Hitman Hart: Wrestling with Shadows (1998)

There are still people out there that complain that wrestling is “completely fake”; I am always compelled to argue that wrestling is in fact not fake. In many ways the performers that wrestle give up their body and health to entertain. In Bret Hart’s case, it he gave up his livelihood, his self respect, and his family. “Wrestling with Shadows” is still a pretty sad and shockingly mesmerizing tale of one of the biggest athletes of the 1990’s and the incident that shook his world and nearly tore him apart.

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Phenomena (1985) [Two Disc Special Edition 4K UHD]

One of the latter day Dario Argento movies is a mind melding, bizarre series of inexplicable plot points that amount to one twisted slasher film. “Phenomena” is Argento at his wildest, directing a script that feels concocted by someone on an acid bender. “Phenomena” is one part “Carrie,” one part giallo slasher, one part revenge thriller, and a whole lot plot elements that make zero sense. Everything that unfolds is so inexplicable and out of left field that I was absolutely baffled most times. And it speaks a lot to the reputation of Dario Argento because a movie like this would have prompted me to shut it down mid-way. But the movie begs the audience to keep going, even though we’re never quite sure what other nonsensical plot point is going to be tossed in at the last second.

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Creed III (2023)

A lot of the basis for the central idea of the “Creed” movie series has been the mentor student relationship between Rocky and Adonis Creed. So it was bold of Michael B Jordan to not only go on without Ryan Coogler, but without Sylvester Stallone, too. Thankfully he proves that fortune favors the bold, as “Creed III” is a masterpiece. It not only progresses the Adonis Creed character, but it reveals him to be a flawed protagonist who has done things in his life that cause self reflection, but the audience to also step back and examine him.

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Five Movies You Can Watch if you Loved “The Last of Us”

If you’ve been following “The Last of Us” for the last nine weeks, the new series based on the hit video game has become a smash hit for HBO. The apocalyptic horror drama has filled the hole that “The Walking Dead” left behind as a taut, gripping, and excellent look at humanity at the end of the world. While we anxiously wait for season two of “The Last of Us” to arrive, here are five movies you can watch to keep you satisfied.

What was your favorite episode of “The Last of Us” season one? 

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The Bootleg Files – Agueda Martinez: Our People, Our Country

BOOTLEG FILES 825: “Agueda Martinez: Our People, Our Country” (1977 Oscar-nominated documentary short).

LAST SEEN: On YouTube.

AMERICAN HOME VIDEO: None.

REASON FOR BOOTLEG STATUS: It fell through the proverbial cracks.

CHANCES OF SEEING A COMMERCIAL DVD RELEASE:
Not likely.

For many years, the films nominated in the Academy Award categories for short subjects were the most mysterious titles in the annual Oscar ceremonies. Between the evaporation of the theatrical shorts market in the early 1960s and the relatively recent dawning of the streaming era, these films were unknown and inaccessible to the vast majority of movie lovers.
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Shazam! Fury of the Gods (2023)

Hey, it’s better than “Black Adam.”

That’s about the biggest glowing opinion I can give “Fury of the Gods” when all is said and done. The follow up to the 2019 crowd pleaser is a perfectly fine film. It’s a solid adaptation of a unique comic book series, and it’s a good chance this is the last time we’ll see “Shazam!” with this cast. That being said, I liked “Fury of the Gods” even if I wasn’t a big fan of how much they toned down the content to make it so much more appealing to the younger audience. “Shazam!” had demons, and “Fury of the Gods” has unicorns.

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Tickets On Sale Now For “MY NEIGHBOR TOTORO” 35th Anniversary Screenings

Tickets are on sale now for the celebratory 35th anniversary screenings of renowned director Hayao Miyazaki’s cherished feature My Neighbor Totoro, kicking off Studio Ghibli Fest 2023. GKIDS, celebrating its 15th anniversary as producer and distributor of multiple Academy Award®-nominated animated features, and Fathom Events, are proud to continue their collaboration for Studio Ghibli Fest 2023, and deliver a slate highlighting all ten of Hayao Miyazaki’s iconic animated films with Studio Ghibli, as well as the first-ever North American screenings of SPIRITED AWAY: Live On Stage.

The film will be shown in both original Japanese and English dubbed versions. In addition to the full feature, audiences will get to view exclusive selections from the documentary series 10 Years with Hayao Miyazaki.

Tickets for My Neighbor Totoro and the rest of Ghibli Fest 2023 can be purchased online by visiting GhibliFest.com, FathomEvents.com, or at participating theater box offices (Theaters and participants are subject to change).