This Week in Entertainment
12-12-12: The Concert for Sandy Relief (Various Artists) Recorded from the benefit concert at Madison Square Garden, this collection includes standout performances from artists such as Bruce Springsteen, Alicia Keys, Coldplay, Eric Clapton, The Who and Bon Jovi on a two-disc set. In the spirit of the event, the Robin Hood Foundation relief fund will receive 100 percent of the net proceeds of Columbia Records and the artists from the sale of this album. Proceeds will go toward improving areas in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern United States affected by Hurricane Sandy in October 2012.
Broken City - In his return to gritty, dramatic roles after starring in last summer's hit film Ted, Mark Wahlberg plays an ex-cop who sees a chance for redemption when New York's powerful mayor (Russell Crowe, Les Miserables) calls upon him to help determine whether his wife (Catherine Zeta-Jones, Chicago) is having an affair, which might hurt his chances for re-election. Yet as he begins to investigate the case, the cop becomes embroiled in a bigger scandal than he realized. R. 109 min.
End of Watch - From the writer of 2001's Training Day comes a similarly riveting story of two Los Angeles police officers (Jake Gyllenhaal, Brokeback Mountain and Michael Pena, Crash) patrolling the mean streets of the city's South Central region, captured from the lens of handheld and surveillance cameras. Well-reviewed and -acted, the gripping film keeps viewers on the edge of their seats as the cops find themselves the target of the nation's most dangerous drug lord. Bonus features include an audio commentary and deleted scenes.
Love Songs (Destiny's Child) -The first release from one of the all-time best-selling musical trios since 2005's compilation #1's, Love Songs is a collection of previously unreleased ballads and romantic compositions recorded during the group's heyday of 1997-2004. The album also includes "Nuclear," a new single produced by Pharrell Williams, and serves as further promotion for lead singer Beyonce's upcoming performance during the Super Bowl XLVII Halftime Show, where the group is expected to make its first public appearance in nearly a decade.
The Last Stand - For the first time since his stint as governor of California, Arnold Schwarzenegger returns to the screen in a starring role, after cameo appearances in The Expendables series. Portraying a sheriff in a sleepy border town, Schwarzenegger must work with a United States law enforcement agent (Forest Whitaker, The Great Debaters) in order to intercept a notorious drug kingpin fugitive. Also starring Johnny Knoxville of Jackass fame, this popcorn flick will satisfy action fans over the long weekend. R. 107 minutes.
Suspect (Robert Crais) - From the best-selling author of Taken and The Sentry comes another crime fiction novel sure to satisfy fans of his Elvis Cole and Joe Pike series. This edition follows Scott James, a Los Angeles Police Department officer unfit for duty following an assault that killed his former partner, until he meets his new companion, a bomb-sniffing German shepherd. Together, the unlikely pair sets out to investigate the culprit behind the death of James' former colleague, and while learning more about himself, James encounters an unlikely truth about the case.
More from The Rice Thresher
Rice SJP ‘liberated zone’ ends, university removes artwork in ‘beautification efforts’
The “liberated zone” on Rice campus and associated events ended Friday, April 26, after four days of programming, according to the Rice Students for Justice in Palestine Instagram page. Unlike overnight encampments spreading at college campuses across the country, Rice SJP disassembled the “liberated zone” each night and returned the following morning. And in contrast to clashes and escalating police responses that have led to some 2,000 arrests from Los Angeles to Hanover, N.H., there were “no major incidents and no arrests” at Rice, according to President Reggie DesRoches.
Rice’s Luke McCaffrey selected by Commanders in NFL Draft
The Washington Commanders selected Rice wide receiver Luke McCaffrey with the 100th overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. McCaffrey was the final pick in the third round, as well as the final pick on the second day of the draft. He’ll compete for a prominent role in the wide receiver room, potentially slotting in as their starting slot receiver alongside Terry McLaurin and Jahan Dotson.
Rice Students for Justice in Palestine declares ‘liberated zone’ on campus
As student protests erupt across the country, Rice Students for Justice in Palestine launched a “liberated zone” on Rice campus, announced a two-day series of events and started construction on an “apartheid wall.”
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