SXSW 2020 Movies Coming to Amazon Prime

SXSW 2020

With the cancellation of the 2020 South by Southwest® (SXSW) festival because of the coronavirus, some of the movies that were to be screened at this event will now appear on Amazon Prime for a short period of time. Amazon announced that it will host a 10-day event in which movies scheduled for screening at SXSW 2020 will appear on the online platform. Amazon also announced that these films will be available to everyone with an Amazon login rather than only those with a Prime subscription during this 10-day period.

Films That May Be Included

The date of the Amazon launch for these films has not yet been announced. Organizers of the SXSW festival are working with filmmakers to encourage participation in the Amazon event. Some of the potential candidates for the Amazon 10-day film festival include the following:

The Donut King

Directed by Alice Gu, this documentary follows the life and experiences of a Cambodian refugee who worked his way from poverty to wealth by building a dynasty of donut shops and employing many other immigrants along the way.

Bad Trip

This crowd-pleaser is directed by Kitao Sakurai and follows the exploits of two friends on a cross-country trip filled with humorous adventure. Eric André and Tiffany Haddish are among the top-billed performers for this feature film.

The King of Staten Island

Judd Apatow directs this comedy about a man (Pete Davidson) who lives with his mother in Staten Island. Marisa Tomei and Steve Buscemi round out the cast of this offering by one of the top directors in the United States.

We Don’t Deserve Dogs

A heartwarming look at the ways in which dogs contribute to the lives of humans, this top documentary is the work of director Matthew Salleh.

Red Heaven

Directors Lauren DeFilippo and Katherine Gorringe worked together to create a documentary about a NASA experiment that placed six people in an environment simulating the habitat of Mars and looking into the effects of isolation on humans in future space missions.

The Green Knight

David Lowery helms this fantasy, which recounts the story of the Green Night and Gawain of the Round Table and stars Alicia Vikander and Dev Patel.

Archive

One of the elite narrative features that was scheduled to debut at SXSW 2020, Archive is a futuristic exploration of a scientist who is developing an AI prototype that will rival human cognition. The film stars Theo James, Rhona Mitra and Stacy Martin and is directed by Gavin Rothery.

Freak Power

Directed by Robert F. Kennedy III, Freak Power stars Jay Bulger as Hunter S. Thompson in a retelling of his unsuccessful campaign to become Sheriff of Aspen, Colorado, in the 1970s. The film features Cheryl Hines and Maxwell Loeb in supporting performances.

Bulletproof

School shootings and violence in classrooms and hallways are the subjects of this documentary directed by Todd Chandler.

The Lovebirds

Billed as a comedy-mystery, this film is directed by Michael Showalter and stars Issa Rae and Kumail Nanjiani as a couple trying to clear their name after a murder. It was expected to be one of the headliners at SXSW 2020.

Cut Throat City

Directed by RZA and written by Paul Cuschieri, Cut Throat City stars some of the biggest names in Hollywood, including Wesley Snipes, Terrence Howard, Ethan Hawke and Isaiah Washington. The film tells the story of a heist set in the Lower 9th Ward of New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina.

Console Wars

One of the spotlight documentaries scheduled to be shown at SXSW 2020, this film was directed by Blake J. Harris and Jonah Tulis and goes in-depth and behind the scenes to interview the men and women who lived through the fierce competition between Nintendo and Sega for video game console dominance in the 1990s.

You Cannot Kill David Arquette

Directed by David Darg and Price James, this documentary was expected to draw crowds interested in the wrestling career and comeback of David Arquette, a well-known film actor.

While no firm lineup has yet been announced for Amazon’s 10-day SXSW festival, some of these films are likely to be included in the event and available to the general public for a limited time. Eager viewers and film buffs should keep their eyes open for more news on this exceptional opportunity to catch major films from cutting-edge directors on the small screen.

Sources

https://www.sxsw.com/festivals/film/lineup/#lineup

Could the Coronavirus Give Microsoft Stock a Boost?

Microsoft

Microsoft has been a tech heavy-weight for a long time now. The stock is vulnerable, however, to larger market routes like what has been seen in equity markets over the last few weeks. Microsoft is down about 19 percent since the selling began and could represent an excellent long-term value at current or even lower price levels. The current stock valuation could even be viewed as a sale price, with long-term investors potentially earning larger returns over time.

The Tools for Success

Regardless of what U.S. and global stock markets do in the weeks and months ahead, and regardless of what governments and central banks do to combat the economic slowdown, Microsoft has several key business lines that may keep its stock price afloat or rising. The company’s cloud business, for example, is likely to remain strong as overall demand increases in the months and years ahead. The move into cloud computing and into hardware such as the Surface is likely to continue and Microsoft is positioned to be a global leader in these arenas.

A Bargain

Concerns over the coronavirus and its potential impact on global supply chains has led Microsoft’s trailing price-to-earnings ratio to the lowest level in over a year. The stock’s dividend yield is currently at 1.23 percent. This figure may seem small, but it is fairly robust compared to the almost non-existent yield of the benchmark ten-year note. Unlike many other companies that are currently being pressured by the virus, Microsoft is unlikely to cut its dividend as it is sitting on a large pile of cash. The company could, in fact, do the opposite and raise its dividend payments in order to attract more investors into the stock.

Big Upside

Shares of Microsoft stock could potentially see significant upside from recent levels. Some analysts have even suggested that the stock price could approach the $210 area. A move towards this level would represent an gain of about 36 percent, which is nothing to sneeze at. Combine the stock’s possible upside with the potential for dividends and possibly higher dividends, and an investment around current levels could make a great deal of sense.

The markets have always and will always be dictated by the powers of fear and greed. Buying when others are fearful and stocks are selling off can be a great contrarian play that can provide strong returns over time. The key to such a strategy, be it with Microsoft or any other stock, is to focus on the longer-term, bigger picture. Current volatility and selling may make things a bit uncomfortable, but volatility will return to more normal levels at some point and the selling will eventually subside.