Movies This Week: Incredibly Red Underworld Haywire

On Sunday, the America's Future Scientist Fund is hosting a Jamboree over at the Stunt Ranch and Fire Lake Event Center. How is this related to film? One of the first activities is "Science in the Movies." What better way to spend your day, especially with kids?

Austin Film Society kicks off this year's Texas Independent Film Network Presents program on Tuesday, and celebrates Austin filmmaker Heather Courtney's Independent Spirit Truer Than Fiction Award, with a special screening of Where Soldiers Come From with Courtney in attendance at Violet Crown. I cannot recommend this movie enough.

The Paramount Winter Comedy Series will screen double features Jan. 22-27 with Will Ferrell, Eddie Murphy and Richard Pryor movies as well as Mike Judge's Austin film classic Office Space on Thursday. Anyone else missing the Alligator Grill?

Movies We've Seen:

Bullhead -- This Fantastic Fest favorite returns to Austin for a couple of weekend screenings to celebrate its being included on the Oscar shortlist competing for nominations for Best Foreign Language Film. Debbie says, "What starts out as a movie about the mafia behind illegal bovine hormone use and trading in the Belgian agricultural industry turns into an intensive character study." Read her review for more. (Alamo Drafthouse Lamar)

Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close -- This movie has an excessively melodramatic lead and seems even longer than the title. While I found that ultimately I appreciated it in the end, I completely agree with Elizabeth who says in her review that she "can't recall the last time I've been so annoyed by a child actor." Ultimately, however, I found this dramatization of the grieving process to be profoundly moving. (wide)

Richard Garriott: Man on a Mission (pictured above) -- A 2008 spaceflight, a SXSW 2010 hit, made by local filmmakers about a local celebrity, finally screening at a theater near you. Debbie says the documentary "reiterates the immeasurable value of space travel and how private industry can further the benefits of space exploration and the accomplishments of scientific research in zero gravity conditions." Read her review for more.  (Alamo Lamar)

Red Tails -- The Tuskegee Airmen of WWII get another shot at recognition, Rod saw it, and says, "Turn your tail and run away from this movie." Look for his review this weekend. (wide)

Other Movies Opening in Austin:

Haywire -- Betrayed covert operative actioner written by the man who also brought us The Limey and Dark City, and directed by Steven Soderbergh. (wide)

Underworld Awakening --What else could they do with a vamp versus were franchise? Add humans to the war. (wide)