousing stage hit, garnering five Tony Awards, including Best Play. Now, Spielberg unfolds this heartwarming tale for all ages with a return to the territory where big screen cinema and intimate storytelling meet.

The journey begins on the cusp of WWI, as an English farming family buys a fiery hunter colt at auction despite not having the funds to pay for him. Named Joey, the horse seems to be nothing but a loss for struggling Ted and Rosie Narracott (Peter Mullan and Emily Watson), but their son Albert (Jeremy Irvine) is determined to tame and train him, making the most of Joey’s enthralling spirit, speed and affection. The two are inseparable, but when war breaks out, they are pulled apart as Joey is sold from under him and heads to the front as the mount of a dashing British cavalry officer. Thus starts Joey’s labyrinthine trek through joy and sorrow, hardship and wonder, as this simple horse becomes a remarkable hero, touching lives on all sides of the war with his innocence, purity of motive, and unconditional devotion to his human friends. He pulls battlefield ambulances, whisks away German soldiers on the run, fires the imagination of a French girl and hauls colossal cannons up mountains. As the film builds to its powerful climax, and Albert heads into the trenches on his own perilous mission, Joey finds himself ensnared in the haunting No Man’s Land between British and German territory. But even when it seems there can be no return, he sets in motion a momentary chance for peace and holds fast to a dream of reunion and renewal.

What Spielberg has on his hands is essentially a Saving Private Ryan set against the backdrop of WWI whose focus is that of a horse. One of the most magnetic qualities of the film is its emotion. The viewer will experience the full gamut due to everything about the film. The casting, the cinematography as well as the score all combine to provide a grandiose film that will keep you on the edge of your seat from beginning to end. The emotion and honesty of the film are just raw throughout. The battle sequence involving the Argonne is phenomenal both in its presentation and scope. Immediately after the brutality of the battle your emotions will once again be twisted as two enemies are both drawn to the center of the battlefield because of their love of horses. What happens proves there is hope in the world no matter who you are or where you come from. Don’t pass up War Horse as it will definitely be involved in the Oscar race this year.

War Horse
Starring: Jeremy Irvine, Emily Watson & David Thewlis
Director: Steven Spielberg
Company: Disney
Now Showing:
In 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 Final Destination 5, Elusive Justice: The Search for Nazi War Criminals, Anthrax Files, Apollo 18, The Betty White Collection, HMS Pinafore, Lego Hero Factory Savage Planet, Bobby Fischer Against the World, 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!

GLEE: In Concert – Fox

Here’s your front-row seat to a thrilling concert performed by the phenomenally talented cast of Glee. See your favorite stars from the hit TV show as they sing the songs you love and dance up a storm on stage. Get swept up in the energy of “Glee Live” — including performances not seen in theaters and hilarious Sue Sylvester introductions!

CONTAGION – Warner

Matt Damon, Gwyneth Paltrow, Jude Law, Laurence Fishburne and Bryan Cranston, along with medical journalist Sanjay Gupta, explore the real science of global viruses and what they mean to the human race. The world is preparing for the next biological disaster…but is it too late?

BOBBY FISCHER AGAINST THE WORLD – Docurama

In 1972, America was chess-obsessed. The Soviet Union used chess to demonstrate its intellectual superiority to the West, but along came a young, lone American, who demolished the Russian masters of the sport. At the height of his career, Bobby Fischer was better known than any other man in the world. Relentless press attention, political pressure and a monomaniacal focus on chess ultimately led to his undoing. Filmmaker Liz Garbus uses the narrative tension of the 1972 match between Fischer and the defending World Champion, the Russian Boris Spassky, to explore not only the politically charged period of the early 1970s but also the nature of genius, madness and the game of chess itself.

LEGO HERO FACTORY: Savage Planet – Warner

In 1972, America was chess-obsessed. The Soviet Union used chess to demonstrate its intellectual superiority to the West, but along came a young, lone American, who demolished the Russian masters of the sport. At the height of his career, Bobby Fischer was better known than any other man in the world. Relentless press attention, political pressure and a monomaniacal focus on chess ultimately led to his undoing. Filmmaker Liz Garbus uses the narrative tension of the 1972 match between Fischer and the defending World Champion, the Russian Boris Spassky, to explore not only the politically charged period of the early 1970s but also the nature of genius, madness and the game of chess itself.

THE BETTY WHITE COLLECTION – Mill Creek

When it comes to comedy, Betty White is queen…a legend, an icon and forever regarded as a pioneer among women throughout the pages of television history. This talented and versatile actress first achieved success in the groundbreaking situation comedy, Life With Elizabeth of which White starred, co-produced and won her first Best Actress Emmy®-award. Another prominent series in her early career was the prime-time series Date With the Angels, which launched Betty into the public eye as one of America s sweetest and most beloved comediennes. This incredible collection features 40 rare and acclaimed episodes from Betty White s early days in television. Also included in this 4-DVD set is a brand new, never-before-seen documentary chronicling the fascinating journey of the incomparable Betty White.

APOLLO 18 – Anchor Bay

Officially, Apollo 17, launched December 7, 1972, was the last manned mission to the moon. But two years later, in December of 1974, two American astronauts were sent on a secret mission to the moon funded by the U.S. Department of Defense. What you are about to see is the actual footage which the astronauts captured on that mission. While NASA denies its authenticity, others say it’s the real reason we’ve never gone back to the moon.

ANTHRAX FILES – PBS

In the fall of 2001 envelopes carrying deadly Anthrax were delivered to U.S. Senate offices, network news divisions, and a tabloid newspaper. Five people were killed, many more infected and the nation was terrorized. Frontline takes a hard look at the FBI s investigation of the country s most notorious act of bioterrorism.

ELUSIVE JUSTICE: The Search for Nazi War Criminals – PBS

An unprecedented PBS documentary exploring the 65-year effort to identify, prosecute and punish the 20th Century’s most notorious murderers. In the face of apathy, obstruction and violence, the men and women who pursued Nazi fugitives not only brought a measure of dignity to the victims of the Holocaust, they also reminded the international community that enemies of humanity must be punished – if humanity is to survive.

FINAL DESTINATION 5 – Warner

Death is just as omnipresent as ever, and in Final Destination 5 it strikes again. During the bus ride to a corporate retreat, Sam (Nicholas D’Agosto) has a premonition in which he and most of his friends, as well as numerous others, die in a horrific bridge collapse. When his vision ends, events begin to mirror what he had seen, and he frantically ushers as many of his colleagues, including his friend, Peter (Miles Fisher), and girlfriend, Molly (Emma Bell), away from the disaster before Death can claim them. But these unsuspecting souls were never supposed to survive, and in a terrifying race against time, the ill-fated group tries to discover a way to escape Death’s sinister agenda.

JERSEY SHORE: Season 4 – Paramount

It’s tee-shirt time! New Jersey’s most recognizable house-mates are reunited in Seaside, NJ – where all the fist pumping magic began – living in their original shore house and working at their jobs. There’s still a fallout from “the note” in Miami, but nothing can stop the family dinners, G.T.L. and gorilla hunting that have bonded them from the beginning. Angelina is long gone, but nobody told the roomies Snooki invited her BFF Deena to move in. And like Snooki, Deena will prove that big fun and drama come in small packages. So brace yourself as they hit the boardwalk, beat up the beat and continue to prove that a summer at the Jersey Shore is truly unforgettable.

JANE’S JOURNEY – FIrst Run Features

It would be hard to name anyone who has had more of an impact in the realm of animal research and wildlife conservation than Jane Goodall, whose 45 year study of wild chimpanzees in Africa is legendary. In Jane’s Journey, we travel with her across several continents, from her childhood home in England, to the Gombe National Park in Tanzania where she began her groundbreaking research and where she still returns every year to enjoy the company of the chimpanzees that made her famous. Featuring a wide range of interviews and spectacular footage from her own private collection (including her years in Gombe), Jane’s Journey is an inspiring portrait of the private person behind the world-famous icon.

TANNER HALL – Anchor Bay

As Fernanda (Rooney Mara) enters her senior year at Tanner Hall–a sheltered boarding school in New England–she’s faced with unexpected changes in her group of friends when a childhood acquaintance, the charismatic yet manipulative trouble-maker Victoria (Georgia King), appears. Shy and studious, Fernanda is usually the voice of reason among her friends–adventurous and sexy Kate (Brie Larson) and tomboy Lucasta (Amy Ferguson)–but when she begins a complicated friendship with Gio (Tom Everett Scott), an older family friend, she decides it’s finally time to take some risks. Jealous of Fernanda’s exciting relationship, Victoria begins to sabotage Fernanda’s plans and plots to publicly humiliate her. Meanwhile, Lucasta struggles with her new found feelings towards another classmate, and mischievous Kate is too preoccupied with making her teachers nervous to pay much attention to her actual classes. However, as each of the girls flirt with adulthood, they realize they still need each other to help get through their first grown-up decisions–and the consequences they bring.

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