The overall quality of releases starts to improve as Valentine’s day approaches.
First, AceCaseOR’s picks:
- Afro Samurai – Director’s Cut: I presume the “Director’s Cut” bit is because the version aired on Spike TV had some of the blood, profanity and nudity removed. The Censored version is available as well. Also available on Blu-Ray.
- Afro Samuari – Spike TV Cut
- Clamp School Detectives: Complete Collection
- Claymore Vol. 3:
- Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion Vol. 5
- Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion Vol. 6
- Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion Collection 3: Includes volumes 5 and 6.
- Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion Collection 3: Includes volumes 5 and 6 and some collector’s edition kitch.
- Cyberteam in Akihabara – Complete Collection: It’s a Magical Girl series with Mecha.
- Ghost Slayer Ayashi Part 1: This is the DVD only version.
- Ghost Slayer Ayashi Part 1: Based on price and picture, this has a nicer box and some collector’s edition kitch.
- Gundam F91: The Motion Picture: Be warned, this was made when Mobile Suit Gundam’s creator, Tomino, was in his “Kill ‘Em All” phase. Now, this phase did give some good stuff, such as Space Runaway Ideon, Stardust Memory, War In The Pocket, and Zeta Gundam but grimdark isn’t for everyone.
- Gundam Seed Destiny Complete Collection II
- Kino’s Journey Complete Collection : (Fiziko’s note: AceCaseOR’s list wasn’t alphabetized; this comment makes more sense if you read the Mobile Gundam comment first.) Well… frak. Now I can’t make up my mind. If you can afford both this and 08th MS Team, get both. If you can only get one, and you don’t already have it, get Kino’s Journey. If you’ve already got Kino’s Journey, get 08th MS Team. If you’ve got both, get a second copy of Kino’s Journey to loan out to friends.
- Lone Wolf and Cub TV Vol. 6
- The Magnificent Trio: Wuxia Film from the Shaw Brothers. The original dub and aspect ratio are intact, according to Amazon.com.
- Mobile Suit Gundam 08th MS Team Complete Collection: This is my pick of the week. If you didn’t get this in the individual disks, ir if you were waiting for the boxed set to get cheaper, get this. It’s 35 bucks, you can’t lose!”
- Reservoir Chronicles Tsubasa Vol. 11: Haven’t seen this, from what I understand, it’s sort of like CLAMP (the creators of Card Captors, X/1999 and Angelic Layer, among many other things) presents eXiles or Crisis On Infinite Earths.
- Street Fighter: Round One: This looks like it’s a new Street Fighter animated series, presumably to promote the upcoming release of Street Fighter IV. Either that or it’s the old Street Fighter animated series made for US TV, following the horrible live action movie.
- Wolf’s Rain – Complete Collection: Haven’t seen this one yet, so I can’t make it my pick.
- Zaion: I Wish You Were Here – Complete Collection: Four-Episode series about a special government organization tasked to fight an alien virus that turns people into monsters.
Then, Fiziko’s DVD picks:
- Alec Guinness Collection: This doesn’t say what it includes. It’s released by Lion’s Gate.
- Assault on Precinct 13
- Becker: The Second Season
- Being There (Deluxe Edition)
- Bewitched: Complete Seventh Season
- Bottle Shock: I haven’t heard of the movie, but I’ve certainly heard of stars Alan Rickman, Bill Pullman and Dennis Farina.
- Brainstorm: A Natalie Wood movie not available in the box set.
- Columbo: Mystery Movie Collection 1990: These releases are finally back on Universal’s schedule after far too long an absence. If they keep collecting 6-8 mystery movies per set, the complete run will be available with only two more volumes. This set includes guest appearances by Robert Culp, Brenda Vaccaro, James Read, Helen Shaver, Ian McShane, Patrick McGoohan, Diedre Hall and more.
- Dave’s World: The Second Season
- Friday the 13th Uncut
- Friday the 13th Part 2
- Friday the 13th Part 3 3D
- His Name Was Jason: 30 Years of Friday the 13th
- The Good Student: Starring Hayden Panettiere, William Sadler and Tim Daly
- Guide to Recognizing Your Saints: Starring Robert Downey Jr., Shia LeBeouf, Rosario Dawson, Channing Tatum and Dianne Wiest
- Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa
- Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa / Penguins of Madagascar two pack
- Madagascar: Complete Collection: Includes both “Madagascar” feature films and “The Penguins of Madagascar.”
- Mystery Science Theatre 3000: Volume XIV: Includes “Mad Monster,” “Manhunt In Space,” “Soultaker” and “Final Justice.”
- Natalie Wood Collection: Includes “Splendor in the Grass,” “Sex and the Single Girl,” “Inside Daisy Clover,” “Gypsy,” “Bombers B-52” and “Cash McCall.”
- Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist
- Night Court: The Second Season
- Nova: Columbia Space Shuttle Disaster
- Oliver and Company
- The Partridge Family: Complete Season Four
- Peter Sellers Collection: This doesn’t say what it includes. It’s released by Lion’s Gate.
- Rent: Filmed Live in Broadway
- Sarah Michelle Gellar Collection: Includes “Suburban Girl” and “The Air I Breathe.”
- The Secret Life of Bees
- Sex and the Single Girl
- Space Buddies
- Splendor in the Grass
- TCM Greatest Classic Films Collection: Best Picture Winners: Includes “Casablanca,” “Gigi,” “An American In Paris” and “Mrs. Miniver.”
- TCM Greatest Classic Films Collection: Romantic Comedies: Includes “Adam’s Rib,” “Woman of the Year,” “The Philadelphia Story” and “Bringing Up Baby.”
- TCM Greatest Classic Films Collection: Romantic Dramas: Includes “East of Eden,” “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof,” “A Streetcar Named Desire” and “Rebel Without a Cause.”
- The Wiz: One of the most unnecessary remakes in movie history.
- Xanadu
- Yentl: A two disk collector’s set.
- Zack and Miri Make a Porno
Now, the Blu-Ray releases:
- Afro Samurai: Resurrection (Director’s Cut)
- Being There
- Clerks II
- Friday the 13th Uncut
- The Hills Have Eyes
- Little Miss Sunshine
- Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa
- Napoleon Dynamite
- Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist
- Office Space
- Rent: Filmed Live On Broadway
- Secret Life of Bees
- Sideways
- Space Buddies
- Starsky and Hutch
- Zack and Miri Make a Porno
Finally, Fiziko’s pick of the week. AceCaseOR loves him his Gundam and Kino, but Fiziko is of the opinion that any Columbo release trumps all other releases any week of the year.
Claymore
I have to put a thumbs up in for Claymore… well drawn, good story and just enough genre dodging to keep it different without being "weird".