OK, he didn’t leap, he took the train, but I couldn’t resist. The movie Enoshima Prism takes place three years after the death of their friend, where Shuta boards a train at the Enoshima Station while dwelling on the loss. Instead of taking him to another station, the train lets him off in the same place but three years in the past, giving Shuta a very short time to figure out how to save Saku before history repeats itself and he dies again. That is actually the 8th out of 10 trailers they have released for the movie, with the film itself hitting the big screen in Japan in August. No word yet on when it will become available in the US, but it looks pretty interesting so I am hoping soon.
The fantasy choice this week is Byzantium a tale of two lonely vampire girls hiding from their past. The cast includes Gemma Arterton, a personal favorite of mine. While not genre, the film Redemption also stars a favorite in the form of Jason Statham, odds are good if you are in the mood for an action flic this will be the one you want.
The fantasy film this week is a re-release of 1965’s Beatles Help!, but since this is the first time ever a fully restored version will be available on Blue Ray, perhaps it could be counted as a new release. Also, while not exactly genre, The Incredible Burt Wonderstone is a fun film with more than a tip of the hat to the magically inclined.
In TV, Todd & the Book of Pure Evil: The Complete Second Season is finally being released in the US. It has been available on streaming for a while through various paid streaming services, but this will be the first opportunity to add it to your permanent collection in this country. Meanwhile, the cast and crew have been trying to raise the funds to get a third season going; read about it at their web site.
In Anime, Heaven’s Lost Property: Forte is season 2 of the series and continues the trail of havoc the wishes of the high school protagonist creates as his android angels (or angelic androids, they are a little unclear on that point) carry them out. Juden Chan: The Complete Series is about spirit girls from another universe who charge up the depressed so they can live their lives, and what happens when they meet a boy who can see them.
Another spirit girl is a shinigami called Momo: The Girl God of Death, who does her best to help the spirits of the no longer living she guides to the other side. Helps so much she herself winds up in trouble, in fact. This is more of an OVA than a series, since the entire thing is only six 25 minute episodes long, but all of them are here.
Old school anime from the late 80s, Saint Seiya Movies 1 & 2 are being re-released together, with the 3rd and 4th movies in another box set. I couldn’t find a link to the official web site, so I linked one of the TV series instead, where you can watch episodes and get an idea of the program.
The new official trailer for Mortal Instruments: City of Bones has been posted, and it is looking quite good. Based on the YA series of urban fantasy novels by Cassandra Clare, I am sure Sony is hoping for the same kind of audience reaction earned by the Twilight and Hunger Games series. If they get it, they have 5 more books already written and ready to turn into films, as well as 3 Steampunk prequels set in the Victorian era. Having one of her books turned into a movie has to be pretty exciting stuff for someone who started out writing Fan Fiction.
Only a few more weeks before Despicable Me 2 hits the big screen, so I thought I would throw out a TV spot or two to get everyone in the mood. I love the minions, for me they are the core of the movie, and I am ready to see them in action again! I also appreciate the creators attitude, because unlike many franchises they are fully supporting fan-built homages including a great collection of Fan Videos.
There are two excellent choices this week; if you are looking for intense Zombie action, then World War Z is the film for you. If you are a fan of world class animated comedy with heart, then Monsters University is the way to go. Personally, I am having a hard time deciding, I may just have to go for both.