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Something to Watch: DVD’s

Mamoru Oshii’s latest feature film Assault Girls takes us to a future dystopian China where we return to the virtual realm called Avalon, for more beautifully filmed and soundscaped combat. The environment is very like the one he created for Ghost In The Shell, and could easily occupy that same universe, shifted to the mainland instead of the home islands. This one gets my vote as must-have of the week.

It seems like Predators was just in the movie theaters, but it is already coming out on DVD. In this entry to the franchise, a small selection of Earth’s top killers are exported to a hunting planet as prey. And in absolute last place for this weeks feature films, I am only mentioning Vampire Girl vs. Frankenstein Girl because the title gives me a grin. But the people who built both this movie and Tokyo Gore Police look to be the Troma of the orient, except without the humor. And notice I am not even mentioning Zombie Christ.

For live action TV series, a couple of classics are finally out on disk, starting with The Bionic Woman: Season 1, the original version. Personally I thought the recent remake was a much better rendition, with a more realistic story line, better acting and improved FX, if only because we are so much closer to having functional tech these days. The other TV golden oldie is Tales from the Darkside, with both the final season and the complete series being released this week. While it was more horror than Sci-Fi or Fantasy, every story had a little twist that gave it an edge, and figuring that twist out became the fun for watching this series.

Several goodies from the realm of animation this week, with Eden of the East: The Complete Series beating out everything else. I just reviewed it the other day, so my opinions should already be obvious, but let me just restate it for the record: this is the best Anime series I have seen this month, and in the top 10 (maybe the top 3) for this year. Its numerous awards come from many events, including the Tokyo International Anime Fair and Anime Kobe.

Tears To Tiara – The Complete Collection tells the Arthur/Albion legend from a new perspective. I haven’t seen this one yet, but it sounds very interesting and the artwork looks great.

Also out this week, Bamboo Blade: The Complete Series puts the entire girls kendo team storyline into a single box, in their never ending battle for sushi. And Hetalia: Axis Powers – Season 02 continues the personified silliness of WWII. And for western animation, Shaun the Sheep: Season 1 is also available Tuesday. Yes, this last group is just good old silly fun.

RED, Drive Angry trailer

Just saw almost this trailer in the theater before RED yesterday, with a small dialog difference that gave a bit more of the back story to the big screen version. The movie itself will be out on February 11th, and based on the trailer it might just be worth checking out. If you haven’t seen RED yet, you should head for your local presentation today; it was even better than the trailer and the buzz made it out to be.

Sci-Fi London this weekend

Just a reminder that Sci-Fi London’s Oktoberfest kicks off tomorrow evening with the Life, but as we know it? event at the Royal Observatory in Greenwich (home of Greenwich Mean Time). This presentation investigates extraterrestrial life in science, science fiction, and comedy. They will also be unveiling their new planetarium program, Astrobiology on pretty much the same topic. I should mention you better already have your tickets if you wanted to see TRON on the big screen before the new version comes out, because that one is sold out. The Studio Ghibli All Nighter still has half the seats left, but tickets are going fast. They will be running Spirited Away, Nausicaa Of The Valley Of The Wind, The Cat Returns, and Howl’s Moving Castle in that theater; I would pay to see any one of them in a movie theater, all four back to back would be a serious treat.

Something to Watch: DVDs

This week sees comic book into film Jonah Hex lead the movies onto the shelves, if only for the presence of Selma. The direct to disk Lost Boys: The Thirst was the second attempt to milk some additional box office returns out of the original cult classic. I don’t see how it can hope to cover the original attitude when its immortal vampires have aged so completely; I will not be adding this to my collection, but might Netflix it if they have it streaming. On the other hand, the 1959 classic Hakuôki (Samurai Vendetta in English) does look to be worthy of everyone’s attention, even if some of the sound stage filming is a bit surreal because of the background choices. Also out this week, the feature film animation How To Train Your Dragon from Dreamworks. If you enjoyed the movie and want more, they are also releasing it in a two pack with Legend of Boneknapper for further Dragon/Viking adventures.

Topping the TV choices this week is Dollhouse: The Complete Second Season. This is an amazing series, containing some of the best work of both Joss Whedon and Eliza Dushku, and this box completes the set. Also out this week, both the final season and complete box set of Ghost Whisperer.

If you only buy one Warner Brothers classic cartoon collection, make it this one: The Essential Bugs Bunny. This collection includes those musical masterpieces The Rabbit Of Seville and What’s Opera Doc?, and a lot of the top classic Bugs bits, including works with Elmer Fudd and Marvin the Martian. Of course, if you can afford to, you can skip this one and grab the full series of the Looney Tunes Golden Collection, which includes everything in this package and a lot more. Whichever way you go, these wonderful shorts never grow old.

Sengoku Basara Samurai Kings: The Complete Series takes you into a brutal world in feudal Japan of the Warring States period. This era was marked by continuous fighting between the various generals and warlords in an environment reminiscent of the city-states of medieval Europe, until the rise of the Devil King, Oda Nobunaga. He proved such a threat to all concerned that there was no choice; everyone else had to band together or be destroyed. And yes, this isn’t quite a pure history; there is enough genre content here to justify its inclusion. The other new Anime release this week is Tytania: Collection 2, finishing up the story of two Galactic Empires that go to war, and the rebel force that battle generates as common people do their best to survive.

Economical re-releases this week include the crossworlds demon combat story Tokyo Majin and the delightfully twisted hikikomori tale Welcome to the NHK, both in S.A.V.E. editions. If you shop around, you can pick up Super Amazing Value Edition complete 26 episode series for less than $20, quite a bargain.