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Something to Watch: DVDs

In movies, Limitless is a driving story of artificially boosted intelligence, and what the implications might be. I loved this one in the theaters, and ordinarily it would get my vote for top pick, but also out this week is the live action version of Tekken.

In TV, the choice release is Doctor Who: Series Six, Part One. I am not in favor of the new trend of releasing half a season of a program at a time because they try to use it to raise the prices, but sometimes you can find some good deals on these, and this is one of those times. Plus, it’s Doctor Who, so I would be picking it up regardless. Also out this week, Torchwood: The Complete Original UK Series, packaging up the first two seasons with the miniseries Children of Earth into a single box set. If you bought the seasons separately, there doesn’t seem to be a lot new here; while they mention 10 hours of bonus features, that was about what you had on the original single season DVDs when you added them up, and no where does the BBC say if they are new features or the old ones recycled.

In Anime, Queens Blade 2: Evil Eye Series Part 2 continues the battle royal to determine the new ruler, as well as the practice of selling series in half-season chunks. And in classic re-releases, Gungrave – The Complete Series makes Gungrave affordable in a single box set; around $26 with a little shopping around.

New John Carter trailer

The Disney version of John Carter of Mars has finally released its first major trailer, and it looks good. I appreciate the decision to keep it in its original time (it was written in 1912 after all, some of the logic and assumptions do not match up with the world a hundred years later). While I completely enjoyed the 2009 direct to video Princess of Mars, basically this same story with Traci Lords as Dejah Thoris, I am really looking forward to this version.

Arrietty trailer

Studio Ghibli is releasing their version of the children’s classic The Borrowers under the title Arrietty, the name of the 14 year old protagonist. That’s the DVD release, the movie was on the big screen last year in Japan, and this past January for the rest of Asia. They are actually releasing it in three versions, the original Japanese with subtitles, a US English dub being released here on February 17th, 2012, and a UK English dub coming out on the 29th (yes, later this month). The trailer is from the UK dub, thanks to io9 for the heads up.

Something to Do: Movies

We finally get to see how it ends in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2, and I fully expect this to crush the competition for the week, probably the month, and possibly the summer. It is not the only film worth checking out this week, for in limited release we have the period piece Snow Flower and the Secret Fan, while opening everywhere is the latest incarnation of the Dizneyized Winnie The Pooh. Three guesses which one I will be seeing.

Something to Watch: DVDs

The film choice this time is a toss up between two movies. On the one hand we have an an animation: Rango, starring Johnny Depp, a comedy about a lizard in the wild west. On the other hand, Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives is a live action story full of heart and its own fair share of humor. There was also supposed to be a Sci-Fi Noir film staring Antonio Banderas called Terranova coming out this week, but I haven’t found any solid information on it.

The western TV selection of the week is Robot Chicken Star Wars: Episode III. I still can’t believe they got George Lucas to do his own voiceover for these.

In Anime, Naruto: Shippuden (DVD box 7) brings us the next season in that series with more Ninja action and drama. The DVD release schedule is around a hundred episodes behind what you can watch online with the latest seasons simulcast. Finally, >Allison & Lillia DVD Generation 2 turns a simple vacation into a fight against all the people trying to kill them, complete with a liberal dose of aerial combat.