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Things to Do: Film Fests

The Lone Star International Film Festival runs from the 11th to the 15th in Fort Worth, TX. The two films that look most interesting at this event are Ichi, not The Killer but another incarnation of Zatoichi, this one female, and Miracle Fish, a fantasy with a dark side. This is also the first festival where I noticed they were playing Herpes Boy, possibly the first big-screen movie to start life as a series of YouTube videos.

The 32nd Starz Denver Film Festival runs from November 12th to the 22nd in Colorado. The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus tops the offerings at this festival, as it has at so many others this fall. The other film that looks to have the makings of a cult classic is Who’s Afraid of the Wolf?, a Czech fantasy/family drama. Two films not getting the same widespread festival play but worth noting are The Revenant and Zombies of Mass Destruction, each with a unique take on the undead.

Things to Do: Movies and TV

Probably the most anticipated release for this week is 2012, an end-of-the-world epic based on the Mayan calendar (although the marketing team for this movie hopes you think it is predicted in many additional cultures). It has the budget and star power to actually be a quite entertaining film, which would be a surprise for a disaster flick. I look forward to finding out if they pull it off or not.

The one I think will be the winner this time is The Fantastic Mr. Fox, with folks like George Clooney and Meryl Streep doing the voiceovers for this Film Fest favorite. While only in limited release this weekend, next week it will be playing everywhere.

While not speculative fiction of any flavor, in fact a film based on real life events, I am looking forward to Pirate Radio. I was involved with the American version of a similar radio movement that decade, and expect to enjoy it for personal reasons.

In the week’s strange releases, none stands out so much as The Flying Scissors, a mockumentary about the intensely competitive world of Rock-Paper-Scissors.

In the TV department we have The Prisoner (the new version) launching on AMC on Sunday. There is a very interesting reaction to last week’s V; except it is not about V, but rather SGU. Go figure.

Things to Watch: DVDs

Topping the TV show DVD list is the Sara Jane Adventures: the Complete 2nd Season. Sarah Jane has helped the franchise by bringing a truly kid-centric program that takes place on modern day Earth, using only the wits of its youthful protagonists to save the world. I find it makes an enjoyable counterbalance to the more adult themed Torchwood, each pivoting around the Doctor as their anchor point.

The western-style Animation winner for this Tuesday has to be Pixar’s UP, a movie that has had me snapping my head around and shouting Squirrel in mid-sentence since I first saw it. A good rule of thumb for me is if it is by Pixar, it belongs in the permanent collection. While I can’t say the same of the Cartoon Network, Xavier Renegade Angel looks worth checking out. BTW, if you were thinking about ordering the HD version of Aeon Flux, it looks like that one will not be released this month after all, if ever.

As usual, some quite good entries from the world of Anime, starting with Naruto: Shipp|AMP|#363;den the Movie. One series I wasn’t familiar with has two seasons (actually two different series) being released on Tuesday: Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha – Collection, and Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha A’s – Complete Collection. There is also the usual assortment of repackaged re-releases, like the classic Giant Robo, and a few newly available on High Def as there are each week (this week Monsters, Inc. becomes available in HD, and last week WitchBlade did the deed).

I would have mentioned S A Collection 1, but I see no Sci-Fi influences in any review I have found, and I can name three series with the same plot description that include giant robots, two with magical girls, one that jumps through linear time and another that jumps between parallel world lines. Is there at least a telepath or curse to make it interesting? Finally, there are a few places reporting Tsubasa: RESERVoir CHRoNiCLE comes out this week, but a lot more point to next week as the actual release date.

There was very little in the way of new Sci-Fi or Fantasy live action films released this week. There were a few horror flicks like Summer’s Moon that had no fantastical elements to them, although with Breast Grenades and Rocket Feet, Samurai Princess probably counts. There were a few classic gems turned out as High Def Blue Ray disks, including Godzilla, Logan’s Run, and Watchmen (The Ultimate Cut). Perhaps Christmas on Mars will become available soon.