Nick’s Picks 03/28/12

FEATURE FILM REVIEW

THE RAID: REDEMPTION

As a rookie member of an elite special-forces team, Rama (Iko Uwais) is instructed to hang back during a covert mission involving the extraction of a brutal crime lord from a rundown fifteen-story apartment block. But when a spotter blows their cover, boss Tama (Ray Sahetaphy) offers lifelong sanctuary to every every killer, gangster, and thief in the building in exchange fortheir heads. Now Rama must stand in for the team’s fallen leader (Joe Taslim) and use every iota of his fighting strength – winding through every floor and every room to complete the mission and escape with his life.

The Raid: Redemption
Starring: Iko Uwais and Doni Alamsyah
Director: Gareth Evans
Company: Sony Pictures Classics
Now Showing: In Local Area Theatres
MPAA Rating: R
Grade: B

HOUSTON HAPPENINGS

DEEP TERROR

What if a weapon the size of a clock radio could take out an entire continent? What if that weapon was lost? DEEP TERROR is the story of a crew of marine biologist caught up in a terrorist plot to recover the weapon – forced to choose between saving the ones they love, or saving the rest of the world. Starring John Lansch (CHASE), Deke Anderson (GREEN LANTERN), Kerry Beyer (WALKER TX RANGER), Amy Morris (BIG MOMMA’S HOUSE), and Brian Thornton (FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS), Deep Terror is currently in production in Houston, and set to wrap by mid april. Written and directed by Nicholl Fellowship semifinalist Kerry Beyer, the action/thriller is his second feature film. His directorial debut SPIRIT CAMP premiered at Dances With Films in 2010, and is currently available on DVD at Amazon.com. He is also co-founder of the horror film festival SplatterFest. For more information visit http://kerrybeyer.com.

WORLDFEST – HOUSTON INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL

April 13th – 22nd, 2012

Why: WorldFest showcases and celebrates the best and brightest emerging cinematic talents over 10 action-packed days in April 2012. Film lovers can be among the first to see and meet the stars and directors of tomorrow at the 43rd Annual WorldFest-Houston. Who:    WorldFest is one of the longest-running independent film and video competitions in the world. The 45th Annual WorldFest-Houston is scheduled for April 13-22nd, 2012. What: An annual cinematic competition that publicly screens the top winners selected by our North American film industry judges. WorldFest audiences get to meet the directors and talent, who made the cut for these 10 great days in April, 2012. WorldFest-Houston features:

• 55 award-winning Indie films
• 100 superb short films
• 450 Indie filmmakers from around the globe
• 6 Master Classes/Film industry seminars
• 1 Grand Awards Gala & Cocktail Reception with the filmmakers
• Closing Day Regatta/Barbecue & VIP NASA/Space Center Houston Tour

When: Film Festival: Friday April 13 through Sunday April 23, 2010
Daily Film screenings: 5:00, 7:00 & 9:00 PM (plus matinees @ 1:00 & 3:00 pm Sat & Sun)
Film Industry Seminars: Thursday, Friday and Saturday April 19, 20 and 21 at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.
Grand Finale Regatta and Barbecue: April 22 at 1 p.m. at The Houston Yacht Club.
Where: All films will screen at AMC Studio 30 Dunvale located at 2949 Dunvale in Houston, TX 77063.

Film industry seminars/ Awards Gala will be held at the Marriott Westchase.

Closing Regatta and Barbecue will be held at the Houston Yacht Club on Galveston Bay.

Ticket Info: Options start at $7 for a single matinee (films before 6 pm) or $10 per single evening admission and range upward based on packages that customers purchase. Special group discounts available on line. Film Buff $100 (11 admissions), Silver Screen $150 (all films for one person), Gold Pass $395 (all films, all seminars for one person) & ultimate VIP Platinum Pass $500 (all films, all seminars & Awards Gala & HYC Regatta per person). Check www.worldfest.org for details. Tickets will be available mid-March online and up to theatre- capacity at show time at the Cinema Box Office. All films, seminars and events are open to the public. Opening Night Prices ~ $20 per person for Film & Program book. $30 per person for Film, Program book and Champagne Reception at Marriott Westchase. Background: WorldFest, founded in 1961, is the third oldest International film festival in the United States and the oldest Independent Film Festival in the world. This annual event has evolved into a competitive Independent International film festival showcasing the rising stars of tomorrow! WorldFest is managed by Hunter Todd and Kathleen Haney. WorldFest is produced by a core staff of key individuals, dedicated volunteers, and industry professionals who make the detailed work of running a world-class international film festival possible. WorldFest Houston is a non-profit educational and cultural organization with a 501 (c)-(3) status.

For more information about WorldFest, its annual competition, and past winners, visit www.worldfest.org.

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 Betty White: Champion for Animals, Solar Taxi, Redakai, Romantics Anonymous, Pound Puppies: Homeward Pound, The Well Season, The Guild: Season Five, Fresh, Bag It, Elite Squad, Neverland, The Descendants, Breakout Kings: Season One, The Killing, Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close and My Week with Marilyn, 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!

BETTY WHITE: Champion for Animals – Image

National treasure Betty White, multi-Emmy-winner and beloved entertainer ranked as “the most liked and trusted celebrity in the world” (Reuters), shares her tireless devotion to the animal world. This fascinating and heartwarming program transports you coast to coast and across the continents for unforgettable encounters with the amazing creatures with whom we share our planet and the people behind the scenes charged with their care, protection and maintenance. You’ll visit America’s precious national parks, world-class zoos, and aquariums to witness amazing sights tourists never get to see. You’ll meet a penguin who got his feathers and his groove back, witness the heroics of the military’s canine corps, and accompany members of the Humane Society as they work to put a stop to heartbreaking animal mistreatment. Along the way, Betty shares personal stories about her own cherished pets and unforgettable experiences with organizations that make the wonderful world of animals available to all.

SOLAR TAXI – PBS

Solartaxi is the story of an epic 18-month adventure that spans the globe in a home-made car powered exclusively by the sun. Louis Palmer and Solartaxi meet princes, movie stars, politicians and scientists, but most importantly they encounter ordinary people and show them that locomotion using only the power of the sun is possible.

ROMANTICS ANONYMOUS – Tribeca Films

Jean-Rene (Benoit Poelvoorde, Coco Before Chanel) is the boss of a chocolate factory and Angelique (Isabelle Carre, Private Fears in Public Places) is a talented chocolate maker. They are both emotionally-challenged people. Drawn together through a shared passion for chocolate, Jean-Rene and Angelique fall in love, but neither is able to express how they feel. Sadly, their crippling shyness is driving them apart. But eventually, they manage to overcome their lack of self-confidence, and risk baring their true feelings.

POUND PUPPIES HOMEWARD POUND – Shout Factory

They might look like regular dogs, but the Pound Puppies of Shelter 17 are on a sworn mission to find great homes for all the lonely pooches under their watch! Join Lucky, Niblet, Cookie, Squirt, Strudel and Mr. Nut Nut as they attempt to match their canine friends with loving families.

NEVERLAND – Vivendi

Neverland introduces us to a young lad named Peter and his streetwise gang, who are mysteriously transported from turn-of-the-century London into an enchanting parallel world where time stands still and an adventure awaits like nothing you ve ever seen before. In Neverland, no one ever ages and lost souls have been plucked out of time. The lost boys are soon caught in a war with the man who will become Captain Hook and change the fate of this mystical land forever.

THE DESCENDANTS – Fox

A high-powered Hawaii real estate lawyer (George Clooney) finds his ordered existence shattered when a boating accident leaves his wife in a coma, leaving him in charge of the young daughters (Shailene Woodley, Amara Miller) he barely knows. After finding out his wife was having an affair, he drags the girls along on his hunt for the other man, making for moving revelations along the way. Alexander Payne’s affecting comedy-drama also stars Nick Krause and Matthew Lillard.

EXTREMELY LOUD & INCREDIBLY CLOSE – Warner

Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close shows the massive losses experienced in New York on September 11, 2001, through the lens of one young boy. Thomas Horn plays Oskar, a boy devoted to his dad (played by Tom Hanks, in flashbacks), who is lost in the attacks on the World Trade Center. The devastation of that day shudders through Oskar’s family, including his mother, Linda (Sandra Bullock, in a subdued and affecting turn). Young Oskar is lost in the broken new world, but suddenly finds a purpose: a key left by his father. As Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close progresses, Oskar focuses on the key as a way to connect to his lost father–but finds, instead, connections in the unlikeliest of places. Horn is a wonder in his leading role, and commands attention even as his emotions are scattered.

MY WEEK WITH MARILYN – Weinstein

During Marilyn Monroe’s (Michelle Williams) first trip to London to film “The Prince and the Showgirl,” with Sir Laurence Olivier (Kenneth Branagh), she befriends Colin Clark (Eddie Redmayne), an ambitious 23 year-old production assistant on the set. As their relationship progresses Colin’s focus shifts from making his way in the film business to rescuing her from the pressures of celebrity life. When Monroe’s new husband, playwright Arthur Miller, makes a brief trip to Paris, Clark takes the opportunity to introduce her to the world outside of Hollywood fame. Based on the true story by Colin Clark, this memoir describes a magical week in which Monroe opens herself up to a stranger and finds in him a confidant and an ally.

CAMEL SPIDERS – Anchor Bay

In the deserts of the Middle East, a platoon of soldiers is terrorized by a gang of large, fast and deadly arachnids called Camel Spiders. The soldiers escape the deadly attack but accidently transport several of the evil beasts with them to the American southwest. An Army Captain (Brian Krause), a small-town Sheriff (C. Thomas Howell), and a desperate group of locals and tourists must survive a frightening infestation of crawling carnage. Diana Terranova, GiGi Erneta and Jon Mack co-star in this cult classic from director Jay Andrews. Based on the actual creatures that have tormented the Armed Forces for decades, get ready for all the leaping, screeching, face-ripping horror of Camel Spiders!

HOAX – Echo Bridge

From acclaimed director Lasse Hallstrom comes the unbelievable true story of Clifford Irving, the writer who faked the authorized autobiography of reclusive billionaire Howard Hughes and came close to pulling off the media scam of the 20th century. Irving’s elaborate attempts to substantiate his claims – forgery, plagiarism, and falsifying legal documents – spark a media frenzy and take Irving down a neurotic spiral as he begins to suspect a vast conspiracy including the U.S. government and corporate empires are plotting against him.

KOJAK: Season Three – Shout Factory

Telly Savalas stars as Lieutenant Theo Kojak in the third season of the edgy ’70s police drama Kojak. Season Three finds Kojak embroiled in a series of high-profile cases involving the savage murder of a priest, a car theft ring, an 18-year-old homicide cold case, a cop killer and a Mob hit ordered on Kojak himself. Known for pushing the limits with a fiery intensity while keeping a cool head, Kojak never let the law get in the way of justice. Created by Emmy and Academy Award winning writer Abby Mann, Kojak ran for five seasons on CBS from 1973 to 1978 and spawned a series of TV movies throughout the ’80s and ’90s. All 24 Original Episodes.

BARNEY: Clean Up, Clean Up! – Lionsgate

Who says being tidy can’t be fun? Let preschool favorite Barney show cleaning up is enjoyable when everybody works together in Barney: Clean Up, Clean Up. This release is accompanied by 19 fun songs including everyone’s favorite “Clean Up, Clean Up” song and an all-new game, “Clean Up Time,” found only on DVD! Barney and his friends prove that kids can have a great time being cleaning machines!

THOMAS AND FRIENDS: Up, Up & Away – Lionsgate

Thomas and his engine friends reach new heights of fun and adventure in Thomas & Friends: Up, Up & Away, a collection of four soaring episodes. The all-new release includes special feature content, activities and fun from host Driver Perkins, exclusive only to the DVD. Timed to the release this spring, five Thomas & Friends toys will also be available so kids can reenact their favorite Up, Up & Away adventures!

TENNESSEE TUXEDO & HIS TALES: Complete Collection – Shout Factory

Featuring the voice of the late, great Don Adams, Tennessee Tuxedo And His Tales educated as well as entertained youngsters. Tennessee, a wise-cracking penguin, and his dimwitted pal Chumley resided in the Megalopolis Zoo, where they were constantly scheming against zookeeper Stanley Livingston and his assistant Flunky in an attempt to raise the quality of zoo life. Their projects required the assistance of their educated friend, Phineas J. Whoopee (voiced by Larry Storch), and his 3-D BB (a three-dimensional blackboard). This 6-DVD set contains all 70 Tennessee Tuxedo cartoons for the first time in one collection, highlighted with the addition of many of the supporting segments of The King And Odie and The Hunter. As an added bonus, we have included episodes of Tooter Turtle and Klondike Kat to round out this classic collection of Total TeleVision animation.

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