The Times Herald (Norristown, PA)
‘The 15:17 to Paris’ a convincing drama
Heroism is put under the microscope in Clint Eastwood’s “The 15:17 to Paris,” an occasionally thrilling look at three Americans who derailed an AK-47-totting terrorist aboard a Parisbound passenger train.
Casting the real-life heroes — Spencer Stone, Alek Skarlatos and Anthony Sadler — to play themselves is a gamble that doesn’t really pay off. But Eastwood still manages to convincingly dramatize not only the central event but the backstories of the three friends.
At its best, “15:17” would make a riveting double feature with “United 93,” Paul Greengrass’s similarly detail-obsessed docudrama about the final plane hijacked on 9/11. On Amazon, Google, iTunes, Movies Anywhere and Vudu.
Also New to VOD and Streaming
The Other Side of Hope - Finland’s Aki Kaurismaki (“The Match Factory Girl”): continues to prove that he’s one of the most humane filmmakers in the world with this exquisite comedy about two men who are attempting to start over again. One is a Finnish salesman (Sakari Kuosmanen) who leaves his wife and his job to open a restaurant. The other is a refugee (Sherwan Haji) from Syria who longs to relocate to Helsinki. Boasting pockets of deadpan humor and transfixing drama, “The Other Side of Hope” is a tribute to the random acts of kindness which make life worth living. On Amazon, Google, iTunes, Movies Anywhere and Vudu. The Party: Just try and resist this British comedy about a sophisticated soiree that begins with champagne toasts and ends with a little gunplay. The occasion for the seemingly friendly gathering is the recent promotion of Janet (Kristin Scott Thomas) to Minister of Health. But as her friends (Patricia Clarkson, Bruno Ganz, Cherry Jones, Emily Mortimer, Cillian Murphy) fill up her living room, she discovers that her husband (Timothy Spall) has a surprise or two up his sleeve. “The Party” doesn’t have anything profound to say about politics but it sure is fun to witness these old pros stir up so much malice and menace. On Amazon, Google, iTunes, Movies Anywhere and Vudu. Forbidden Films: Of the 1,200 feature films turned out by Hitler’s Third Reich, about 100 were blatant Nazi propaganda, and many remain banned to this day. This fascinating doc from German helmer Felix Moeller presents not only clips from the prohibited films but also comments from scholars, filmmakers and former neoNazis, all of whom weigh in on whether or not the movies should continue to be kept under lock and key. “Forbidden Films” is a must-see primer about what happens when movies are used for scary ideological purposes. On Amazon, Google, iTunes, Movies Anywhere and Vudu. Steve Martin and Martin Short - An Evening You Will Forget for the Rest of Your Life: Join the comedy icons as they team up for musical sketches and conversations about their legendary lives in movies and stand-up. On Netflix.
Teen Titles
Daphne & Velma: Set before the Scooby-Do gang got together, this mystery finds the teenage besties (Sarah Jeffery, Sarah Gillman) turning into detectives in hopes of solving a conspiracy involving some of their fellow high-school students. Despite a rather rushed ending, the movie boasts a fun girlpower vibe, plenty of surprise twists and more high-tech gadgets than the last dozen Bond movies combined. On Amazon, Google, iTunes, Movies Anywhere and Vudu. Mystery Science Theater 3000 - The Singles Collection: Five classic episodes of “Mystery Science Theater 3000” are finally available again, and they’re funnier than ever. On tap are such cheesefests as “The Crawling Hand,” “The Hellcats,” “Santa Claus Conquers The Martians,” “Eegah” and “I Accuse My Parents” as well as a handful of shorts and new intros by Joe Hodgson. Good stuff. On Amazon, Google, iTunes, Movies Anywhere and Vudu.
For The Kids
Paws P.I.: Get ready for a movie about the world’s first canine private eye. Voiced by Jon Lovitz, Jackson is a border collie who is eager to help his pal Peter retrieve a missing will for a hardworking veterinarian. But to locate the document, Jackson must break into a Sunny Day: