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<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\nAdverse<\/em> \u2013 The plot of this crime thriller involves a\nrideshare driver who learns that his sister has gone missing. Knowing of her\nties to a local drug dealer and crime boss, the lead attempts to locate her. He\nsoon determines that the only way to get to the truth is to become an official\ndriver for the sinister organization. After gaining employment with the\norganization, he gets up close and personal with each suspect one by one. As of\nright now, this feature is premiering exclusively on DVD. There aren\u2019t many\nreviews available for the flick, but one that did pop up online called it a\ndecent little movie with some solid performances. It stars Thomas Ian Nicholas,\nMickey Rourke, Lou Diamond Phillips, Penelope Ann Miller, Sean Astin and Kelly\nArjen. <\/p>\n\n\n\n American Skin<\/em> \u2013 Here\u2019s another movie that is going\nwill be arriving on DVD only. It\u2019s an independent film about a divorced,\nAfrican-American Marine veteran working as a janitor at a local school while\ntrying to rebuild a relationship with his teenage son. When the boy is shot by\na cop during a traffic stop, the protagonist is stunned to learn that the\nofficer won\u2019t stand trial for the offense. Furious, he decides to mete justice out\nhimself. Critics weren\u2019t overly impressed with this drama. A small group\nthought the importance of the themes being addressed made it a worthwhile\nendeavor. However, the majority suggested that despite the movie\u2019s best\nefforts, the end results were notably melodramatic and preachy. The cast\nincludes Nate Parker, Omari Hardwick, Theo Rossi and Beau Knapp.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Antigone<\/em> \u2013 This French-language feature from Canada\nis a modern adaptation of the Greek tragedy. The plot follows a straight-A\nstudent who decides to fight back against powerful authorities and help her\nbrother escape from prison. The process puts her in direct conflict with the\npolice and lawmakers as she fights for her own sense of justice. Response\ntowards this drama from reviewers was almost entirely positive. Only one person\ncomplained that the movie emphasized sensationalism and didn\u2019t grab them. All\nother notices called it a phenomenal update of the original play that\neffectively critiqued the modern justice system. They also complimented the\ncast and performances on display. Nah\u00e9ma Ricci, Rawad El-Zein and Antoine\nDesRochers headline the film.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Crock of Gold: A Few Rounds with Shane MacGowan<\/em> <\/a>\u2013 For those who aren\u2019t familiar with the band The Pogues<\/em>, they were an exceptional live act mixing punk and traditional Irish music (they also recorded the minor hit, \u201cFairytale of New York\u201d). The life of the group\u2019s principal songwriter is chronicled in this documentary from Julien Temple (music video director and creator of the Sex Pistols<\/em> documentary, The Filth and the Fury<\/em>). It details MacGowan\u2019s early life, the formation of the band and his hard-drinking lifestyle. Besides new interviews with the subject, the film also offers appearances form the likes of Johnny Depp, Bono (from U2<\/em>), Nick Cave and Bobby Gillespie (lead singer of Primal Scream<\/em>). The press loved this documentary, writing that it was a detailed portrait of a fascinating if extremely flawed and addiction-suffering artist. This title is initially coming out exclusively on DVD, but hopefully a Blu-ray will follow in the near future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Ip Man: Kung Fu Master<\/em> \u2013 Boy, it seems like there\u2019s a\nnew Ip Man<\/em> film coming out of China almost every other month. This\nparticular title marks the third in a series starring Dennis To. The plot\nfollows the legendary hero taking a position as a police captain is the Foshan\nregion. While serving the community, he must fend off a gangster out for\nrevenge and help stop invading Japanese forces. This martial arts sequel wasn\u2019t\nas well received as some of the other films in the series, receiving more\nnegative reviews than positive ones. Those who enjoyed the movie said the fight\nchoreography was so great that it made up the flick\u2019s narrative lapses.\nSlightly more couldn\u2019t quite get past the wooden acting and run-of-the-mill\nplot. The movie also features Michael Wong, Xin Wanliruo and To Yu-Hang.<\/p>\n\n\n\n On-Gaku: Our Sound<\/em> \u2013 A trio of bored and frustrated\nteenage delinquents decide to start a rock band in this animated feature from\nJapan. As they start to play together, their energy and passion begins to find\nan outlet in the music. After finding a singer to perform with them, the new\ngroup decide to play a local festival, much to the surprise of adults and their\nown classmates. This foreign-language feature was adapted from a cult manga\ncomic and earned high marks from critics. In fact, there aren\u2019t any negative\nwrite-ups thus far in this part of the world. Everyone said the film was simply\nanimated but unique and unusual, doing an excellent job of focusing on its\nquirky characters and their growing interest in rock music. Many write-ups also\nappreciated the feature\u2019s deadpan sense of humor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Palindromists<\/em> \u2013 For those unfamiliar with the\nterm palindrome, it is the moniker for a word or phrase that reads the same way\nforwards and backwards. You wouldn\u2019t think that this subject would necessarily\nlend itself to a feature documentary, but apparently it has. Viewers will learn\nall about the history of palindromes, as well as meet those who study the\nphenomenon and even write new ones. The filmmakers also attend the World\nPalindrome Championship, in which various competitors are judged on their\ncreative wordplay. Linguists will probably be amused by the non-fiction\nfeature, but they\u2019ll have to check it out with little or no other information\non the title. It is debuting on disc and at present has yet to be reviewed by\nthe press. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Queer Japan<\/em> \u2013 This documentary details the LGBTQ+\ncommunity in Japan and the advancements that members have been making in recent\nyears. The filmmakers spent more than three years capturing the country\u2019s pride\ncelebrations and show some of the celebrations. They also speak with more than\n100 trailblazers, including everything from a gay comic book artist to Japan\u2019s\nfirst transgender elected official. All of the subjects explain the various projects\nand work to help create a spirit of positivity and inclusion. Response was very\nupbeat towards this feature. They all suggested that the film was fun,\ninformative and filled with excellent discussions paying tribute to the people\nwho have helped change the attitudes of many in the country. For the time\nbeing, this feature is a DVD only release. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The Reason I Jump<\/em> \u2013 Here\u2019s another well-regarded\ndocumentary arriving on store shelves this week. Titled after and inspired by\nthe popular autobiographical non-fiction book by Naoki Higashida, the film\ndetails what it is like living with autism. Specifically, the movie uses\nnarrative passages from the author and follows five other nonspeaking young\npeople on the spectrum, chronicling the positive experiences and daily\nchallenges they all face. The press was very positive about this movie. There\nwas only one critic who complained that the mix of readings and footage didn\u2019t\nprove to be insightful. All others stated that the project was thoughtful and\nintrospective, offering viewers insight that would change some of their\npreconceived notions about autism. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Rent-A-Pal<\/em> \u2013 Set in the 1980s, this is a tale of lonely adult man caring for his sickly mother. He finds himself cut-off from society and unable to maintain a relationship. One day, the lead discovers a VHS tape offering friendship via recorded conversations with an actor. However, as time passes the figure on the video begins influencing his decisions and causing him even more problems. This independent horror feature earned more positive notices than negative ones. Those who disliked the movie thought it had serious pacing issues and didn\u2019t offer much insight beyond the obvious fact that technology can negatively influence our psyche. Slightly more thought the film was unusual and anxiety-provoking, offering a dark and chilling portrait of a man\u2019s slow mental collapse. It stars Wil Wheaton, Brian Landis Folkins and Amy Rutledge. To read this site\u2019s review of the feature, click here<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Road to Damascus<\/em> \u2013 The press release for this\nindependent film describes the lead character as a debt-ridden figure\nstruggling with child support and bills as he attempts to maintain sobriety.\nWhen his roommate suddenly goes missing, the protagonist does his best to find\nher. In the process, he uncovers dark secrets about the woman\u2019s past and finds\nhimself entering her private world of terrifying allegiances with criminal\nfigures. Little else is known about this title at present. It appears to be\nmaking its debut on disc and hasn\u2019t played at many film festivals over the past\nyear (perhaps due to the pandemic). So, interested parties will have to go into\nthis story with no background information. The cast includes Frank Red, Becky\nKillerson, Denzel Moore and Anthony G. Perkins. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Rock Camp<\/em> \u2013 Also known as Rock Camp: The Movie<\/em>,\nthis documentary follows attendees at what sounds like a fantastic\nmusic-learning experience. It originated 25 years ago and continues to this\nday. A group of students attempt a special camp, where they are taught tools of\nthe trade and play together with rock legends like Sebastian Bach, Jeff Beck,\nJerry Cantrell, Alice Cooper, Roger Daltrey, Lita Ford, Sammy Hagar, Meat Loaf,\nGene Simmons, Slash, Nancy Wilson and countless others. The majority of\nreviewers enjoyed the film. One or two complained that it didn\u2019t offer any deep\ninsight into the participants or the learning process and called it an extended\nad for the camp. Still, almost all of them admitted the flick was very\nentertaining and inspiring, making them wish they were attending the program\nthemselves. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Russian Raid<\/em> \u2013 A former Russian sniper operative is\ntold by his criminal employer to incapacitate a local factory\u2019s security team\nso that the company will fire their own staff and hire them. It\u2019s an elaborate\nway to drum up business and the plan quickly backfires when the hero learns\nthat the factory is owned by a warlord with connections to the Russian\nmilitary. As events progress, we learn that the lead has his own complicated\nhistory with the villain that leads to an action-packed showdown. There aren\u2019t\na lot of reviews available for the flick, but those that have popped up suggest\nthat the movie seems inspired by The Raid<\/em> series and favors and includes\nadmittedly well-orchestrated elaborate fight and action scenes over character\ndevelopment. It features Ivan Kotik, Ilya Antonenko, Nikita Kologrivyy and Vladimir\nMineev.<\/p>\n\n\n\n RUTH: Justice Ginsburg in Her Own Words<\/em> \u2013 Using\narchival audio alongside photographs and animated reenactments, this documentary\ndetails Ruth Bader Ginsburg\u2019s life and career, as well as her time serving on\nthe Supreme Court. It shows how the woman managed to fight for her position\nagainst those who discounted her because of her gender, as well as being a\nmother and a woman of Jewish descent. Most write-ups for the movie were\npositive. There was a small contingent who didn\u2019t think this effort was as\nstrong as other non-fiction features about her life and said it didn\u2019t present\nany new information. Still, most called the movie inspiring and thought that it\nshowed that great change takes time and comes through making small steps\nforward. Presently, this film is being released exclusively on DVD.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Two by Two: Overboard!<\/em> \u2013 This animated kid\u2019s flick comes\nfrom Ireland and Luxembourg and is also a sequel to the 2015 feature, Two by\nTwo<\/em> aka Oops, Noah\u2019s Gone!<\/em> This time out, a trio of animals floating\nin the middle of the sea on Noah\u2019s ark become concerned as hungry carnivores\nonboard begin seeing them and other herbivores as potential meals. After\naccidentally being washed overboard onto a nearby desert island, the heroes try\nto save locals from an imminent volcano eruption and protect the animals on the\nark who are about to be eaten. Critics in Europe weren\u2019t especially taken by\nthis follow-up. They suggested that while it was well-animated, promoted\nco-operation and had more humor than the previous installment, the two\nstorylines didn\u2019t cut together well and that the film felt routine and\nunmemorable. The voice cast includes Max Carolan, Ava Connolly, Tara\nFlynn and Mary Murray.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Vanguard<\/em> \u2013 This action\/comedy stars Jackie Chan as\nthe head of a security firm dedicated to providing protection for their various\nclients. When an important accountant is kidnapped before he can testify in a\ntrial, the heroes must put their martial arts skills to the test in order to\nsave the man from the bad guys. Alas, more members of the press panned this\nfeature than praised it. There were a few who suggested that despite not making\na lick of sense, there were some good stunts on display and called the flick\nfun. However, most said that the screenplay wasted too much time on the various\nsupporting cast members and lacked the spark of Chan\u2019s earlier efforts, leaving\nthe movie\u2019s charismatic star in the background with little to do. It also\nfeatures Yang Yang, Muqi Miya, Jackson\nLou and Zhengting Zhu.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Blasts from the Past!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n There are some very interesting older features also coming\nyour way on Blu-ray this week. Kino have a Special Edition disc containing Bring\nMe the Head of Alfredo Garcia<\/em> (1974) from director Sam Peckinpah (The\nWild Bunch<\/em>, Straw Dogs<\/em>, The Getaway<\/em>). Warren Oates stars as a\npiano player in need of cash who decides to hunt down and collect a bounty on a\nMexican underworld figure. The disc includes a 2017 HD master from a 4K scan of\nthe camera negative, a commentary with the co-writer\/co-producer, a second track\nwith film historians and a ton of publicity materials.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Choirboys<\/em> (1977) is a black comedy about the\ndaily life of members of a metropolitan Los Angeles police unit. Charles\nDurning, James Woods, Louis Gossett Jr. and Perry King play just a few members\nof the team. The Blu-ray includes a film historian audio commentary, an\ninterview with co-star Don Stroud, radio spots and a trailer. The distributor is\nalso premiering the mob film, The Don is Dead<\/em> (1973), with Anthony\nQuinn. This Blu-ray also includes an audio track with a critic and a trailer. <\/p>\n\n\n\n And they are putting out a Blu-ray box set called, Little\nFugitive: The Collected Films of Morris Engel & Ruth Orkin<\/em>. It includes\nthe independent features Little Fugitive<\/em> (1953), Lovers and Lollipops<\/em>\n(1956), Weddings and Babies<\/em> (1958) and I Need a Ride to California<\/em>\n(1968). These are all well-regarded independent flicks and a few of them even\nearned Academy Award nominations during their original releases. The set also\ncomes with documentaries on the filmmakers, earlier shorts and TV commercials\nfrom the pair and other bonuses. <\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"http:\/\/www.cinemastance.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/DVD-american-skin-1024x630.jpg\")
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