Finally the time is here: Thor hits screens everywhere this weekend! We have one more direct release after this, Captain America: The First Avenger, in our build up to the actual Avenger movie itself. Also out this week in limited release is I’m Not Jesus Mommy, a human cloning project who’s one viable fetus was based on DNA taken from the Shroud of Turin.
Top of the movie listed this week is The Green Hornet, which was most definitely more of a remake of the Bruce Lee TV franchise than the original Radio Drama series of the 1930’s. Just like the TV series, Kato (Jay Chou this time around) is the star, with the Green Hornet just along for the ride and to supply the financing; this update is a lot of fun. Interestingly enough, Kung Fu Dunk, a martial arts basketball movie from China also staring Jay Chou is being released in the US this week as well.
Also out this week, and not so much fun, is Bloodsucking Nazi Zombies, which I recommend you avoid like the plague. If you absolutely must acquire a horror film this week Ninjas vs. Vampires (from the same team who created Ninjas Vs. Zombies) is a much better option.
For TV, season 3 of the UK version of Being Human is the one to beat. The US version is still only in season 1, and although I have been enjoying it, I can’t seem to identify with the characters the way I have with the original series. As with all the best Sci-Fi, it uses the experiences of the non-humans to underscore just what being human is all about. Philip K. Dick would have loved this TV show.
In Anime, Ghost Sweeper Mikami Collection 4 continues the classic series of lust, greed, and supernatural harassment for fun and profit. The other option for this week is also a re-release of a classic: Shingu: Secret of the Stellar Wars, this time in a Thinpak collection. While the animation for both of these is rather old school, one of them at least is from this century; can you guess which one?
The trailer for Immortals gives a taste of what this ancient Greek fantasy adventure will be like, of a time when Micky Rourke was out to kill all humanity and the gods.
A few groups have posted their award nominees this week. Obviously the one everyone is paying attention to is the Hugo Awards, and you can find the complete list of the nominees at the Renovation SF site. As always, the choices are between some amazing works, but my favorite bits are the ones I don’t recognize, since that means brand new wonders to read, watch, and discover. I have a few favorites I am cheering for (like Cryoburn, Chicks Dig Time Lords, and Girl Genius), but in most categories which work I prefer changes depending on my mood; they are just that close!
The Parsec Awards Nominees for 2011 are broken into a number of categories, but they all have one thing in common; they are audio based speculative fiction that was released in the course of the year as a free, feed driven Podcast. Categories this time around include Best Speculative Fiction Story in Short Form, Novella Form, and Long Form formats, Best Speculative Fiction Audio Drama in Short Form and Long Form subcategories, and several categories that are news about speculative fiction Podcasting. While a number of my favorites are missing from the nominations lists, everything that is there includes links to the Podcasts so you can listen to them yourself, always a good thing.
From Japan comes word that the 2011 Seiun Award nominees have been announced. For those not already aware, the Seiun Awards are Japan’s equivalent of the Hugo’s, and most of each year’s media nominees (TV, Movies, and Manga) become available in the US within a year or so, although novels and short stories often take longer because of the more complex translation job involved. The English Nominees list has been posted by the good folks at Anime News Network. The ones I am looking forward to seeing are the 2010 version of The Girl Who Leapt Through Time live action (this is the third time this story has been turned into a live action movie, and that is not counting the Anime movie or either the live action or animated TV shows), and The Tatami Galaxy animated TV series.
No one is admitting anything as of this writing, but it looks like a wonderfully done Fan made trailer for TRON 3. While I wouldn’t mind not having to wait 30 years for the next release in the franchise, I suspect this isn’t it. It would be nice, though.
Update: The video has been removed, but for a few brief days it was a wonderfully creative Fan built tribute to the series. Every time a conclusion like this is reached, I visualize a behind-the-scenes battle between the Marketing Department (who understand how well the free publicity and good will generated by the fan support something like this will bring them will increase their bottom line) and the Legal Department (who only seem to understand they are not justifying their paycheck if they are not taking legal action against someone) going on. A word to the wise for upper management; don’t you want to support the team improving your bottom line, rather than their own income?
Dylan Dog: Dead of Night is based on the popular Italian comic book series and stars Brandon Routh, who seems to be specializing in these kind of things (Superman Returns, Scott Pilgrim). Dylan is a supernatural detective fighting monsters in the swamps of Louisiana, and yes, they switched the local from London to New Orleans when they made the film transition. This is another project from Platinum Studios, who are also involved with Cowboys and Aliens, due out in July. There is word that Thor will be showing up in a very few theaters, in advance of it’s wide area release next week. And one more worth noting, also in limited release; The Speed of Thought is the story of a telepath who has been raised in a NSA foster home.