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Things to Watch: DVDs and TV

Obviously, the number-one DVD release for this week is Star Trek the reboot. I thought Simon Pegg was brilliant as Scotty, Zachary Quinto likewise for Spock, and Bones was also better than the original. If you have the device, don’t forget to grab the Phaser app for your iToy.

Two other movies may be interesting; Thirst is a Korean Vampire movie from the people who created The Host. And the spoof Vampire Party could be amusing, if a little over the top.

For TV series, both Farscape, the complete series and Farscape Season 4 get re-released this week.

The main Anime release is Evangelion: 1.01 You Are [Not] Alone, the first in the new series of Evangelion animated movies. Also out this week is the Blue Drop: Tenshi-tachi no Gikyoku complete series, and Polyphonica, again the complete series.

On the TV front, the new version of The Prisoner kicks off tonight on AMC; they are also hosting the complete original series for online viewing if you want to catch up before the new one starts.

Things to Watch

Out new this week is Aliens in the Attic, a Family Friendly invasion of Earth movie where the kids get to save the day. Another new release is GI Joe: The Rise of Cobra; I saw it in a movie theater and asked to be paid triple my ticket price to compensate me for my time when it was over. StarQuest: The Odyssey looks to be a direct-to-DVD release.

For the classic releases, Doctor Who has a few important ones this week. the Patric Troughton story line The War Games are a welcome addition to the collection, as is the Tom Baker Black Guardian sequence.

While the release of the live action version of Terminator Salvation won’t happen until the beginning of December, Terminator Salvation: The Machinima Series comes out on DVD this week. Not bad for something that started life as a viral marketing campaign, and the disk release dates match up with the original deployment. Also on the animation front is Star Wars: The Clone Wars The Complete Season One.

There are a ton of quality releases on the Anime front, starting with Dragonaut – The Resonance, in which Earth clones Dragons to defend against extinction-level asteroid impacts. Also out is Moribito: Guardian of the Spirit Volume 7. And then there is the Bleach Season 4 Box Set as the soul reaper saga continues. Also out is Utawarerumono The Complete Collection, and You’re Under Arrest: Fast & Furious, season 2 part 1. The Boogiepop Phantom complete collection is out this week as well; guess I jumped the gun last week.

Things to Watch

Movies released to DVD this week include Don’t Die Without Telling Me Where You’re Going, the 1995 fantasy about love and reincarnation. Also now out on DVD is Stan Helsing, just 5 days after it hits the movie theaters.

A lot of TV programs are coming out this week, of which the most interesting is Battlestar Galactica: The Plan, which seems to be a bit racier than its televised brethren.

More speculative future history than science fiction, the excellent Life After People: the Series is being released as a box set. Another doesn’t-quite-fit category is manifested by Adult Swim in a Box. The only part of the contents I can recommend is Robot Chicken Season 1, which you can get separately, but as an overview of a networks vision I don’t think anything like it has been released before.

New Anime this week includes Genshiken 2: Vol 2, to bring our favorite Otaku team to the forefront. Another quality release is Death Note Re-Light #2: L’s Successor as the series picks up the next story arc, with the former hero being the new bad guy. The Claymore: Complete Collection box set is out for those looking for demon combat fun. A new arrival to the US is Shonen Onmyouji, a 26 episode story set in historic Japan involving spirit power and exorcism. They have also finally released the Popotan Complete Collection if you fancy a bit of jumping through time and space without control taking your building with you (you will NOT see the Doctor in these episodes). For classic Anime re-release, BoogiePop Phantom looks to lead the list.

Things to Watch

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.