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On Demand picks

August 19, 2011

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SECRETARIAT (Starz on Comcast) Yes, it’s a movie about a horse, but it’s also a horse movie about a woman. Penny Chenery (Diane Lane) decides to enter the predominately male world of professional horse racing in 1972. Her thoroughbred wins the Triple Crown. By nearly every standard, this is a small, conventional movie, but in its smallness it’s exquisitely made. Lane dominates the movie with nothing more than poise. (PG; runs through April 30)

WESLEY MORRIS

RANGO (Comcast Movies: All Movies) An amiably bonkers funny-animal revamp of a Sergio Leone spaghetti western from ILM and director Gore Verbinski (“Pirates of the Caribbean’’). Johnny Depp provides the voice of a cowardly chameleon sheriff in a frontier town. It’s fun and it looks great, but it’s not quite the classic of family-friendly gonzo this crew could have created with a little more focus. (PG; runs through Dec. 27, 2012) TY BURR

THE KARATE KID (Starz on Comcast) A remake that works surprisingly well on the crowd-pleasing terms of the 1984 original. The location has changed to China and the movie’s all the better for it. Jaden Smith (Will’s son) is charmingly naturalistic in the lead; Jackie Chan plays it straight (mostly) as his mentor. They should’ve called it “The Kung Fu Kid,’’ though. (PG; runs through March 15, 2012)

TY BURR

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