War for the Planet of the Apes continues the new series, mapping out how we got to the place Charleston Heston found himself in way back in the original film. I like this reboot-prequel series better than any of the previous iterations, and I liked all of them. It is not the only option this week though, as Disney is rolling out Jagga Jasoos, a delightful little fantasy about a teenage detective and his female associate on a mission to find his father.
The Western world has Spark: A Space Tail as its offering, which does at least have an impressive line up of Voice Actors. Of course, we also have Smurfs: The Lost Village, and no, I am not handing out a link to that one. GATE: Complete Collection was my favorite Anime of 2015/2016; I am not going to tell you anything about the events of the two seasons themselves, but I am going to give you the setup/backstory that took place before the first episode started: When a Gate between universes opened up in Tokyo over half a million mounted warriors poured out, ready to conquer the world. They were humans, elves, animal people, and magicians, armed with bows, axes, swords and spells, and they killed several thousand civilians in their initial surge across the city. An Otaku officer in the Japanese Self Defense Force recognized what was going on and rallied a local military response, saving thousands in immediate danger in the process. As more forces were mobilized the attackers found themselves up against assault rifles, armored personnel carriers, tanks, grenade launchers, mortars, and shoulder-launched missiles. Only the few hundred invaders left to guard the Gate managed to get home alive, and most of them were wounded; the JSDF followed them through the gate and took over the town on the other side and the surrounding countryside for kilometers in every direction. What happened after that is the story of this series, and their universe will never be the same.
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.
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.
The western winner this week is The LEGO Batman Movie, absolutely my favorite Batman movie of all time. Although that may change, seeing as Joss Whedon is taking over DC Cinema, including the Justice League movie and the Batgirl movie. Except for some reshoots, the filming is largely completed on Justice League, but Whedon gets to be in charge of the editing; so for the first time in years there is hope of a well rounded movie with humor to go with the dark drama.
Anime brings Chivalry of a Failed Knight: Complete Collection, a story of magical knights, one of whom has no magical powers whatsoever. Did you know Shirow Masamune, the creator of Ghost in the Shell,also did Cyborg Comedies? This week we can also pick up Pandora in the Crimson Shell: Ghost Urn, Complete Series, where cyborgs and scientists fight terrorists.