Another no contest week, with Spider-Man: Homecoming not only being the winner, but the only horse in the race, really. You will find me in the 3D IMAX theater for this one.
King Arthur: Excalibur Rising looks like our Western option this time around, and HYOUKA: Part One is it for Anime. I think the scarcity is caused by the industry deciding everyone will be eating hot dogs and watching fireworks rather than DVDs.
Or perhaps the new track from Fukuoka prefecture Art-Rock band Polkadotstingray might be called Synchro-Nishika, but however it translates it is the title track from their first mini-album and was just posted online last week. I am also re-posting Electric Public which hit the web in February, both excellent songs.
The winner this week is Despicable Me 3 (which is actually the 4th film in the series), hands down and no doubt about it. While I will definitely be in the theater for that one, it is not the only choice. The Little Hours is a very twisted medieval romantic comedy that takes place in a convent, and may give Despicable Me a run for its money on the comedy front but with a noticeably older audience.
The interesting western selection this week is Absolutely Anything, a sci-fi comedy with the surviving members of Monty Python plus Simon Pegg, Kate Beckinsale, Eddie Izzard, Joanna Lumley, and Robin Williams (it was his final film). The critics didn’t care for it, with lots of reviews saying it was lacking in laughs, but I am going to have to watch it for myself before I decide if I agree with that. The other option is Power Rangers, which could be campy fun. I missed both films when they were in the theaters, so I have no idea how they are.
Anime brings us Assassination Classroom: Season 2, Part 2, a wonderful animation that keeps going in directions you don’t see coming. That completes the Anime series, but I am excited to let you know they are bringing the live action movie version of this story to the US this Wednesday. I saw it a few years ago while on an overseas flight, it was an amazing film. This isn’t an actual North American release, but rather a Region A Blu Ray Import, so while it will play just fine in North American Blu Ray players and does have English subtitles, it is a bit pricey. Kancolle: Kantai Collection, Complete Series is another 13 episode season in the lives of cute girls who are anthropomorphic battleships. Code Geass: Akito the Exiled is a 5 episode OVA that continues the world wide revolution against the Britannian Empire. Naruto Shippuden Uncut Set 31 is episodes 389 through 402 of that series, with episode 500 being their last one, and Boruto: Naruto Next Generations taking over the franchise from there. Finally Samurai Warriors: Complete Series is more historical epic than fantasy, but enough of the Samurai involved became mythic figures that I can justify including it here. Plus, this isn’t based on the warriors of that era as much as it is based on those same warriors as portrayed in the game of the same name, which puts us right back in the fantasy realm after all.
It came as something of a surprise to me when I realized I have never done a post on Man With A Mission, the famous wolf-headed J-Rock band. Today I am going to correct that by posting a few tracks, but if you like what you hear be aware there is a lot more to listen to. The first track was posted two days ago, Dog Days and was produced by MWAM and Masayuki Nakano of BOOM BOOM SATELLITES fame. The second track is Dead End In Tokyo from January of this year, and the third is their killer 2015 hit Raise Your Flag. Normally I stop at 3 tunes from any one band per posting, but the bonus track tonight has two bands; Man With A Mission share the ring with American rockers Zebrahead for this 2015 rock anthem Out Of Control.