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Something to Watch: DVDs

The leader for fantasy movies this week is Clash of the Titans. While I thought the movie took itself a little too seriously, it was still a fun flic. A much more serious topic is explored in the science fiction film Repo Men, where it doesn’t bode well to be late with your payments for your body parts. For problems of a planetary scale, there is Ray Bradbury’s Chrysalis. Based on a short story by the famous author, it explores a theme of ecological catastrophe and human evolution. Out of the foreign films this week, Just Another Pandora’s Box caught my attention by the title alone, but on investigation it looks like this comedy/fantasy has enough laugh power to be worth the ride. Finally, Welcome to Earth made the film fest rounds, and even got mentioned for a few awards, so it should be worth checking out, in a direct-to-DVD kind of way.

SG-U Stargate Universe: 1.5 brings us the second half of season 1. While I have been really enjoying the series, the release style annoys me tremendously, so I will not be adding this to my collection until I can find it on sale. Like Battlestar Galactica before it, they have only released half the season but are asking a full seasons worth of money for it (it lists at $39.95). This is not a trend I am willing to support with my wallet. Both Flash Forward and Eureka also released half season box sets, but with a list of $29.95, most outlets sold them for $20, or half of what a full season goes for; that’s a price scheme I can live with. A 1972 British TV series not previously available in the US also comes out on Tuesday: The Black Arrow. My first thought was a variation on the Green Arrow, but it looks to be a bit more Robin Hoody.

The Machinima legend returns with Red Vs Blue: Reconstruction, season 6 and 7 of the series. After being on opposite sides for so long during the Blood Gulch era (seasons one through five, previously released), they now team up to solve a new problem. For new Anime there is only one real choice this week: Hell Girl Two Mirrors: Collection 2, which finishes up the 2nd season. I look forward to finding out how Hell’s debt collector has her own fate resolved. As usual, there are a few classics being re-released in reduced cost box set editions, like Love Hina and Magic Knight Rayearth

Tron Legacy Director gets Archangels, The Gift bidding war

Tron Legacy Director Joe Kosinski is to head up the sci-fi film ‘Archangels’, according to the folks at ScreenRant and also at First Showing. With Ridley and Tony Scott producing, it has a shot at becoming an excellent film. The main character belongs to an elite team tasked with tracking aliens who get past Earth’s defense system, set in the near future. Meanwhile Carl Erik Rinsch, who normally directs commercials, was supposed to have his movie debut when he directed the Aliens prequel. When that didn’t happen, he entered a short film competition Phillips held and produced the video below. Now a number of production houses, including Fox and Warner Bros. are in a bidding war to see who will buy the rights to turn it into a feature film, so Carl will get his movie after all, and this time it will be one who’s story he created as well. Thanks to the Hollywood Reporter for the heads up on that one.

Something to Do: Movies

While I have never been a fan of M. Daze Shamarama, finding all of his previous works yawnworthy, the trailer for the live action version of The Last Airbender looks really good. I also enjoyed the award winning animation series it is based on, Avatar: The Last Airbender. And yes, I do watch select programs on Nickelodeon, and the Cartoon Network as well; I don’t want my inner child to evaporate from lack of sustenance. So I will be parked in front of a 3D big screen this weekend (doesn’t that trailer just scream 3D?) in the belief that they didn’t use up all of the interesting footage just to entice me to buy that ticket. If it really is as good as the trailer indicates it might be, I will even start identifying the director by his actual name, since he may have finally made a movie that doesn’t put me to sleep.

Arthur 3: La Guerre des Deux Mondes

Luc Besson strikes again! I still haven’t gotten to see his Les aventures extraordinaires d’Adèle Blanc-Sec, although the fact that clicking on the British flag on its home page gives you English subtitles on the trailer and web site encourages me that it might get released here soon. But in the meantime he will be releasing the third film in his Arthur series, Arthur 3: La Guerre des Deux Mondes, in October. These are a mix of 3D animation and live action children’s stories that started with Arthur and the Invisibles. Nothing groundbreaking here, but an interesting offering that demonstrates just how versatile Besson really is.

Summer Films, New Trailer for Scott

Another new trailer was released for Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World, which yet again looks even better than the last one. And there are still almost two months to go to the August 13th release date, so they have time to do it again (if they can). Between now and then we have Toy Story 3 and Jonah Hex, on the screens this weekend; The Twilight Saga: Eclipse (yawn) on June 30th; the live action version of The Last Airbender on July 2nd; Despicable Me and Predators on July 9th; the fun-looking The Sorcerer’s Apprentice on July 14th; and the twisted thriller Inception on July 16th. Then there is a gap (unless you count Salt on July 23rd) for several weeks, after which The Expendables comes out the same day as Scott Pilgrim. I’m ready for Scott to be out now, but for the time being the new trailer is all we get.

Something to Do: Movies

In the theaters this weekend the best new film looks to be Robin Hood, the gazillionth time someone has converted the story to a video format. With folks like Russell Crowe, Cate Blanchett and Ridley Scott involved, this version might just be something special.

If you are anywhere near Oregon, you might want to make some time to see Wild Space A Go Go, a rather silly sounding retro 60s multidimensional outer space musical comedy and sex farce. While not actually a movie what with the live human beings on the stage and all, it certainly sounds like a lot of fun.