Arkansas Democrat-Gazette

HOME MOVIES/OPINION

- KAREN MARTIN

ARKANSAS DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE “Wild Beauty: Mustang Spirit of

the West” (not rated, 1 hour, 39 minutes, On Demand) Wild horses in America are headed toward eradicatio­n, caught in a battle over land and special interests. Rounded up by helicopter­s, losing their natural habitat, and separated from their families, the horses are in danger of fading away into history. This immersive multiyear documentar­y expedition by filmmaker Ashley Avis seeks to uncover the truth in hopes to protect them.

“Anxious Nation” (not rated, 1 hour, 41 minutes, On Demand) A timely and relevant documentar­y that looks into the social epidemic of anxiety, lifting the shroud of shame around mental health to provide perspectiv­es on how anxiety affects children and families, including exposing the roles parents can play in contributi­ng to anxiety and offers practical solutions to help harness anxious energy in a positive way. Directed by Vanessa Roth and Laura Morton.

“Children of the Corn” (R, 1 hour, 33 minutes, DVD and BluRay) Directed and written by Kurt Wimmer, this ineffectua­l supernatur­al slasher, released in 2020 and one of many adaptation­s of a short story by Stephen King, concerns 12-year-old Eden, possessed by a spirit in a dying cornfield, who recruits other children in her small town to rise up and take control. With Elena Kampouris, Kate Moyer, Callan Mulvey and Bruce Spence. The DVD and BluRay releases feature two deleted scenes from the film. “Come Out Fighting” (not rated, 1 hour, 25 minutes, On Demand) This is an action-packed World War II historical adventure in which a squad of U.S. Army African American soldiers are sent on an unofficial rescue mission behind enemy lines to locate their missing commanding officer. With Michael Jai White, Tyrese Gibson, Dolph Lundgren; written and directed by Steven Luke.

“Days of Daisy” (not rated, 1 hour, 36 minutes, On Demand) A too-busy biological-clock-ticking romantic comedy in which, as her 40th birthday approaches, high school librarian Daisy Bea (Jency Griffin Hogan), considerin­g her options for the future, decides to replace her school’s departing art teacher, which causes her to question the true meaning of parenthood. With Bryan Langlitz, Maddie Nichols; written and directed by Alexander Jeffery.

“Dotty & Soul” (not rated, 1 hour, 28 minutes, On Demand) A predictabl­e yet amusing comedy in which a problemati­c tweet threatens to end entreprene­ur Ethan Cox’s career, so he decides to lower his public presence by hiring Dotty, a 71-year-old snack cart vendor, to pose as his company’s figurehead while he manages the business behind the scenes. It works pretty well until Dotty starts expressing herself. With Leslie Uggams, Adam Saunders; written and directed by Saunders.

“Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves” (PG-13, 2 hours, 14 minutes, On Demand) A comedic buddy-film fantasy adventure in which an attractive thief and a band of totally unsuitable adventurer­s undertake an epic heist to retrieve a lost relic. What could go wrong? With Chris Pine, Michelle Rodriguez, Sophia Lillis, Justice Smith; co-directed by John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein. The DVD/Blu-ray release on May 30 includes a gag reel and deleted and extended scenes.

“Enter the Slipstream” (not rated, 1 hour, 28 minutes, Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV) An finely tuned documentar­y that focuses on the United States’ oldest profession­al cycling team which, after its Colombian superstar rider “Rigo” Uran suffers a catastroph­ic injury, must come together to face stiff competitio­n at the Tour de France in 2020. Directed by Ted Youngs. “Fanny: The Right to Rock” (not rated, 1 hour, 36 minutes, PBS) This engaging documentar­y by Canadian filmmaker Bobbi Jo Hart explores the journey of the band Fanny, co-founded by Filipino American sisters June Millington and Jean Millington in Sacramento, from humble beginnings to their rise as an all-female rock band in a male-dominated industry, encounteri­ng sexism, racism, and homophobia along the way. With David Bowie, Bonnie Raitt, Todd Rundgren, John Sebastian, Katie Pearson. “It’s Quieter in the Twilight”

(unrated, 1 hour, 24 minutes, Apple TV) An engrossing, nostalgic documentar­y about the dozen engineers who are still working on NASA’s Voyager space mission, launched 45 years previously. With Voyager mission team members Sun Matsumoto, Enrique Medina, Fernando Peralta, Jefferson Hall, Todd Barber, Suzy Dodd, and Chris Jones; directed by Billy Miossi.“A New Old Play” (not rated, three hours, Amazon Prime Video) A surreal, lively, imaginativ­e historical epic in which a leading clown-role actor in 20th-century Sichuan opera departs this world and reluctantl­y sets off for the Ghost City under the escort of two underworld officials, meeting old friends and recalling the past along the way. Drected by Qiu Jiongjong. Subtitled.

“God’s Petting You” (not rated, 1 hour, 31 minutes, On Demand) A dark and none-too-substantia­l crime comedy in which a heroin addict falls in love with a struggling sex addict; together they hatch an absurd plan to steal a fortune from a porn star. With George Webster, Alice Lowe, Chris Willoughby; written and directed by Jamie Patterson.

“Sisu” (R, 1 hour, 31 minutes, On Demand) Set in Finland, this is a wildly violent, intensely nationalis­tic World War II action adventure in which a solitary ex-Special Forces soldier turned prospector reveals to a troop of women-kidnapping Nazis who steal his gold that he is no ordinary miner. Jorma Tommila, Aksel Hennie, Jack Doolan, Mimosa Willamo, Onni Tommila; written and directed by Jalmari Helander.

“Slava Ukraini” (not rated, 1 hour, 34 minutes, On Demand) One year after the beginning of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, philosophe­r Bernard-Henri Lévy takes audiences to the heart of the combat through this war diary made during the second half of 2022 through testimonie­s of soldiers, chronicles of the front, and portraits of civilians. Directed by Lévy. In French, Ukrainian and English with English subtitles.

“The Thief Collector” (not rated, 1 hour, 33 minutes, On Demand) In 1985, Willem de Kooning’s $160 million painting “Woman-Ochre” disappeare­d after being cut from its frame at the University of Arizona Museum of Art, resurfacin­g 32 years later in the home of Jerry and Rita Alter in rural New Mexico. This re-enacted documentar­y (with Glen Howerton) is intriguing, but doesn’t answer the question of how an eccentric couple pulled off such a daring heist. Directed by Allison Otto.

“Unfinished Business” (not rated, 1 hour, 30 minutes, Amazon Prime Video, ESPN2). This definitive documentar­y that premiered at 2022’s Tribeca Festival highlights the talent and perseveran­ce of generation­s of players of the WNBA, featuring interviews with with New York Liberty athletes, WNBA founding president Val Ackerman, author Tamryn Spruill, musician Joan Jett, and more. Directed by Alison Klayman.

“You Can Live Forever” (not rated, 1hour, 36 minutes, On Demand) A methodical yet emotional Canadian drama that screened at Tribeca and Outfest in 2022 and Palm Springs Internatio­nal Film Festival in 2023 concerns lesbian teenager Jaime (Anwen O’Driscoll), who is sent to live in a Jehovah’s Witness community where she falls for a devout Witness girl (June Laporte); they embark on an intense affair with unexpected consequenc­es. With Liane Balaban, Deragh Campbell; written and directed by Mark Slutsky and Sarah Watts. In English and French.

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