New this week
It’s one of those weeks where there’s at least nine films opening up in Houston. Here’s a rundown on a handful of titles.
- The Viral Factor is a high octane Hong Kong crime thriller from director Dante Lam. The plot revolves around one brother, an Interpol style cop, and his efforts to track down his brother who’s a master criminal. Playing exclusively at the AMC Studio 30.
- Full Metal Alchemist: The Sacred Star of Milos is a feature adaptation of the Japanese anime cartoon series from the Bones animation studio. There’s alchemy, bureaucratic exploitation and a philosopher’s stone involved. Playing exclusively at the Alamo Drafthouse West Oaks for a week, and moves to the Studio Grill on February 1.
- Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close may be emotionally manipulative but in a way that’s not aggrandizing. Occasional forced perspective optical points of view highlight this 9/11 story with a great cast that includes Sandra Bullock and Max von Sydow. Thomas Horn stars as a kid who’s equal parts sympathetic and obnoxious. Opens wide.
- Red Tails has great visual effects that aid the story of The Tuskegee Airmen in WWII. Produced by George Lucas, opening wide.
- Tyrannasour offers the directorial debut of actor Paddy Considine with a gritty British drama. Peter Mullen, Olivia Colman and Eddy Marsan star. Exclusively at the Sundance Cinemas Houston.
- This Is Not A Film is a film about Iranian filmmaker Jafar Panani, currently under house arrest, and his oppression under the current government. The film, which is part of the Iranian Film Festival at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, was surreptitously shot and smuggled out of Iran. This Is Not A Film plays 1/21 (7 pm.) and 1/29 (5 pm.).
— Michael Bergeron
