PICKS OF THE WEEK
‘Buck’ (PG) — This documentary tells the story of real-life cowboy and horse-guru Buck Brannaman. Buck’s talent is something astounding to behold — he emphasizes sensitivity and partnership when he’s working with defiant equestrians. As Buck puts it, he’s ‘helping horses with people problems.’
The film links Buck’s profound sympathy with his childhood as the abused son of another famous cowboy hero. When Buck sees troubled horses, he has an uncanny ability to see through to the troubles in the lives of their owners. This tale of a true character with awe-inspiring presence and an enormous heart has rightfully been wrangling in awards since hitting the trail at Sundance.
‘Fast Five’ (PG-13) — Against the exotic backdrop of Rio de Janeiro, a wild crew of expert drivers plot one last criminal act to get escape the law. If you had Dwayne Johnson coming after you, you’d drive like a maniac too. As the final stunt in the ‘Fast and Furious’ series, Paul Walker, Vin Diesel and Tyrese Gibson reprise their roles, and yes, they all still have abs.
Every shot that isn’t going 100 miles an hour is packed with some form of eye candy — exciting locales, daring stunts, flashy cars or shots of the beautiful women who apparently live in remarkable population densities throughout Brazil. The movie’s climactic one-last-heist is a fitting end for its adrenaline-injected franchise.
‘Scream 4’ (R) — When this series started more than a decade ago, it was first slasher series to attain full self-awareness. As a loving parody of a genre known for predictability, ‘Scream 4’ tries to inject some whodunit mystery into the darkened territory of horror movies.
When beautiful young starlets are getting killed off like it’s the ’90s again, returning members of the original cast (Neve Campbell, David Arquette and Courtney Cox) must solve the mystery and stop the Ghostface Killer before there isn’t anybody left in the movie younger than 40. While teen girls tremble in horror of a mad man with a kitchen knife, audiences might sweat under the weight of so much self-referential humor and constant winks at the camera.
CULT CORNER
‘Dead Alive’ (Unrated) [Blu-ray] — This 1992 New Zealand zombie gorefest is gruesome and shocking, in part because it’s one of the early works of Peter Jackson — the man who delivered the high-budget majesty of ‘The Lord of the Rings.’ Over-the-top guts and gore, lusty undead, a Kung-fu Catholic priest and a cartoonish humor make this blood-soaked nightmare a bucket of fun.
TV RELEASES
Planet Earth: Limited Edition [Blu-ray]
Bored to Death: The Complete Second Season
The Walking Dead: The Complete First Season (3-Disc Special Edition)
Transformers Beast Wars: Seasons 2 and 3
Aaahh!!! Real Monsters: Season One
Meet the Browns: Season 2
© 2011 King Features Synd., Inc.