There is a good interview with the director of Astro Boy over at Sci-Fi Scanner you might want to read. There is also Kurt Vonnegut and Harlan Ellison at the LA Times, posted yesterday with pieces going back to 1969.
There are a few good DVD’s being released this week. On the Movie front, I have to give the top spot to the live-action release of Blood: The Last Vampire. I really wanted to see that one on the big screen, but it just wasn’t close enough to make. Then we have Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, a frenetic non-stop action ride for those times you just need some mindless fun. If you missed getting the first Transformers, they are releasing a 2-pack of both movies as well. Also being released is a BlueRay version of Waterworld.
For TV series, Numbers: the complete 5th season is hitting the shelves, and yes, I know it isn’t Sci-Fi, but it is at least Nerdy, and I didn’t see any actual SF/F TV shows on offer this week. I am a bit annoyed that Red Dwarf: Back to Earth was released in the US on October 6th, but I haven’t found it on a single store shelf. Guess I am going to have to order it online.
There are a good assortment of Anime titles coming out this week, not counting the previously mentioned Blood, The Last Vampire (being a live action version it doesn’t count), but there is Blood+, part 2 for those who want more Vamp action. If you prefer blood viruses that cause men to fuse with machines and go on cybernetic rampages, try out Blassreiter part 1. If you want a paranormal tale of boys traumatized so years later they can travel between dimensions and help fight a ghost invasion, and want excellent production values in the animation, then Shirow Masamune’s (Ghost in the Shell) Ghost Hound – Collection 1 is the DVD box set to look for. For a spiritual battle against demons with a noticeable amount of fan service, the choice is Ah My Buddha volume 5.
There are also re-releases of a number of classic Sci-Fi anime’s this week, including My-Otome – Complete Collection Anime Legends, Toward the Terra – Complete Collection Anime Legends, and Vision of Escaflowne – Complete Collection Super Legends. And one re-released Otaku favorite, Comic Party: Revolution – Complete Set, for some serious fun.
Tiny pieces of Halley’s Comet will be hitting Earth for the next week in the form of the Orionids Meteor Shower. The tail of Halley’s Comet is made of dust and small pieces of ice and rock that has broken off the comet itself, and now follows an independent orbit around the Sun. That orbit crosses the Earths twice each year, with the Orionids being the second pass. The event started last night and will continue for a week or so, with the peak display coming Wednesday night. Since we will be within a few days of a new moon, viewing should be good as long as you can get away from city lights. This is one of a series of meteor showers you can see each year, and the International Year Of Astronomy viewing tips will get you ready. Lest anyone was concerned, Halley’s Comet itself, the main ball of ice and rock, will not be impacting the Earth any time in the next thousand years or so; just the tiny pieces that broke off.
Appearing in next weeks Big Bang Theory is Wil Wheaton. I haven’t actually watched that show, but based on this trailer I guess I am going to check it out.
There is a new Sci-Fi Party Line over at Fancy Fembot’s site for your listening pleasure, containing both spoilers and the undead. While I am only interested in Science Fiction/Fantasy/Anime movies, a lot of the best ones come from other countries. Which means I have to agree when the Euro-Indi-Festival Teams complain that the Academy Awards process unfairly limits foreign competition. The result being that most Americans have no clue that some award-caliber movies the rest of the world has seen and enjoyed even exist. As an American, I feel that I deserve better, and should be allowed to view and vote for (and against) these films. What is your opinion?
The Film Fest entries grew too large to include with this post, so they got their own posting on Tuesday. I think I just may make that their regular posting day.
On the Convention front, Palmdale, CA has Ani-Magic, an Anime Con this weekend. In Salt Lake City Anime Banzai will also be running games, cosplay, and lots of Anime guests.
Rockville, MD (a suburb of Washington, DC) is holding CapClave 2009, a ReaderCon with Author GOH Harry Turtledove. Hosted by the Washington Science Fiction Association October 16th through the 18th, they will also be presenting the WSFA Small Press Award at CapClave, and are releasing Reincarnations by Harry Turtledove, available only through the WSFA.
ValleyCon 35 is also this weekend in Fargo, ND, with Author GOH George R.R. Martin and Media GOH Peter Jurasik. ValleyCon is a general SciFi/Fantasy/Comics/Gaming convention.
For movies, Where the Wild Things Are looks to be the most interesting new choice for this weekend. The Road, originally scheduled to be released this week, is now slated for November 25th.