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<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\nBecoming Astrid<\/em> – Astrid Lindgren, the creator of\nchildren’s book character, Pippi Longstocking, is the subject of this\nforeign-language biopic. The story picks up with a teenage Astrid struggling to\nbreak from her conservative upbringing in a remote part of Sweden.\nIt follows her as she leaves her family behind to embark on a career in\njournalism. After finding herself pregnant and struggling to care for the\nchild, she creates the character in order to find some way to connect with her\noffspring. The movie received raves from the press. They called it a\nfascinating, moving and authentic portrait of a woman using writing to overcome\ngreat trials in her life. It features Alba August, Trine Dyrholm and Maria\nBonnevie.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Big Kill<\/em> – This western follows an accountant who\nheads across the country to start a new life following the passing of his wife.\nIn his travels, he encounters two criminals on the run, along with an\neccentric, gun-toting preacher. Together, they all try to make their fortune in\na desolate and violent silver-mining town. Critics weren’t overly enamored with\nthe production. A couple did state that it was a kooky and entertaining little\nB-movie. However, far more critiqued it for being a meandering effort that runs\nfar too long, has an ineffective score, and generally feels like a knock-off\nwestern. The cast includes Christoph Snaders, Jason Patric, Lou Diamond Phillips\nand Elizabeth McLaughlin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Final Wish<\/em> – Horror fans may find this film to be\nof interest. It involves a young man who heads home to comfort his\ngrief-stricken mother after the passing of his father. He unexpectedly finds a\nmysterious urn in his pop’s belongings that appears to make wishes come true.\nHowever, he soon realizes that there is a deadly side price for making one’s\ndreams come true. Reception towards this independent terror flick was\nreasonably strong. A small percentage did complain that the movie was too slow\nin developing and didn’t do enough at the end to make up for its pacing issues.\nStill, the vast majority admired the attempt to deliver psychological chills\nand thought it was a better-than-average horror effort. It stars Lin Shaye,\nMichael Welch, Melissa Bolona and Tony Todd.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Holiday<\/em> – A young and\nattractive woman beings dating a drug lord and finds herself addicted to their\nwealthy and lavish lifestyle. When she is invited by her boyfriend to meet his literal\ncrime family, the lead begins to understand just how brutal and nasty the world\nthat they exist in really is. The woman is forced into considering whether or\nnot she’s making the right choice. This foreign-language from Denmark,\nthe Netherlands\nand Sweden\nearned good reviews. There were some who thought that the characters were awful\nand that there wasn’t much of a point to the exercise except to torture the protagonist.\nStill, the overall impression was that the feature was effectively disturbing\nand unsettling. Victoria Carmen Sonne headlines the film.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Impulso<\/em> – This Spanish-language documentary\nchronicles the flamenco dance. The filmmakers give a brief bit of history and\nthen move forward, presenting the preparations of a new work by famous dancer\nand choreographer, Roc\u00edo Molina; viewers learn that the endeavor is set to\npremiere at the Th\u00e9\u00e2tre National de Chaillot in Paris.\nNaturally, this film shows all of the conversations, disagreements and\nstruggles needed to bring a new flamenco show to the stage. So far, not a lot\nhave seen it and they appear to be split on the results. About half stated that\nthe subject matter is interesting, but that there wasn’t enough material to\nsustain a feature. Just as many asserted that Roc\u00edo Molina was an incredible\ndancer and that any effort to show her work was well worth checking out. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The Last Resort<\/em> – Here’s another documentary with a\nfascinating and unique focus. It’s about photographers Andy Sweet and Gary\nMonroe, and their work taking incredible pictures of a colorful and eccentric\ncommunity of Jewish retirees who were living in Miami\n beach during the 70s. Reviewers seemed to get a real\nkick out the proceedings. One or two did comment that the narrative didn’t do\nenough to show what life was really like in the neighborhood during the period.\nBut almost everyone else thought that the movie presented a series of\nincredibly eye-popping and well-composed images of a fascinating, long gone era\nand never outstayed its welcome. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Mary Poppins Returns<\/em> – This sequel to the 1964 Disney classic finds the children of the original film grown up and one widower member of the clan still living in the family home with his kids. When the bank claims ownership of the house and tries to kick them out, Mary Poppins arrives to help take care of everyone… and help them stop the sale. Critics were positive towards this follow-up. Admittedly, most stated that the movie wasn’t as grand as the original, and a small group groused that it didn’t really need to exist. Yet most found that large sections of the film were successfully mounted and believed it would entertain both children and nostalgic adults. It stars Emily Blunt, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Ben Whishaw, Emily Mortimer, Julie Walters and Colin Firth. To read this site’s review, click here<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n On Her Shoulders<\/em> – Nadia Murad, a 23-year-old Yazidi,\nis the subject of this harrowing documentary. In it, she tells her personal story\nto the world, which involves surviving genocide and sexual slavery as\ninstituted by members of ISIS in her country. The film\ndescribed the ways that she managed to struggle through the ordeal, and how she\nbecame an international voice for those unable to speak for themselves. The\nmovie received a great deal of praise from reviewers. They said that it was a\nremarkable feature that manages to balance the woman’s heroic story with the\nloneliness she experiences as a noted spokesperson frequently surrounded by\ncrowds, the media, and government officials. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Pokemon the Movie: The Power of Us<\/em> – While most are\naware of a live-action film based on these characters coming to cinemas in a\ncouple of months, these creatures have been appearing in animated films from\nJapan for quite some time. The latest (and 21st movie in the series) is about\nfive people, who, along with the help of their pocket monsters, try to rescue\ntheir home town from a series of threats endangering the community during a\nWind Festival. The movie garnered a mixed-positive response from the press.\nSome saw it as more of the same and little else but a commercial for the\nproduct and franchise line. Still, slightly more found it well-intentioned,\nzippy and suggested that kids would enjoy the bright and pretty colors on\ndisplay.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Quake<\/em> – While Hollywood\nis noted for its disaster movies, they get produced in all corners of the\nglobe. This foreign-language effort from Norway\nis a sequel to the 2015 feature The Wave<\/em>, and keeps up with the heroic\ngeologist from the original. This time, the lead is visiting his kids in Oslo\nwhen he notes activity suggesting a massive earthquake about to hit the\nmetropolis. Once again, the family are forced to survive the ordeal. Reaction\ntowards the feature was quite good. There were some minor qualms that the movie\nsimply repeated the formula established in the first movie and didn’t offer any\nnew surprises. Still, several liked the emphasis on characters, and thought it\nstill presented viewers with plenty of thrilling special effects. It stars\nKristoffer Joner and Ane Dahl Torp.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse<\/em> – The newest take on the famous Marvel comic book character was a massive hit over the holiday season and managed to win an Academy Award for Best Animated Feature. It’s about a young man who stumbles into a confrontation between Spider-Man and an arch nemesis as they open portals to other worlds. In this setting, the boy is tasked with taking over the superhero mantle, corralling other alternate-world Spider-Mans in order to save the world. As you might have assumed, the movie got exemplary notices. Almost all thought that it managed to do something completely new and original with the familiar character and presented plenty of comedic moments. The voice cast includes Shameik Moore, Jake Johnson, Hailee Steinfeld, Mahershala Ali, Lily Tomlin and many others. To read this site’s review, click here<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Blasts from the Past!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n There are also tons of classic and obscure little cult films\nfrom the past making their Blu-ray debuts. Arrow Video have a Special Edition Blu-ray\nof the violent giallo thriller, Strip Nude For Your Killer<\/em> (1975). It’s\nabout a psychopath whose various acts of murder may be tied to a failed\nabortion many years earlier. This version includes a brand new 2K restoration from the original camera negative, a\nnew audio commentary by horrorpedia.com’s Adrian J. Smith and David Flint, a\nvideo essay on the movie, two version of the film’s opening scene, an interview\nwith cast members Nino Castelnuovo and Erna Schurer, as well as talks with\nassistant director Daniele Sangiorgi and actor\/production manager Tino\nPolenghi.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Shout! Factory have plenty to choose from this week as well.\nThey include a Collector’s Edition Blu-ray of the Cheech Marin comedy, Born\nin East L.A.<\/em> (1987). It involves a man mistakenly identified as an illegal\nimmigrant who is deported to Mexico\n(despite not being able to speak Spanish), and ultimately has to smuggle\nhimself back home. The release includes a commentary with Marin as well as an\ninterview with him, other discussion with co-stars Kamala Lopez and Paul\nRodriguez, an extended TV cut of the film with additional scenes and publicity materials.\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n You can now also pick up a high definition version of the giant monster movie, The Deadly Mantis<\/em> (1957). In case you’re wondering, it was delayed slightly from its original Blu-ray release date. This flick, about a massive insect attacking various cities in North America, features a 2K scan of the original elements, a new film historian audio commentary, a complete Mystery Science Theatre<\/em> episode focused on the movie, a theatrical trailer and still gallery. All monster movie fans out there should get a kick out of this disc.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Additionally, the distributor has a Blu-ray of the\nAustralian outlaw picture, Ned Kelly<\/em> (2003). The feature stars Heath\nLedger, Orlando Bloom, Naomi Watts and Geoffrey Rush. The movie was popular in\nits homeland and arrives with a featurette on the real Kelly, as well as\ntrailers, stills and TV spots. And they also have a Blu-ray of the British\nhorror picture, The Witches<\/em> (1966), about a school teacher who uncovers\nsomething sinister about her new position. The release contains a new\nfilmmaker\/historian audio commentary, a featurette on the production, a still\ngallery and some trailers. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Kino have a stack of Blu-rays coming too. They include the\nwell-regarded Julianne Moore drama, Far From Heaven<\/em> (2002). It’s a\nSpecial Edition that features a director audio commentary, a making-of, an\nanatomy of a scene featurette, and a discussion with the star and filmmakers.\nThe company are also putting out the… less well-regarded teen sex comedy, Losin’\nIt<\/em> (1983). That picture is probably most notable for its familiar cast,\nplayed by Tom Cruise, Shelley Long, Jackie Earle Haley and John Stockwell. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Additionally, you can now pick up a Blu-ray of the comedy, Lovers\nand Other Strangers<\/em> (1970). This disc also includes a film historian audio\ncommentary. If B-movie action is more to your liking, you can watch Dolph\nLundgren kick some supernatural butt in The Minion<\/em> (1998). This Blu-ray\ncomes with a director commentary and trailer. Kino are also releasing the\nstar-studded, Suppose They Gave a War and Nobody Came?<\/em> (1970) with a new\nHD master from a 4K scan of the original camera negative. It also arrives with\na film expert commentary. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Criterion have some incredible stuff as well. Their first\nBlu-ray of the week is the classic film noir, Detour<\/em> (1945), about a\nbroke piano player on the road who gets hooked up with a particularly sinister\nfemme fatale. The film was recently restored by the Academy Film Archive and\nFilm Foundation, so this Blu-ray arrives with a new 4K digital upgrade of the\npicture, a thorough 2004 documentary of the movie’s production, interviews with\nscholars on the film, and a new program about how it was all restored. Sounds\nlike a great disc. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Additionally, they have Wanda<\/em> (1970) on Blu-ray. This\ndistinguished independent film arrives with a new 2K digital restoration by the\nUCLA Film & Television Archive. You’ll also get an hour-long\ndocumentary by Katja Raganelli featuring an interview with director Barbara\nLoden filmed in 1980, an audio recording of Loden speaking to students at the\nAmerican Film Institute in 1971, a segment from a 1971 episode of The\nDick Cavett Show<\/em> featuring Loden and a short educational film from\n1975 about a pioneer woman\u2019s struggle to survive, directed by and starring\nLoden.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Warner Archive are bringing some cult movie action to\nBlu-ray in the form of Cleopatra Jones<\/em> (1973). This fun one involves the\ntitular, stylish special agent, who makes it her mission to take down a female\ndrug lord who is waging a violent war on the heroine and her team. <\/p>\n\n\n\n If you can pick them up before they sell out, Twilight Time\nare releasing limited edition Blu-ray of several different titles. This week,\nthe releases include the Richard Dreyfuss comedy\/mystery, The Big Fix<\/em>\n(1978), the British suspense picture, The Quiller Memorandum<\/em> (1966), the\nMexico-set thriller, The River’s Edge<\/em> (1957), and the John Ford\ncrime\/comedy, The Whole Town’s Talking<\/em> (1935).<\/p>\n\n\n\n Finally, Scorpion are putting out a Blu-ray of Eagle’s\nWing<\/em> (1979). This western stars Martin Sheen and Harvey Keitel and the disc\ncarries a new remaster of the film along with an interview featuring co-star\nCaroline Langrishe. <\/p>\n\n\n\n You Know, For Kids!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Here’s a listing of all of the week’s kid-friendly movies\n(although the Spider-Man feature may be more appropriate for older children).<\/p>\n\n\n\n Mary Poppins Returns<\/em> On the Tube!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n It’s a quiet edition for TV-shows, but you can pick up some\nclassic Doctor Who<\/em> episodes if you are so inclined. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Doctor Who: Tom Baker<\/em>: Complete Season 7<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"http:\/\/www.cinemastance.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/03\/DVD-big-kill-philips-1024x576.jpg\")
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Pokemon the Movie: The Power of Us\ufeff<\/em>
Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse<\/em>
S<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n