The announcement is even more exciting than the trailer; the theatrical release of Sword Art Online The Movie -Ordinal Scale- on February 18, 2017, is no longer exclusive to Japan. It will simultaneously be released in a thousand theaters world wide, including here in the US. Based on a brand new story by Reki Kawahara, the creator of this series, I am ready to see this one on the big screen!
Shin Gojira AKA Godzilla Resurgence has a limited run from October 11th to the 18th across the country, with most places having a theater within an hours drive. I mention it today because at least one theater is getting it on Friday the 7th, apparently. The other reason to mention it now is I didn’t find any other interesting movies for this weekend.
Movies bring X-Men: Apocalypse home, which I am excited about because I haven’t seen it yet. It is probably the only Marvel movie of the last few decades I didn’t get to see on the big screen, and I am determined not to let that happen again any time soon. I likewise missed Kingsglaive: Final Fantasy XV in the theaters, with the difference that I have no intention of watching it at home either. The low key and intelligent Into The Forest is a post-apocalyptic tale with heart, and no zombie hoards or maniacs with muscle cars and chain saws anywhere to be seen. Probably the less said about The Purge: Election Year the better, but I do have to mention the quirky Swiss Army Man also comes out this week.
How many of you saw the 3D version of It Came From Outer Space when it hit the big screen in 1953? It was only the 6th movie ever made with a stereo soundtrack, and that too has been restored in the new Blu Ray 3D release coming out this week. They also fixed a number of problems with the vertical being out of alignment between the two film tracks, and corrected several scenes where the 3D was reversed (the stuff in the back of the scene appeared closer to the audience than the stuff in the foreground). Since they remastered it from the original duel film strips, they were able to convert it from its original red/green anaglyph format to the modern Blu Ray 3D format, so you will have none of the lose of brightness that format induced by virtue of limiting your visual input to just 2 parts of the spectrum.
Anime starts with a live action film this time, Attack on Titan Movie: Part 1, for those who missed it because its theatrical run was so limited. Gundam Reconguista in G takes place after the war torn Universal Century has ended, but the new century’s peace and prosperity hides some serious problems. Re-Kan! is a bout a new girl in school who hangs out with Ghosts, and pretty soon one of her classmates is seeing them too. Naruto Shippūden uncut box 28 brings more Ninja goodness home.
Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion: Complete Collection is the first time both seasons can be found in a single box set. Strike Witches The Movie is also out on disc for the first time this week, which completes that series, with seasons 1 and 2 already being out in a S.A.V.E. edition. Blood-C: The Complete Series and Blood-C: The Last Dark are both coming out in S.A.V.E. editions as well.
At long last the James Patterson book Maximum Ride is coming out as the Maximum Ride Movie to a limited number of theaters on Wednesday. The latest Tim Burton project, Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children, is on the big screen in wide release on Friday, another one I have been looking forward to for a while.
The fantasy/adventure Warcraft comes home this week for those who enjoyed it as much as I did. I can’t really speak for Cell, having missed it in the theaters, but it was based on the excellent Steven King book of the same name, so I have my hopes for it.
Anime has Chaika – The Coffin Princess Avenging Battle, which is a well done sword and sorcery warfare story. Maria the Virgin Witch is also about medieval magical warfare and how to stop it, with more adult themes. Seraph of the End: Vampire Reign has humanity on the edge of extinction, three guesses from what threat. The complete collection is a bit pricey, I will wait for a S.A.V.E. edition. The Labyrinth of Grisaia/Eden of Grisaia are two OVA series of about 5 episodes each that expand the story told in the original 13 episode anime series The Fruit of Grisaia. Mikagura School Suite: The Complete Series is another Magical Girls Combat School, this one oriented for the Yuri audience. The second half of Plastic Memories also becomes available this week, but I will wait for all 13 episodes to come out in a single box set before picking it up.
Starring Chris Pratt and Jennifer Lawrence, Passengers will be out just in time for Christmas. On an interstellar colony ship, something went wrong and they came out of cryogenic suspension 90 years too early… or did they? Yes, I absolutely have to be in the theaters for this one!