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Recent theatrical films make their way to home video this week
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From left, Alicia Silverstone, Charlie Wright, Jason Drucker and Tom Everett Scott star in "Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Long Haul," now on Blu-ray, DVD and streaming sites. - photo by Chris Hicks
Some recent theatrical films make their way to home video this week on Blu-ray, DVD and various streaming sites.

Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Long Haul (Fox, 2017, PG, deleted scenes/animation, featurettes, bloopers, photo gallery). Though not a reboot, this sequel in the family-comedy franchise has an all-new cast (with Alicia Silverstone and Tom Everett Scott as the parents). The Heffley family hits the road for Meemaws 90th birthday bash, but Greg (Jason Drucker) schemes to detour the trek to a video-gaming convention.

Everything Everything (MGM/Warner, 2017, PG-13, deleted scenes, featurette). An 18-year-old girl (Amanda Stenberg) suffering from an immune-deficiency disorder has never been outside but yearns to see the ocean. When she falls for the new boy next door (Nick Robinson), she initially visits with him on the sly, but then contrives to fly with him to Hawaii, leading to unexpected consequences. The film is based on the melodramatic young adult novel.

Face2Face (Candy Factory, 2017, not rated/probable PG-13). A teenage boy (Daniel Amerman) uses social media to track down a girl (Daniela Bobadilla) he knew in grade school, who is now living several states away. As they rekindle their friendship, she appears to be a fast-living party girl while hes a nerd with no friends, but they are actually covering dark secrets. Unfortunately for the film, what begins as an interesting commentary on 21st-century internet relationships devolves into a routine Lifetime Channel-style soap opera.

How to Be a Latin Lover (Lionsgate, 2017, PG-13, deleted/extended scenes, audio commentary, featurettes). Mexican star Eugenio Derbez (Instructions Not Included) plays a deluded, aging Lothario whose rich older wife dumps him for a younger man. So he moves in with his estranged sister (Salma Hayek) and her son, promises to behave, then promptly sets his sights on the wealthy grandmother (Raquel Welch) of his nephews friend. The cast is game (including Kristen Bell and Rob Lowe) but is forced to struggle through a morass of raunchy, unfunny slapstick.

Chuck (Paramount, 2017; R for language, drugs, sex, nudity, violence, featurette). Liev Schreiber has the title role in this real-life biographical film as New Jersey boxer Chuck Wepner, whose 1975 heavyweight title fight against Muhammad Ali inspired Sylvester Stallone to write the screenplay for Rocky and brought Wepner unexpected celebrity. Naomi Watts, Elisabeth Moss, Jim Gaffigan, Michael Rapaport and Ron Perlman co-star.

Snatched (Fox, 2017, deleted/extended/alternate scenes, audio commentary, bloopers). In her first film in 15 years, Goldie Hawn plays mother to Amy Schumer as they take a vacation in Ecuador, where they are kidnapped. Then, after escaping, they are lost in the jungle. Gross-out, raunchy and surprisingly violent adventures ensue. Christopher Meloni, Wanda Sykes and Joan Cusack co-star.

Hickok (Cinedigm, 2017, not rated/probable PG-13, deleted scenes, featurettes, trailer). The story of Wild Bill Hickok, which apparently cant be filmed too many times, gets another go-round, this time with Luke Hemsworth as the gunslinger. Here, hes looking for a new life in 1870s Kansas when the mayor of Abilene (Kris Kristofferson) offers him a job as marshal. Bruce Dern and Trace Adkins co-star.

Britney Ever After (Lionsgate, 2017, not rated/probable PG-13). Natasha Bassett is Britney Spears in this Lifetime TV biography, which takes the pop icon from her early days with Disneys Mickey Mouse Club to her more notorious adult music career.
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Have You Seen This? Street musician slays with clarinet
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Better than almost every face-melting guitar or drum solo. - photo by Facebook video screenshot

THE BIG EASY — Yeah, yeah, we all know that New Orleans is stuffed to the gills will incredible musicians.

But knowing that fact and then hearing that fact are two different things. You can step into any number of jazz clubs on any given night on Bourbon Street, and you’ll probably be impressed with virtually every act. Or you can sit at home on your comfy couch and watch this featured video.

In the video, you’ll see a woman who is in the groove. She is swinging hard, and wailing on her clarinet with a practiced expertise that makes it sounds so easy.

From note one you’ll be drawn in; your appreciation will grow with every second, and then your face will melt off when you realize how incredible she really is.

If you’ve never played a woodwind or a brass, you may not know everything that comes with a performance like this. Lung capacity and breath control are huge factors in keeping your notes clear and loud, and hitting those high notes is especially difficult.

So when this woman hits that high note and holds it for several seconds, you know you’re dealing with an exceptional musician. It means she has worked hard for years to develop skill on top of her natural talent, and we get to benefit.

It kinda makes you wonder how we let people get away with mumble rap and autotune when talent like this exists in the world.

I wish this video were longer, and I wish I had more information about this woman, but as it is, we’ll just have to appreciate the little flavor of New Orleans jazz posted by the Facebook group Clarinet Life.

Street musician killing it on clarinet

She must have lungs of iron! Its inspiring hearing the upper registers being played so well.

Posted by Clarinet Life on Tuesday, December 11, 2018

Martha Ostergar is a writer who delights in the ridiculous that internet serves up, which means she's more than grateful that she gets to cruise the web for amazing videos to highlight for your viewing pleasure.
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