It is finally time for Captain America: Civil War to hit the big screen, and I am ready! It already pulled in $84 million in its first three days in various countries around the world, putting it on a par with Avengers: Age of Ultron.
Movies has The 5th Wave, a tale of alien invasion based on the first book of a Rick Yancey trilogy. 400 Days has astronauts flying a simulated mission to another planet that isn’t as simulated as they think it is in this movie from Syfy. While it isn’t genre, it is worth mentioning that A Royal Night Out is also being released on disc this week, based on a true story. If there is any genre TV this week I managed to miss it.
In Anime RWBY 3 is the third volume in the series of high powered combat with monsters and other humans. While hidden political agendas and secret plans fight to determine the fate of the world, we slowly learn that their own history has been hidden from our 4 heroes and their various allies. Gundam Evolve is an interesting release because it contains 15 short pieces that were originally aired at conventions and/or packaged with kits, and is now compiled onto DVD for the first time. They are outtakes or side stories from a range of Gundam series done using a number of different animation techniques.
In Divine Gate Adapters are folks with powers over their realms of Air, Water, Earth and Fire, each realm existing on a different plane of existence and each accessible to the others through a mundane gate. The Living, Heavens, and Underworld become connected to each realm after a Divine Gate is opened, adding another set of layers to the situation, and whoever opens a Divine Gate can change the universe as they desire, including changes in the past and future. Adapters use Drivers to control their powers and keep them from going into meltdown, but they don’t always (or often) work. I have been enjoying this one a lot this new season, and can’t wait to see more.
We have two films that look interesting this week: Ratchet & Clank for animated silly fun, and The Man Who Knew Infinity, the story of Srinivasa Ramanujan Iyengar, a true mathematical genius and pioneer. I am thinking I am going to have to see both films this weekend.
I couldn’t find many genre Movies or TV shows this week, but there is The Driftless Area, a ghost story in which Anton Yelchin is once more getting closure for the dead, but I saw no indication that he had the name Odd Thomas this time. Stella, played by Zooey Deschanel, saves his life so he can avenge her murder. It is based on the novel of the same name written by Tom Drury.
In Anime, Rage of Bahamut: Genesis has all 12 episodes of a story where a charming rogue, a clueless demon, a disgraced knight, and a tiny zombie are the only ones who can save the world, if they can find a way to work together long enough to pull it off. Even though it was made in 2014, a lot of the footage looks like old school Anime from the 1980s. Space Brothers: Collection 8 brings episodes 88 through 99 of that series, completing the story. One Piece: Season 7 Voyage 6 has episodes 446 through 456 of a story line that shows no indications of every reaching a conclusion. Garo The Animation: Season One Part One has the first dozen episodes of the magical knights vs the evil usurper story.
Kamisama Kiss: Season 2 brings back Nanami the Land Goddess, who is finally getting the hang of the world of gods, demons, and spirits, but maybe not fast enough to save her piece of the world. Earl and Fairy is a romantic fantasy adventure in which a fairy doctor and a count are looking for a magic sword. This one was on TV back in 2008 in Japan, but I have found no indication it was previously released in North America.
The Huntsman: Winter’s War is the selection this week, as the war between the sister queens continues. I enjoyed the first film in this set, and almost can’t wait to see the new one. I say almost because most of the critics I have read that have seen it are not even close to kind in their commentary. But the trailer looks good and I love the actors involved, so I am going anyways and will make up my own mind once I see it.