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Something to Watch: DVDs

Top of the movie listed this week is The Green Hornet, which was most definitely more of a remake of the Bruce Lee TV franchise than the original Radio Drama series of the 1930’s. Just like the TV series, Kato (Jay Chou this time around) is the star, with the Green Hornet just along for the ride and to supply the financing; this update is a lot of fun. Interestingly enough, Kung Fu Dunk, a martial arts basketball movie from China also staring Jay Chou is being released in the US this week as well.

Also out this week, and not so much fun, is Bloodsucking Nazi Zombies, which I recommend you avoid like the plague. If you absolutely must acquire a horror film this week Ninjas vs. Vampires (from the same team who created Ninjas Vs. Zombies) is a much better option.

For TV, season 3 of the UK version of Being Human is the one to beat. The US version is still only in season 1, and although I have been enjoying it, I can’t seem to identify with the characters the way I have with the original series. As with all the best Sci-Fi, it uses the experiences of the non-humans to underscore just what being human is all about. Philip K. Dick would have loved this TV show.

In Anime, Ghost Sweeper Mikami Collection 4 continues the classic series of lust, greed, and supernatural harassment for fun and profit. The other option for this week is also a re-release of a classic: Shingu: Secret of the Stellar Wars, this time in a Thinpak collection. While the animation for both of these is rather old school, one of them at least is from this century; can you guess which one?

TRON: Destiny

No one is admitting anything as of this writing, but it looks like a wonderfully done Fan made trailer for TRON 3. While I wouldn’t mind not having to wait 30 years for the next release in the franchise, I suspect this isn’t it. It would be nice, though.

Update: The video has been removed, but for a few brief days it was a wonderfully creative Fan built tribute to the series. Every time a conclusion like this is reached, I visualize a behind-the-scenes battle between the Marketing Department (who understand how well the free publicity and good will generated by the fan support something like this will bring them will increase their bottom line) and the Legal Department (who only seem to understand they are not justifying their paycheck if they are not taking legal action against someone) going on. A word to the wise for upper management; don’t you want to support the team improving your bottom line, rather than their own income?

Something to Do: Movies

Dylan Dog: Dead of Night is based on the popular Italian comic book series and stars Brandon Routh, who seems to be specializing in these kind of things (Superman Returns, Scott Pilgrim). Dylan is a supernatural detective fighting monsters in the swamps of Louisiana, and yes, they switched the local from London to New Orleans when they made the film transition. This is another project from Platinum Studios, who are also involved with Cowboys and Aliens, due out in July. There is word that Thor will be showing up in a very few theaters, in advance of it’s wide area release next week. And one more worth noting, also in limited release; The Speed of Thought is the story of a telepath who has been raised in a NSA foster home.

Something to Watch: DVDs

It is a sad week when the optimal DVD live action movie release is a choice between Mongolian Death Worm or Bonnie & Clyde vs. Dracula (although the latter did win a bunch of Film Festival awards). I think I’ll pass this week, but there are some Anime goodies.

Usually I avoid reality shows like the plague, since they offend me, but this is closer to a documentary series. So I thought I should at least mention Stan Lee’s Superhumans: Season One, which has been running on the History channel.

For Anime, Eden of the East: King of Eden tops the list for me this week. A feature film length presentation continuing the story begun with last years TV series, Eden of the East. The tale moves back to the USA, and the other Selecao are becoming more active trying to eliminate Takizawa and create their own version of a more perfect Japan.

Another Anime title of note is the Girl Who Leapt Through Space, about an A.I. Leopard who comes out of hyperspace to seek repair. Akiha helps out, a soon joins forces with Itsuki of the police to battle the brain colony Nerval, who wants to enslave all humanity. And a new entry in the long running Naruto franchise, Naruto Shippuden: Box Set 6 also hits the shelves this week.

I almost never mention single volumes here, considering anything less than a box set to not be a cost effective way to collect series programming, but K-ON! Volume 1 finally brings the rock anime to the US, and even if it isn’t genre, this one is worth a look see.

Of lesser note, Kashimashi Girl Meets Girl: Vocal Collection is a bit of a mystical gender bender now re-released under the Vocal Collection flag. For those who haven’t seen my previous posts on Vocal Collections, they are not as you might suspect radio plays bringing new stories to the series. Rather they are exactly the same Anime series previously released Subbed (Subtitled), now available Dubbed with an English soundtrack. I haven’t quite made my mind up as to what I think about these, since on the one hand it seems like a ploy to get you to by the same TV series twice, once in each spoken language. But on the other hand, when they do release the Dubbed version, it is generally for around $15 to $20 dollars for an entire season of episodes, making it very attractively priced while simultaneously more accessible to a wider audience.