Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio Review

Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio Review

Academy Award®-winning filmmaker Guillermo del Toro reinvents Carlo Collodi's classic tale of the wooden marionette who is magically brought to life in order to mend the heart of a grieving woodcarver named Geppetto. This whimsical, stop-motion musical directed by Guillermo del Toro and Mark Gustafson follows the mischievous and disobedient adventures of Pinocchio in his pursuit of a place in the world.

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Black Widow Review

Black Widow Review

Natasha Romanoff, aka Black Widow, confronts the darker parts of her ledger when a dangerous conspiracy with ties to her past arises. Pursued by a force that will stop at nothing to bring her down, Natasha must deal with her history as a spy, and the broken relationships left in her wake long before she became an Avenger.

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Joker Review (Mild Spoilers)

Joker Review (Mild Spoilers)

Forever alone in a crowd, failed comedian Arthur Fleck seeks connection as he walks the streets of Gotham City. Arthur wears two masks -- the one he paints for his day job as a clown, and the guise he projects in a futile attempt to feel like he's part of the world around him. Isolated, bullied and disregarded by society, Fleck begins a slow descent into madness as he transforms into the criminal mastermind known as the Joker.

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The Panasonic AU-EVA1 - 5.7K Cinema Camera!

The Panasonic AU-EVA1 - 5.7K Cinema Camera!

High end functions at much lower cost, the new Panasonic AU-EVA1 camera inherits many traits from the cinema Varicam series including dual native ISO, Focus Squares and more. It's got more than 4K - it's actually a Super35 5.7K sensor! Frame rates offered are 60fps at 4K and 240fps at 2K and can do 4:2:2 10 Bit recording.

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Baywatch Reboot Actor in Talks to play Black Manta

The Get Down actor Yahya Abdul-Mateen II is in talks to star in Aquaman as the villain, Black Manta, according to The Hollywood Reporter. The actor recently finished filming a role in the upcoming Baywatch reboot, which co-stars DC's upcoming Black Adam, Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson.

Little is known about the role on film, however in comic books Black Manta is a man from the surface world who now lives under the ocean and has sworn revenge on his former home.

Abdul-Mateen would join Jason Momoa in the title role, alongside Amber Heard as Mera, Willem Dafoe as Vulko, and Patrick Wilson as Ocean Master.

Aquaman is due out in theaters October 5, 2018.

The Hateful Eight Review

The Hateful Eight Review

While racing toward the town of Red Rock in post-Civil War Wyoming, bounty hunter John "The Hangman" Ruth (Kurt Russell) and his fugitive prisoner (Jennifer Jason Leigh) encounter another bounty hunter (Samuel L. Jackson) and a man who claims to be a sheriff. Hoping to find shelter from a blizzard, the group travels to a stagecoach stopover located on a mountain pass. Greeted there by four strangers, the eight travelers soon learn that they may not make it to their destination after all.

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I' Am Hero (Live Action Trailer)

The trailer for I' Am Hero has been released today. As a fan of this zombie Manga I'm looking forward to see how the live action film holds up. I' Am Hero follows the story of Hideo Suzuki, a 35-year-old manga artist assistant, whose life seem to be stuck around his exhausting but low-paying job, unfulfilled dreams, strange hallucinations and unsatisfying relationships. He sees himself as a supporting character in his own life, has low self-esteem, resulting in frustration.

One day, the world as Hideo knows it is shattered by presences of a disease that turns people into homicidal maniacs, whose first instinct is to attack and devour the nearest human. Armed with only his sporting shotgun, he runs for his life, meeting strangers along the way. All the while, he and his companions struggle to stay alive, while questioning their moral choices.

Tribeca Red Carpet: "Maggie" with Arnold Schwarzenegger

Tribeca Red Carpet: "Maggie" with Arnold Schwarzenegger

The red carpet welcomed Arnold Schwarzenegger for the world premiere of Maggie, a post apocalyptic thriller about a small town farmer who defies the face of defeat by trying to save his daughter from the deadly zombie epidemic.

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THE DIVERGENT SERIES: INSURGENT Trailer

THE DIVERGENT SERIES: INSURGENT Trailer

HE DIVERGENT SERIES: INSURGENT raises the stakes for Tris as she searches for allies and answers in the ruins of a futuristic Chicago. Tris (Woodley) and Four (James) are now fugitives on the run, hunted by Jeanine (Winslet), the leader of the power-hungry Erudite elite.

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Rigor Mortis Review

Rigor Mortis is a new horror installment directed by Juno Mak. It stars Anthony Chan, Siu-Ho Chin, Kara Hui, Richard Ng, Hoi-Pang Lo, Hee Chang Paw. The film is about a washed-up actor, desperate and suicidal, moves into a haunted apartment building where supernatural creatures, ghost hunters, taoist exorcists, and the souls of the undead walk among his neighbors. Does this film pack the scars and thrills? Or this is a film clearly not renting?


Kite Trailer

Hollywood is about to release another live action movie based on a popular anime. The anime to hit theaters soon is "Kite." Yes the same anime ova that you didn't know whether it was hentai or anime with all the sex scenes in there. The film stars Samuel Jackson, India Eisely as Sawa and Callan McAuliffe as Oburi. You check out the trailer below. Let us know your thoughts in the comment section. 




First Trailer for Robocop Remake

Today the first trailer for the Robocop remake has arrive. I must admit that I was skeptical when the first picture stills was released. After watching the trailer I must say I like how they combine the old suit and give reasons for the new one. Check out the trailer below.In the film, the year is 2028 and multinational conglomerate OmniCorp is at the center of robot technology. Their drones are winning American wars around the globe and now they want to bring this technology to the home front. Alex Murphy (Kinnaman) is a loving husband, father and good cop doing his best to stem the tide of crime and corruption in Detroit. After he is critically injured in the line of duty, OmniCorp utilizes their remarkable science of robotics to save Alex's life. He returns to the streets of his beloved city with amazing new abilities, but with issues a regular man has never had to face before.



Upcoming December 2013 Releases From Section 23 Films

Home video distributor Section23 Films today announced its December slate of releases; including the highly anticipated release of Girls und Panzer TV Complete Collection. Available on both DVD & BLU-RAY.
 
 
Coming December 2013
Title: GIRLS UND PANZER TV COLLECTION
Published by: Sentai Filmworks
Distributed by: Section23 Films
Run Time: 300 min.
Street Date: 12/3/2013
Format: DVD
Language: English & Japanese with English Subtitles
SRP: $59.98
SYNOPSIS: You may have heard of kung fu, but the girls at Oarai Academy practice gun-fu - really, really BIG gun-fu, in fact. It's called Tankery, and it's the martial art of operating armored tanks! And even though the Tankery program at Oarai has been defunct for years, the student council has taken a sudden interest in the art and no one they set their sights on is safe. Which is how Miho Nishizumi, who transferred to Oarai specifically to stay out of tanks, gets drafted to join the newly revived Tankery divison. But it's not all bad, because joining her in Team Anglerfish are her new found friends Saori, the highly receptive radio operator; Hana, a flower arranger turned gunner; Mako, their brilliant, but chronically sleepy driver; and combustible tank fangirl and loader Yukari. They may not be on the half-track to fame and fortune, and maybe some of them would rather shop for tank tops than become tops in tanks, but once their focus is locked and loaded, they're absolutely driven. It's mad, it's metal and mayhem is guaranteed! It's GIRLS UND PANZER!

Title: GIRLS UND PANZER TV COLLECTION BLU-RAY
Published by: Sentai Filmworks
Distributed by: Section23 Films
Run Time: 300 min.
Street Date: 12/3/2013
Format: BD
Language: English & Japanese with English Subtitles
SRP: $69.98
SYNOPSIS: You may have heard of kung fu, but the girls at Oarai Academy practice gun-fu - really, really BIG gun-fu, in fact. It's called Tankery, and it's the martial art of operating armored tanks! And even though the Tankery program at Oarai has been defunct for years, the student council has taken a sudden interest in the art and no one they set their sights on is safe. Which is how Miho Nishizumi, who transferred to Oarai specifically to stay out of tanks, gets drafted to join the newly revived Tankery divison. But it's not all bad, because joining her in Team Anglerfish are her new found friends Saori, the highly receptive radio operator; Hana, a flower arranger turned gunner; Mako, their brilliant, but chronically sleepy driver; and combustible tank fangirl and loader Yukari. They may not be on the half-track to fame and fortune, and maybe some of them would rather shop for tank tops than become tops in tanks, but once their focus is locked and loaded, they're absolutely driven. It's mad, it's metal and mayhem is guaranteed! It's GIRLS UND PANZER!

Title: MAGICAL PLAY COMPLETE
Published by: Sentai Filmworks
Distributed by: Section23 Films
Run Time: 150 min.
Street Date: 12/3/2013
Format: DVD
Language: English & Japanese with English Subtitles
SRP: $29.98
SYNOPSIS: Becoming a Magical Girl isn't easy, but Padudu thinks she has most of the bases covered. She even has a magical pet and a magical cloak! Granted, her pet's a talking fish that she wears as the cloak (and occasionally snacks on,) but now all she SHOULD have to do is wander the countryside, fight in official Magical Battles and collect enough Hanamaru stamps to become an official Magical Girl. But life isn't always that simple, and when Padudu accidentally breaks a law, she ends up on the run and traveling with some really odd companions: There's MyuMyu, who wears a pair of cats as a bikini, Pipin, who dresses like a rabbit and wears HER magical pet bunny as a back pack, and the nefarious criminal Nonononn, who also wanted to be a Magical Girl, and has both a Hammerhead Shark and mysterious ties to the Queen (who's nowhere near as nice as her PR would have you believe.) So what happens when the strangest set of strangers ever set forth in an even stranger land? The one thing you can count on is that it's going to get REALLY weird in MAGICAL PLAY!

Title: BIG, BAD MAMA-SAN
Published by: Switchblade Pictures
Distributed by: Section23 Films
Run Time: 75 min.
Street Date: 12/10/2013
Format: DVD
Language: English & Japanese with English Subtitles
SRP: $19.98
SYNOPSIS: She's been ridden long and she's been ridden hard, but when that old truck is the only thing your father left you besides a pile of bills, how else is a girl going to make a living? That's how Nami became the hottest thing on wheels, taking any load offered up the back roads of Japan and delivering whatever's been ordered, no questions asked, C.O.D., A.S.A.P. Unfortunately, Nami's drive to become debt free is full of speed bumps like obsessive cops and cheating rival truckers, major detours like old acquaintances who want to be more than "just friends," and one big pot hole in the form of Momoko, an eager beaver truck stop hooker with a heart of gold, a brain of tofu and a desperate yen to become Nami's partner. And all that's just a warm up for what happens when a package belonging to a gang of dim but ruthless gangsters somehow ends up in Nami's back end! Get ready for hijackings, high balling and the most crazed hijinks to ever hit the highways and byways of Japan as everyone tries to worm their way into Nami's flatbed in BIG, BAD MAMA-SAN - DEKOTORA 1!

Title: BTOOOM! COMPLETE
Published by: Sentai Filmworks
Distributed by: Section23 Films
Run Time: 300 min.
Street Date: 12/10/2013
Format: DVD
Language: English & Japanese with English Subtitles
SRP: $59.98
SYNOPSIS: In the blink of the mind's eye, Ryuta Sakamoto suddenly finds himself transported from playing the hit BTOOOM! video game to being stranded on a mysterious island. He's equipped with a day's worth of provisions, a bag of bombs, a strange crystal embedded in his left hand and a huge gaping hole in his memory. But it doesn't take long to figure out what's going on, especially after the first person Ryuta meets tries to kill him. Someone is attempting to recreate the ultra-violent BTOOOM! game in real life, and the island has been filled with an army of other unwilling players, each armed with one of the multiple variants of explosive weapons called BIM. Fortunately, Ryuta's an ace BTOOOM! player, but this insane version of the game has no reset switch or second lives, and there's only one way off the island: kill seven other people before they can kill you! Can Ryuta repurpose his game-based skills fast enough to survive this ultimate battle royale? The action is ultra-violent, ultra-graphic and ultra-lethal as the ultimate blood sport is unleashed in BTOOOM!

Title: BTOOOM! COMPLETE BLU-RAY
Published by: Sentai Filmworks
Distributed by: Section23 Films
Run Time: 300 min.
Street Date: 12/10/2013
Format: BD
Language: English & Japanese with English Subtitles
SRP: $69.98
SYNOPSIS: In the blink of the mind's eye, Ryuta Sakamoto suddenly finds himself transported from playing the hit BTOOOM! video game to being stranded on a mysterious island. He's equipped with a day's worth of provisions, a bag of bombs, a strange crystal embedded in his left hand and a huge gaping hole in his memory. But it doesn't take long to figure out what's going on, especially after the first person Ryuta meets tries to kill him. Someone is attempting to recreate the ultra-violent BTOOOM! game in real life, and the island has been filled with an army of other unwilling players, each armed with one of the multiple variants of explosive weapons called BIM. Fortunately, Ryuta's an ace BTOOOM! player, but this insane version of the game has no reset switch or second lives, and there's only one way off the island: kill seven other people before they can kill you! Can Ryuta repurpose his game-based skills fast enough to survive this ultimate battle royale? The action is ultra-violent, ultra-graphic and ultra-lethal as the ultimate blood sport is unleashed in BTOOOM!

Title: KOKORO CONNECT OVA COMPLETE
Published by: Sentai Filmworks
Distributed by: Section23 Films
Run Time: 100 min.
Street Date: 12/10/2013
Format: DVD
Language: English & Japanese with English Subtitles
SRP: $29.98
SYNOPSIS: They’ve already had their bodies swapped like musical chairs, had their ages changed at random and experienced their deepest desires taking control of them without warning, but if you thought Heartseed was finished with Taichi, Iori, Himeko, Yoshifumi and Yui, you’ve got another think coming! Now there’s a new affliction going around, and the name of this peculiar bug is emotion sickness. As in, suddenly your emotions jump out of your body and sic someone else! Needless to say, that’s more than simply awkward if you’ve got a deep rooted phobia like a fear of men or repressed emotions that you’ve been trying to keep hidden, but in some situations it can literally be deadly! What is Heartseed up to this time, and why is he making our heroes involuntarily share their innermost dirty laundry? Get ready for another trip through the emotional wringer in Kokoro Connect ~ The OVAs!

Title: KOKORO CONNECT OVA COMPLETE BLU-RAY
Published by: Sentai Filmworks
Distributed by: Section23 Films
Run Time: 100 min.
Street Date: 12/10/2013
Format: BD
Language: English & Japanese with English Subtitles
SRP: $39.98
SYNOPSIS: They’ve already had their bodies swapped like musical chairs, had their ages changed at random and experienced their deepest desires taking control of them without warning, but if you thought Heartseed was finished with Taichi, Iori, Himeko, Yoshifumi and Yui, you’ve got another think coming! Now there’s a new affliction going around, and the name of this peculiar bug is emotion sickness. As in, suddenly your emotions jump out of your body and sic someone else! Needless to say, that’s more than simply awkward if you’ve got a deep rooted phobia like a fear of men or repressed emotions that you’ve been trying to keep hidden, but in some situations it can literally be deadly! What is Heartseed up to this time, and why is he making our heroes involuntarily share their innermost dirty laundry? Get ready for another trip through the emotional wringer in Kokoro Connect ~ The OVAs!

Title: DI GI CHARAT OVA SERIES
Published by: Sentai Filmworks
Distributed by: Section23 Films
Run Time: 194 min.
Street Date: 12/17/2013
Format: DVD
Language: Japanese with English Subtitles
SRP: $24.98
SYNOPSIS: You never know when the chance for a new adventure is suddenly going to pop up, and even if you were born here, our world can be a pretty strange and unusual place. However, when you’re an alien princess like Dejiko, who came to Earth to break into the music industry, it’s almost impossible to go out walking without it becoming the start of something wild and wonderful. Whether Deji’s just hanging out, going on a Christmas Cruise or being kidnapped by her new arch rival Pyocola Analogue III (just call her Piyoko,) you never know what might happen next. The one thing you can bet on, however, is that Dejiko’s stalwart companions Genma and Puchiko will be right alongside her… and usually in trouble up to the tips of Puchiko’s cat ears! The deliriously wacky escapades of the globetrotting princess of Planet Di Gi Charat continue in another interplanetary collection of out of this world silliness in Di Gi Charat Specials!



Title: THE PET GIRL OF SAKURASOU 1
Published by: Sentai Filmworks
Distributed by: Section23 Films
Run Time: 300 min.
Street Date: 12/17/2013
Format: DVD
Language: Japanese with English Subtitles
SRP: $49.98
SYNOPSIS: Banished from normal housing for the crime of adopting stray cats, Sorata Kanda's life has gone to the dogs and now he's been impounded in Room 101 of Sakura Hall, a notorious den of troublemakers, geniuses and weirdos. Meanwhile, Mashiro Shiina in Room 202 is the cat's meow of the art world. However, she's so unfocused and dysfunctional that she needs a full-time keeper to survive day-to-day life while she puts her career as a famous artist on hold and studies to be a manga creator. That's too big a task for Chihiro, Mashiro's cousin who lives in the same dorm and also happens to be Sorata's teacher. But given Sorata's weakness for taking in small, cute but sometimes not completely loveable creatures, could he be the one destined to take over Mashiro's grooming, feeding and general, er… domestication? Well, if he's not, too bad, 'cause no one else is stepping up and he's stuck with it and her! Heavy petting gets redefined, the dorm's the only thing likely to get housebroken and hopefully no one will get neutered as who's on whose leash becomes anybodies' guess in The Pet Girl of Sakurasou Collection 1!
Title: THE PET GIRL OF SAKURASOU 1 BLU-RAY
Published by: Sentai Filmworks
Distributed by: Section23 Films
Run Time: 300 min.
Street Date: 12/17/2013
Format: BD
Language: Japanese with English Subtitles
SRP: $59.98
SYNOPSIS: Banished from normal housing for the crime of adopting stray cats, Sorata Kanda's life has gone to the dogs and now he's been impounded in Room 101 of Sakura Hall, a notorious den of troublemakers, geniuses and weirdos. Meanwhile, Mashiro Shiina in Room 202 is the cat's meow of the art world. However, she's so unfocused and dysfunctional that she needs a full-time keeper to survive day-to-day life while she puts her career as a famous artist on hold and studies to be a manga creator. That's too big a task for Chihiro, Mashiro's cousin who lives in the same dorm and also happens to be Sorata's teacher. But given Sorata's weakness for taking in small, cute but sometimes not completely loveable creatures, could he be the one destined to take over Mashiro's grooming, feeding and general, er… domestication? Well, if he's not, too bad, 'cause no one else is stepping up and he's stuck with it and her! Heavy petting gets redefined, the dorm's the only thing likely to get housebroken and hopefully no one will get neutered as who's on whose leash becomes anybodies' guess in The Pet Girl of Sakurasou Collection 1!
Title: HUMANITY HAS DECLINED COMPLETE
Published by: Sentai Filmworks
Distributed by: Section23 Films
Run Time: 300 min.
Street Date: 12/24/2013
Format: DVD
Language: Japanese with English Subtitles
SRP: $49.98
SYNOPSIS: For years, declining birth rates have forced what's left of the human race to cede more and more territory to other beings who have appeared to take advantage of the emptying ecological niche. Now, only a handful of humans remain among the remnants of civilization and Earth is dominated by faeries - tiny, ten-inch tall creatures of surprising intelligence. But humanity's importance isn't over quite yet, as young Watashi learns as she makes the decision to return to her hometown and assume her grandfather's position as an arbitrator between the races. Unfortunately, the job isn't going to be anywhere near as simple as she expected, and it's going to take wisdom far beyond her years to achieve her most important mission. Because it's not about how often you fall and fail, it's about how often you get back up and try again, and the human race still has a lot left to accomplish in HUMANITY HAS DECLINED.
Title: HUMANITY HAS DECLINED COMPLETE BLU-RAY
Published by: Sentai Filmworks
Distributed by: Section23 Films
Run Time: 300 min.
Street Date: 12/24/2013
Format: BD
Language: Japanese with English Subtitles
SRP: $59.98
SYNOPSIS: For years, declining birth rates have forced what's left of the human race to cede more and more territory to other beings who have appeared to take advantage of the emptying ecological niche. Now, only a handful of humans remain among the remnants of civilization and Earth is dominated by faeries - tiny, ten-inch tall creatures of surprising intelligence. But humanity's importance isn't over quite yet, as young Watashi learns as she makes the decision to return to her hometown and assume her grandfather's position as an arbitrator between the races. Unfortunately, the job isn't going to be anywhere near as simple as she expected, and it's going to take wisdom far beyond her years to achieve her most important mission. Because it's not about how often you fall and fail, it's about how often you get back up and try again, and the human race still has a lot left to accomplish in HUMANITY HAS DECLINED.
Title: SAY, "I LOVE YOU" COMPLETE
Published by: Sentai Filmworks
Distributed by: Section23 Films
Run Time: 325 min.
Street Date: 12/24/2013
Format: DVD
Language: English & Japanese with English Subtitles
SRP: $59.98
SYNOPSIS: Friends suck, and trusting someone is just setting yourself up. That's the lesson Mei Tachibana learned after her heart was ripped out and only a shell was left where a girl used to be. But unlike so many, she found an easy solution: she'll never make another friend. Ever. Okay, maybe that's not as easy as it sounds, but it's worked for Mei. Or at least it did. Until handsome, charming and annoyingly popular Yamato Kurosawa came along. Because for some freakish reason, he seems to like Mei. He even gave her his phone number! As if she would ever call him. Except she did. But only because she needed help. Still, he came. He actually came. And now things are getting way too complicated. Mei's no princess in a tower. She's not waiting for a knight in shining armor to rescue her. So why did he have to kiss her and confuse everything? And why are those three little words so hard to say? Between heartbeats, behind trembling lips, and unspoken with every breath, the specter of betrayals past, future and present now haunt them both in SAY "I LOVE YOU."
Title: SAY, "I LOVE YOU" COMPLETE BLU-RAY
Published by: Sentai Filmworks
Distributed by: Section23 Films
Run Time: 325 min.
Street Date: 12/24/2013
Format: BD
Language: English & Japanese with English Subtitles
SRP: $69.98
SYNOPSIS: Friends suck, and trusting someone is just setting yourself up. That's the lesson Mei Tachibana learned after her heart was ripped out and only a shell was left where a girl used to be. But unlike so many, she found an easy solution: she'll never make another friend. Ever. Okay, maybe that's not as easy as it sounds, but it's worked for Mei. Or at least it did. Until handsome, charming and annoyingly popular Yamato Kurosawa came along. Because for some freakish reason, he seems to like Mei. He even gave her his phone number! As if she would ever call him. Except she did. But only because she needed help. Still, he came. He actually came. And now things are getting way too complicated. Mei's no princess in a tower. She's not waiting for a knight in shining armor to rescue her. So why did he have to kiss her and confuse everything? And why are those three little words so hard to say? Between heartbeats, behind trembling lips, and unspoken with every breath, the specter of betrayals past, future and present now haunt them both in SAY "I LOVE YOU."
Title: NYAN KOI! COMPLETE
Published by: Sentai Filmworks
Distributed by: Section23 Films
Run Time: 300 min.
Street Date: 12/31/2013
Format: DVD
Language: English & Japanese with English Subtitles
SRP: $59.98
SYNOPSIS: Saying that Junpei Kosaka's allergic to cats is something of an understatement, just thinking about cats can make him sneeze. A fact that seems to be lost on his mother and sister, who both ADORE cats. And if that wasn't bad enough, when Junpei inadvertently damages a statue of a cat deity, he becomes cursed with the ability to understand felines. Now Junpei must perform one hundred great favors for cat-kind or face the fate of being turned into a cat himself! Life quickly becomes a purrfect hell as every cat in the neighborhood starts sending Junpei their list of "requests." But it's not just the cats: the local Yakuza's daughter is playing cat and mouse; the monk's daughters are acting catty; Junpei's childhood best friend is ready to use him as a scratching post; and the girl he has a secret crush on is as cat crazy as the rest! Get ready for the ultimate catfight on the road to purrdition in this cataclysmic complete collection of Nyan Koi!

Title: NYAN KOI! COMPLETE BLU-RAY
Published by: Sentai Filmworks
Distributed by: Section23 Films
Run Time: 300 min.
Street Date: 12/31/2013
Format: BD
Language: English & Japanese with English Subtitles
SRP: $69.98

SYNOPSIS: Saying that Junpei Kosaka's allergic to cats is something of an understatement, just thinking about cats can make him sneeze. A fact that seems to be lost on his mother and sister, who both ADORE cats. And if that wasn't bad enough, when Junpei inadvertently damages a statue of a cat deity, he becomes cursed with the ability to understand felines. Now Junpei must perform one hundred great favors for cat-kind or face the fate of being turned into a cat himself! Life quickly becomes a purrfect hell as every cat in the neighborhood starts sending Junpei their list of "requests." But it's not just the cats: the local Yakuza's daughter is playing cat and mouse; the monk's daughters are acting catty; Junpei's childhood best friend is ready to use him as a scratching post; and the girl he has a secret crush on is as cat crazy as the rest! Get ready for the ultimate catfight on the road to purrdition in this cataclysmic complete collection of Nyan Koi!

Title: SO, I CAN'T PLAY H COMPLETE
Published by: Sentai Filmworks
Distributed by: Section23 Films
Run Time: 300 min.
Street Date: 12/31/2013
Format: DVD
Language: Japanese with English Subtitles
SRP: $49.98

SYNOPSIS: Never make a deal with a wet goddess you've only just met. That's a lesson Ryosuke Kaga learns the hard way when he foolishly agrees to let Lisara Restole use some of his "essence" to stay in this world. Because despite her smoking hot appearance, Lisara's actually a Shinigami, a Goddess of Death. However, she doesn't steal years off his life like any decent Shinigami would do. Oh no, instead she sucks off his lecherous spirit, draining his ability to enjoy… well, the things that teenage boys normally spend most of their time thinking about! And now the poor degenerate's only hope of getting his licentiousness renewed is to join the Lisara on her quest, since when she leaves our mortal plane he regains his normal immorality! But Shinigami can be really harsh mistresses and it's going to be anything but easy to go back to being sleazy in So I Can't Play H!

Title: SO, I CAN'T PLAY H COMPLETE BLU-RAY
Published by: Sentai Filmworks
Distributed by: Section23 Films
Run Time: 300 min.
Street Date: 12/31/2013
Format: BD
Language: Japanese with English Subtitles
SRP: $59.98

SYNOPSIS: Never make a deal with a wet goddess you've only just met. That's a lesson Ryosuke Kaga learns the hard way when he foolishly agrees to let Lisara Restole use some of his "essence" to stay in this world. Because despite her smoking hot appearance, Lisara's actually a Shinigami, a Goddess of Death. However, she doesn't steal years off his life like any decent Shinigami would do. Oh no, instead she sucks off his lecherous spirit, draining his ability to enjoy… well, the things that teenage boys normally spend most of their time thinking about! And now the poor degenerate's only hope of getting his licentiousness renewed is to join the Lisara on her quest, since when she leaves our mortal plane he regains his normal immorality! But Shinigami can be really harsh mistresses and it's going to be anything but easy to go back to being sleazy in So I Can't Play H!

 

Hello Herman Review



“Hello Herman” is a social commentary film focusing on the effects of bullying, parenting and other influences on a child who is being bullied. The film stars Norman Reedus (Darryl from The Walking Dead) and Garrett Backstrom. Is this a film a must watch or instead of hello Herman it should be bye Herman.  

Story - “Hello Herman” is a story about Herman a sixteen year old boy who by a series of unfortunate circumstances gets pushed to the brink and ends up committing a violent act of huge proportions. Lax (Norman Reedus) is the journalist who goes into the maximum security prison to interview Herman and ultimately the two forge a connection and see each other for who they truly are.

“Hello Herman” has its heart in the right place. The movie does a stellar job of examining factors of the cause and effects of bullying and how it not only affects the community but the family of the one that committed the crime. I found this take to be refreshing because we rarely see how the family of the one who committed the crimes deals with the issues.  I think the examining the cause of Herman’s reasons for his acts is what drives the movie. The movie has some good characterization on the two main characters Herman and Lax the reporter chosen by Herman to tell his story. With Herman’s character it’s about finding the layers of his madness, what is the button that pushes him to kill. For Lax it’s about finding these answers but at the same time trying to find a way to understand Herman, this works well as the two characters play off each other very well. Herman knows of Lax’s dark past and tries to get him to realize he too was a monster. Lax character is trying to come to terms with his past, while trying to move forward with his life and decisions that he is made. The movie is engaging on the character study point and the interaction between new monster and old monster is very entertaining. The only problem I have with the story is when examining Herman’s reasons for killing is finger pointing and putting blame. For example Herman plays videogames in the first person shooter genre in the film he states that is how I got such good aim, which places videogames to blame for his actions, then it was the music he was listening too and various factors in entertainment. The film doesn't point fingers directly at entertainment but it does make entertainment accountable for Herman’s action. Other than that little complaint the film is done well and you will enjoy the interaction between Lax and Herman.

Acting – The acting is done well by Norman Reedus. Reedus character is sympathetic, but what drives his character is when he has to come to terms with his past. The scenes of Herman asking questions of Lax’s past and his reaction and emotion Reedus shows was very well done. Garrett Backstrom does a stellar job as Herman. The highlight of his performance is when Herman fate is decided and you want to feel for his character, but can’t because of the actions he took. The last scene is very powerful as an audience member because you start to question is Herman really a monster or some misguiding kid. Overall the acting is well done by the main too leads, some supporting cast members might have been overacting just a bit.

Music & Film-Making – Overall the film making is very good for the budget it was on. The film doesn't get gory with the massacre but it leaves you with enough scenes to show you what Herman really did. The music is fits the tone of the film, but nothing really that will standout for you.

Final Thoughts - "Hello Herman" is not a bad movie at all, it might be something you want to make your teenage kids and junior high school kids watch. It has a message and that is stop bullying, while I don't agree with some of the social commentary it does raise questions on how can we handle our kids, and how parents can handle themselves more as well. This is a movie with a message, heart and it gets point across. 



Japan Film Festival Of San Francisco


The 2013 J-POP Summit Festival, the popular yearly San Francisco summertime Japanese Pop Culture celebration, has announced the launch of the Japan Film Festival of San Francisco, the first fully-dedicated annual Japanese film event for Northern California and the S.F. Bay Area. 
The week-long Japan Film Festival of San Francisco will take place at the NEW PEOPLE Cinema beginning Saturday, July 27th through Sunday August 4th. The festival will also be a prominent feature of the 2013 J-POP Summit Festival, taking place across Japantown on Saturday and Sunday, July 27th and 28th. A complete schedule and advance ticket information is available on www.jffsf.org. 

Tickets are $13.00 per film unless otherwise indicated. NEW PEOPLE Cinema is located at 1746 Post St. (cross street is Webster St.) in the heart of San Francisco’s Japantown. 

Nine live-action films representing a vivid cross-section of the best in recent Japanese cinema will have their exclusive U.S. and/or San Francisco premiere at NEW PEOPLE. The Japan Film Festival of San Francisco will complement this press release in coming days with a subsequent announcement detailing an exciting slate of anime feature films also set to receive their U.S. and/or San Francisco premieres.
Live-action films include director Miwa Nishikawa’s Dreams for Sale, Sakuran director Mika Ninagawa's Helter Skelter, Sion Sono's award-winning masterpiece, Himizu, architect/author Kyohei Sakaguchi’s documentary, How To Build a Mobile House, director Takashi Miike’s Lesson of The Evil, director Shinsuke Sato’s Library Wars, actor Kazunari Ninomiya’s Platinum Data, the samurai adventure of Rurouni Kenshin, and Space Battleship Yamato, based on one of Japan’s greatest anime properties (known in the U.S. as Star Blazers) and a must-see for any sci-fi aficionado. Films will be presented with their original Japanese dialogue with English subtitles.

The Japan Film Festival of San Francisco is also honored to welcome Director Shinsuke Sato, who is also known for his 2011 blockbuster, GANTZ, for a special in-person appearance for the exclusive U.S. premiere of his newest film, Library Wars. Sato will participate in a special Q&A session with the NEW PEOPLE Cinema audience and also appear as a Guest of Honor during the 2013 J-POP Summit Festival.  

The Japan Film Festival of San Francisco is presented in conjunction with the 2013 J-POP Summit, taking place Saturday July 27th and Sunday July 28th across the city’s historic Japantown district to celebrate the phenomenon of Japanese pop culture with a colorful array of live bands and artists, panel discussions, film premieres, edgy fashion shows and DJ dance events, celebrity appearances and more. The J-POP Summit Festival is hosted and organized by NEW PEOPLE in cooperation with the Japantown Merchants Association. In 2012, the two-day event attracted nearly 65,000 attendees. More information is available at www.J-POP.com.

Japan Film Festival of San Francisco Live-Action Program:

DREAMS FOR SALE - S.F. PREMIERE!!!
Saturday, July 27th, 7:00pm
Written and directed by Miwa Nishikawa, who’s SWAY and Dear Doctor were screened at numerous film festivals around the world, Dreams for Sale is a richly evocative drama about a couple that lose everything in a fire and attempt to make a fresh start by swindling others. Wife Satoko (Takako Matsu) and her husband Kanya (Sadawo Abe) run a small eatery in a corner of Tokyo, but on the 5th anniversary of its opening, a fire erupts in the kitchen and burns the place to a cinder. In desperate need of cash, Satoko and Kanya embark on a hilarious and heartwarming marriage scam in an attempt to put their lives back on track.





HELTER SKELTER - S.F. PREMIERE!!!
Saturday, August 3rd, 4:20pm 
Sakuran director Mika Ninagawa's live-action adaptation of the eponymous shojo manga by Kyoko Okazaki utilizes brilliantly colored visuals to depict the descent of an outwardly perfect but inwardly unstable star that reigns over the entertainment world. Top model Liliko (Erika Sawajiri) captivates the public with her beauty that is the envy of all who look upon her. However, her appearance has been entirely engineered through plastic surgery. Complications arise from the numerous operations and begin to eat away at Liliko both physically and psychologically, sending her into a downward spiral.



HIMIZU - S.F. PREMIERE!!!
Sunday, August 4th, 1:10pm
Sion Sono's award-winning masterpiece is based on Minoru Furuya's manga "Himizu,” named for a species of a Japanese mole. Set after the Tohoku earthquake and tsunami, all 14-year-old Yuichi Sumida (Shota Sometani) wants is to live a decent life. But his environment keeps dragging him into the mud. Keiko Chazawa (Fumi Nikaido), a classmate of Yuichi, harbors a severe crush on him and sticks around despite being berated by him. One day, the yakuza comes by Yuichi's home and tells him to pay off his father's debt. Yuichi already heartbroken by his mother's abandonment and abuse from his father nears a tipping point. A string of incidents occurs that brings Yuichi's world to a screeching halt. Is there light at the end of the tunnel?


HOW TO BUILD A MOBILE HOUSE - U.S. PREMIERE!!!
Saturday, July 27th, 1:30pm 
With the appearance of the famous "Zero Yen" architect, Kyohei Sakaguchi, the documentary, How to Build a Mobile House, makes its U.S. premiere in his favorite city, San Francisco!  Screening attendees will also be invited to his free workshop to build a Mobile Green House with him during the J-POP Summit Festival. Kyohei's numerous books include "Tokyo Zero Yen House, Zero Yen Life,” inspired by the exuberant creativity of street dwellers. This documentary delves into the roots of dwelling, and living, through the unique activities of this architect who "does not build." Sakaguchi, who devised a nest-like abode that fits the size of the human body, apprentices himself to a Tama River Robinson Crusoe who actually lives on a riverbed. The film depicts the completion of a mobile house for only $260.00 in materials.



LESSON OF THE EVIL – S.F. PREMIERE!!!
Saturday, July 27th, 4:20pm & Tuesday, July 30th, 7:00pm 
Directed by Takashi Miike, Lesson of the Evil is a twisted psycho thriller based on a bestseller novel by Yusuke Kishi. Hasumi is a popular teacher among students at Shinko Academy, a private high school, and well respected by the faculty and the PTA. However, a student named Reika feels something menacing lurking beneath his shining reputation. While Hasumi brilliantly solves one problem after another, from a teacher-student sexual harassment to group cheating to bulling, he starts to take control of the school. As the problems go away, Reika becomes uneasy about the way they are solved. Tsurii, an unpopular teacher in the school, despises the popular Hasumi and starts investigating Hasumi's past and discovers that Hasumi is a real psycho.


LIBRARY WARS - U.S. PREMIERE!!!
Friday, August 2nd, 7:00pm & Saturday, August 3rd, 1:10pm 
** Featuring special in-person appearance by Director Shinsuke Sato
Library Wars is based on the bestselling novel and manga series by Hiro Arikawa. Set in the year 2019 in Japan, a new law is passed to crack down on free expression, which allows for the government to create an armed force to find and destroy objectionable printed material. Meanwhile, to oppose this oppressive crackdown, the Library Force is created. The Library Force includes instructor Atsushi Dojo (Junichi Okada) and Iku Kasahara (Nana Eikura), who work to protect the libraries. A fierce battle soon ensues between these two groups.

PLATNUM DATA - U.S. PREMIERE!!!
Thursday, August 1st, 7:00pm & Saturday, August 3rd, 7:00pm
J-Pop artist Kazunari Ninomiya (Gantz, Oscar –nominated for Letters from Iwo Jima), stars in Platinum Data, the biggest film to be released n Japan in 2013 and directed by Keishi Ohtomo (Rurouni Kenshin). Ryuheo Kagura (Kazunari Ninomiya) is an exceptional scientist working at the National Police Agency's Special Analysis Research Institute. After solving series of complex criminal cases, he is assigned to investigate the murders of several people connected to the newly developed DNA forensics. Yet, when the faint trace of evidence left at the scene is analyzed through the DNA forensic system, it identifies himself as the offender. With no such memory, he decides to flee and the pursuer becomes the pursued. Is Kagura guilty or innocent? Should he trust in science, or in himself? Does he represent hope for humanity or despair? Platinum Data holds the key…

RUROUNI KENSHIN - S.F. PREMIERE!!!
Sunday, July 28th, 6:30pm & Thursday, August 1st, 4:00pm
A new live-action film adaptation of creator Nobuhiro Watsuki 's samurai manga that has sold over 57 million copies, been translated in 23 countries, and also inspired a popular animated series. Rurouni Kenshin follows the adventures of a slight and mild-mannered young man who was once an assassin working for anti-Shogunate forces but vows to abandon killing following Meiji revolution in Japan, and devotes his sword-wielding talents to helping others. 

SPACE BATTLESHIP YAMATO – WEST COAST PREMIERE!!!
Sunday, August 4th, 3:20pm
A stunning live-action adaptation of the famed space opera originally created by Leiji Matsumoto that laid the foundation for the entire Japanese science fiction anime genre. A brave young crew journeys into space on a fateful trip to save the human race as it teeters on the brink of extinction. Five years have passed since the alien Gamilas first began assaulting Earth with radiation bombs in 2194. Most of the human race is now gone. Susumu Kodai (Takuya Kimura) joins other survivors of the Earth Defense Force in the mighty Space Battleship Yamato in search of a device that can restore the devastated planet. Although director Takashi Yamazaki first gained prominence with his heartwarming film, Always: Sunset on Third Street, his background is in science fiction and his talents for VFX shine in this acclaimed film based on one of Japan’s greatest sci-fi properties. 

NEW PEOPLE Cinema is a 143-seat cinema located in the underground floor of NEW PEOPLE in San Francisco. Equipped with a cutting-edge HD digital projection and THX®-certified sound system, NEW PEOPLE Cinema is home for local film festivals and entertaining events. www.newpeoplecinema.com

42 Review



He's one of the most iconic figures in all of baseball. It's one of the most important moments in Civil Rights. It's one legendary story and now Jackie Robinson story is a featured film in "42". The film stars Chadwick Boseman as Jackie Robinson and Harrison Ford as Branch Rickey. Is this biopic a grand slam or is it a strike three for this film?

Synopsis - The life story of Jackie Robinson and his history-making signing with the Brooklyn Dodgers under the guidance of team executive Branch Rickey.

Story - Hollywood is taking a different route when it comes to biopics these days. Gone are the three hour to four hour films that depicts the subject of the story from birth to death, or to a certain point of their lives. Now we focus on one key time period or element of the person. In "42"the film focus of Jackie Robinson's early beginnings in baseball, from his move from the negro leagues, to the Brooklyn Dodgers. The story does a great job on focusing on the impact Jackie Robinson made in the league at the time. It was a time of segregation and blacks didn't have equal rights as whites. Everything was separate from shopping places, bathrooms, hotels and many more, even sports had it's own divisions from the negro leagues and the major leagues. Enter Branch Rickey the executive of the Brooklyn Dodgers who wants to shake things up a little, by including a black player in the national league. Of course bringing Robinson into the majors will not be taken lightly by the league, players and parts of America in general. The film does a great job on showing the adversity and pressure that Robinson had to endure. However I would say the film took his adversity in the lightest of tones. The most brutal you will see is Robinson being insulted by Ben Chapman manager of the Philadelphia Phillies, and getting beamed with a baseball. The movie doesn't get too intense with the racism, instead it focuses on the impact Robinson made in the game and the community in general. This works because the film can be seen by all ages, it's not too intense for the kids to get a history lesson, and it's not too intense to make you feel really uneasy. The film does suffer a little bit of under develop characters like Robinson's wife, who plays a key role in his life, but yet you don't really know much about her. She is just there to be the moral compass and keep him from losing it. Overall the story nails it out of the park for what it is going for and it does the great legend justice.

Acting - The acting is great from everyone in the entire cast. Chadwick Boseman gives a breakout performance nailing Robinson down. Chadwick nails the mannerism and personality of Robinson on and off the field. He has wit, charm and even some funny moments that does justice to Jackie Robinson. The show stealer however will be Harrison Ford who is at his best in years as Branch Rickey. There are times you forget that it's Harrison Ford on screen and only see Branch Rickey. Ford is phenomenal, he's inspirational, witty and truly shows that he can still pull out an award winning performance. Another must watch performance is Alan Tudky as Ben Chapman. He's only in a couple of scenes and he delivers a performance that makes you really makes you cheer for Jackie. He plays the antagonist so well that you forget that Alan Tudky is such a likable guy. Overall the acting is worthy of praise and hopefully won't be forgotten when next year's Oscars comes. 

Music & Film-Making - The music is your standard inspirational score that you would see in a biopic. It pulls at your emotions at the right time to get you invested more into the story. The score is nothing special and there really wasn't much stand out tracks, it's your basic generic biopic inspirational score. The film however is directed greatly by Brian Helgeland who serves as writer and director. He made sure to stay true the 1940's era with vehicles, music and location. There film looks beautiful and true to the time frame and Helgeland did a great job showcasing it.

Final Thoughts - "42" is one of the best movies so far in 2013. It has charm, inspirational tones and tells the story of one of the greatest iconic figures in baseball, it does tone down on the racism that Jackie Robinson really faced, but it shows enough for you to understand the pressure and adversity he had to endure. The film has amazing performances which is sure to earn some nominations during award season. Overall this movie has is a home run and does the legend justice.





Man Of Steel Trailer #2

The new Man Of Steel trailer is finally out and wow is the only words I can think of. I was skeptical about a more realistic Superman but this Nolan take on the character looks awesome. Zack Synder at the helm looks really epic so far. The story is more emotional and grounded Superman. Check out the new trailer. 





After Earth Trailer

"After Earth" is the new Will Smith movie with his son Jaden Smith and it's directed by M. Night Shyamalan. The trailer didn't really scream out must see for me, however it does have some interesting set pieces and with Shyamalan at the helm there is bound to be a twist at the end. Check out the trailer for yourself. 

One thousand years after cataclysmic events forced humanity's escape from Earth, Nova Prime has become mankind's new home. Legendary General Cypher Raige returns from an extended tour of duty to his estranged family, ready to be a father to his 13-year-old son, Kitai. When an asteroid storm damages Cypher and Kitai's craft, they crash-land on a now unfamiliar and dangerous Earth. As his father lies dying in the cockpit, Kitai must trek across the hostile terrain to recover their rescue beacon. His whole life, Kitai has wanted nothing more than to be a soldier like his father. 


Rumor: Darkseid To Be The Villain In Justice League Movie

Boy! I tell ya the Justice League rumors do not stop. The latest rumor is a big one and if it turns out to be true, fans will be cheering or sobbing. According to Latino-Review (http://latino-review.com/2012/12/03/exclusive-bad-guy-justice-league/) Darkseid will be the villain for the J.L. movie. Of course this purely just a rumor, since the movie has no director, no cast and not even a finish script. However if down the line we do find out that Darkseid is the villain then I' am with the sobbing side. Mainly because of a villain of Darkseid's stature should be used in a second movie. I'm pretty sure the Justice League can battle the Legion Of Doom (Injustice League) first and then have Darkseid later. Either way I feel there should be a build up to Darkseid, and he shouldn't just appear like hey I'm here to destroy. Lucky for me this is just a rumor. What do you think?