Fans of Studio Ghibli will be able to explore the world of ‘My Neighbor Totoro’ within a theme park set to open in early 2020. Continue reading
Studio Ghibli’s Beloved MY NEIGHBOR TOTORO to Get Theme Park Treatment
Tag Archives: My Neighbor Totoro
Fathom Brings Studio Ghibli Classics Back to the Big Screen
‘Spirited Away,’ ‘Howl’s Moving Castle,’ and more Studio Ghibli classics will be returning to the big screen for a summer movie fest hosted by GKIDS and Fathom Events. Continue reading
Now Available to Own: The Man from U.N.C.L.E., Hayao Miyazaki Collection, and Battle of the Five Armies Extended Edition
Brace your bank accounts, it’s time to see what’s Now Available to Own for the week of November 17, 2015. Every Tuesday we run down new movie and television releases that you can enjoy in the comfort of your own home, as well as some slick deals that can help save you some coin. New on shelves this week are The Man from U.N.C.L.E., The Collected Works of Hayao Miyazaki, and The Hobbit: Battle of the Five Armies Extended Edition, and more.
Source: Tumblr
Movies on Blu-ray
The Man from U.N.C.L.E. (Guy Ritchie) Rated PG-13 [116 min] – In the early 1960s, CIA agent Napoleon Solo and KGB operative Illya Kuryakin participate in a joint mission against a mysterious criminal organization, which is working to proliferate nuclear weapons. Starring Henry Cavill, Armie Hammer, Alicia Vikander, and Elizabeth Debicki
In its attempt to bring back the sexy spy genre, The Man from U.N.C.L.E. succeeds to some degree thanks to Guy Ritchie’s filmmaking style. The cast is beautiful and the locations are extravagant, but the characterization and the plot are lukewarm. The Blu-ray is host to a decent amount of special features that if you liked this movie you’d be enamored not to fall in love with the behind the scenes process.
Special features include:
- Spy Vision: Recreating ’60s Cool
- A Higher Class Of Hero
- Metisse Motorcycles: Proper-And Very British
- The Guys from U.N.C.L.E.
- A Man of Extraordinary Talents
- U.N.C.L.E: On-Set Spy
The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies [Extended Edition] (Peter Jackson) Rated PG-13 [144 min] – The Company of Thorin has reached Smaug’s lair; but can Bilbo and the Dwarves reclaim Erebor and the treasure? And, if so, can they hold on to it? Starring Martin Freeman, Lee Pace, Benedict Cumberbatch, Richard Armitage, and Evangeline Lilly
I’m sure most who love everything Middleearth know by now to wait for the Extended Editions. They never lack in awesome special features and the additional scenes always prove to add more value in the story. However, including additional scenes to the already bloated Hobbit franchise enacts the opposite effect. The additional scenes bring hardly anything we couldn’t have already gained through the story itself and makes the experience even worse since the film itself is quite terrible. My glimmer of hope that the extra scenes may improve the story, but sadly they did not. If you do want this film, the special features are abundantly thorough and give good insights into the chaos of The Battle of the Five Armies.
Special features include:
- Commentary with director/producer/writer Peter Jackson and co-producer/writer Philippa Boyens
- The Appendices – The Appendices Parts XI and XII showcase a chronological history of the filming of The Battle of the Five Armies, documenting the work done on set chronologically through the three shooting blocks and in the world of its digital effects.
- New Zealand: Home of Middle-earth – Part 3
The Collected Works Of Hayao Miyazaki – Disney presents, for the first time, all 11 of Miyazaki’s feature-length masterpieces in one spectacular 12-disc collection available on Blu-ray Exclusively via Amazon.com. Experience the majestic works of one of the most celebrated filmmakers in the history of animated cinema. Hayao Miyazaki weaves his unique style of artistry and epic adventure into astonishing tales of triumph, bursting with imagination and wonder.
Unfortunately I was not able to get my paws on this to review, but I think it’s still worth mentioning if you are a fan of Studio Ghibli like me. I think the price point, $215 on sale, is wildly too high compared to many box sets I’ve seen. Not including the collectible booklet or the packaging, if you’re putting a value on the set based on the movies alone they’re almost $20 per movie, which is what each Ghibli film typically sells for on sale. I’d wait until it price drops down to a more reasonable level.
Content and special features include:
- Lupin the Third: The Castle of Cagliostro (1979)
- Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind (1984)
- Castle in the Sky (1986)
- My Neighbor Totoro (1988)
- Kiki’s Delivery Service (1989)
- Porco Rosso (1992)
- Princess Mononoke (1997)
- Spirited Away (2001)
- Howl’s Moving Castle (2004)
- Ponyo (2008/2009)
- The Wind Rises (2013)
- Yuki no Taiyo ( Yuki’s Sun) – A 1972 TV pilot based on an original manga by Tetsuya Chiba, directed by Hayao Miyazaki who was also in charge of storyboards and key animation.
- Akado Suzunosuke ( Little Samurai) – Three episodes (Episode 26, 27 & 41) of the hit 1972 anime series with storyboarding and more by Hayao Miyazaki.
- Director Hayao Miyazaki Retirement Press Conference, Uncut Version
Blu-Ray Deals and Steals
- John Wick – $8
- Men In Black Trilogy – $15
- The Hunger Games: Catching Fire – $8
- Divergent – $8
- Orphan Black (Season 1) – $14.99
- A Most Violent Year – $8
- Paddington – $9.99
- The: The Complete Series – $89.99
- Maleficent – $14.99
- Christmas Vacation – $7.99
- Elf – $7.99
- Blue Jasmine – $6.99
- Batman: The Motion Picture Anthology – $24.99
All prices from Amazon.com. Best Buy, Frys, and Target all price match online prices.
What will you be taking home this week? Tell us in the comments section below!
All plot synopses come courtesy of IMDb.com
Image source: flickeringmyth
Coming Soon to Blu-Ray and DVD: The Collected Works of Hayao Miyazaki and More
While we provide you with a list of available new releases Now Available to Own every Tuesday, Coming Soon to Blu-ray and DVD looks at all of the recent home video announcements. For the week of August 1, 2015 we have The Collected Works of Hayao Miyazaki, Results, Little House on the Prairier, and more. Find out when they’ll be out and what special features movie fans can expect below.
Available on Blu-ray November 17
Disney presents for the first time The Collected Works Of Hayao Miyazaki, including all 11 of Miyazaki’s feature-length masterpieces in one spectacular 12-disc collection available on Blu-ray Exclusively via Amazon.com. Experience the majestic works of one of the most celebrated filmmakers in the history of animated cinema. Hayao Miyazaki weaves his unique style of artistry and epic adventure into astonishing tales of triumph, bursting with imagination and wonder.
Content and special features include:
- Lupin the Third: The Castle of Cagliostro (1979)
- Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind (1984)
- Castle in the Sky (1986)
- My Neighbor Totoro (1988)
- Kiki’s Delivery Service (1989)
- Porco Rosso (1992)
- Princess Mononoke (1997)
- Spirited Away (2001)
- Howl’s Moving Castle (2004)
- Ponyo (2008/2009)
- The Wind Rises (2013)
- Yuki no Taiyo ( Yuki’s Sun) – A 1972 TV pilot based on an original manga by Tetsuya Chiba, directed by Hayao Miyazaki who was also in charge of storyboards and key animation.
- Akado Suzunosuke ( Little Samurai) – Three episodes (Episode 26, 27 & 41) of the hit 1972 anime series with storyboarding and more by Hayao Miyazaki.
- Director Hayao Miyazaki Retirement Press Conference, Uncut Version
Available on Blu-ray, DVD, and Digital HD September 22
Results (Andrew Bujalski) Rated R [105 min] – Two mismatched personal trainers’ lives are upended by the actions of a new, wealthy client. Starring Guy Pearce, Cobie Smulders, Kevin Corrigan, and Giovanni Ribisi
No special features listed at this time
Available on DVD October 6
Little House on the Prairie: The Complete Series (Blanche Hanalis) Rated TV-PG [60 min] – The life and adventures of the Ingalls family in the 19th century American West. Starring Melissa Gilbert, Michael Landon, Lindsay Greenbush, Sidney Greebush, Karen Grassle, and Melissa Sue Anderson
Special features include:
- Pilot Movie
- Original Screen Test featuring Michael Landon and Melissa Gilbert
- Six-Part “The ‘Little House’ Phenomenon” Documentary
- “The ‘Little House’ Phenomenon: Part One – A Place in Television History”
- “The ‘Little House’ Phenomenon: Part Two – In the Beginning…”
- “The ‘Little House’ Phenomenon: Part Three – Casting Walnut Grove”
- “The ‘Little House’ Phenomenon: Part Four – A Day in the Life of ‘Little House'”
- “The ‘Little House’ Phenomenon: Part Five – Stories to Remember”
- “The ‘Little House’ Phenomenon: Part Six – A Lasting Legacy”
- “Look Back to Yesterday” Movie Special
- “Bless All the Dear Children” Movie Special
- “The Last Farewell” Movie Special
Available on Blu-ray, DVD, and Digital HD September 8
American Heist (Sarik Andreasyan) Rated R [94 min] – James owes his life to his older brother, Frankie after taking the rap for a crime they committed together. While Frankie served time, James worked to turn his life around, got a steady job and began courting his former girlfriend Emily. Now, Frankie is released and back on the streets with no money and no place to go. Starring Hayden Christensen, Adrien Brody, and Jordana Brewster
Special features include:
- “Creating a Complex Caper: Pulling off American Heist” featurette
Available on DVD and Digital HD October 6
What We Did on Our Holiday (Andy Hamilton and Guy Jenkin) Rated PG-13 [95 min] – Doug and Abi take their kids on a family vacation. Surrounded by relatives, the kids innocently reveal the ins and outs of their family life and many intimate details about their parents. It’s soon clear that when it comes to keeping a big secret under wraps from the rest of the family, their children are their biggest liability. Starring Rosamund Pike, David Tennant, and Billy Connolly
Special features include:
- Audio Commentary with Directors Andy Hamilton and Guy Jenkin
- “Creating Dysfunction: Making What We Did on Our Holiday” featurette
- Deleted Scenes
Available on DVD and Digital HD October 6
The Target (Chang) Rated R [98 min] – An ER doctor teams up with an assassination target to rescue his wife, held hostage by corrupt criminals and, in the process, uncovers a conspiracy. Starring Seung-ryong Ryu, Joon-sang Yoo, and Jin-wook Lee
No special features listed at this time
Available on DVD October 6
Ducky Dynasty: The Complete Eighth Season (Deirdre Gurney) Rated TV-PG [60 min] – Follows a wealthy Louisiana family known for their successful duck-hunting business. Starring Willie Robertson, Jase Robertson, and Si Robertson
Special features include:
- Never-Before-Seen-on-TV Bonus Features
Available on Blu-ray, DVD, and Digital HD October 6
Blood and Glory: The Civil War in Color (History Channel Miniseries) Unrated [84 min] – Blood and Glory commemorates one of the most defining moments in American history, one which tore the nation apart, pitting North against South and brother vs. brother. Over the course of four years, more than 750,000 military and civilian lives were sacrificed to make the United States a more perfect union. Using state-of-the-art technology to colorize 500 rare black-and-white photographs, and unprecedented access to government and private archives, Blood and Glory: The Civil War in Color brings the emotional stories of these brave men vibrantly to life. Narrated by Robert Clotworthy
Special features include:
- “Davis is Chosen to Lead” featurette
- “A Call to Arms” featurette
- “Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation” featurette
- “The H.L. Hunley Death Trap” featurette
- “Sherman’s March to Savannah” featurette
- “Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address” featurette
- “Lee’s Reluctant Surrender” featurette
- “African Americans After the War” featurette
And that’s it for this week. What are you looking forward to picking up when they release?
Stay tuned for more Blu-Ray and DVD announcements every Saturday.
All plot synopses courtesy of IMDb.com
Click here for more home video announcements
Comic-Con 2014: Geek Chic Rules the Catwalk at the Her Universe Fashion Show
This year at San Diego Comic Con, Her Universe, in collaboration with Nerdist and Hot Topic, stepped onto the runway to reveal brand new licensed apparel, while also presenting fans 36 designers competing with their own “geek couture” fashions for the chance to co-design a collection with Ashley Eckstein for Hot Topic. Hit the jump to see the designs and find out who won the first Her Universe Fashion Show. Continue reading
Dallas Comic Con 2014 Cosplay Photo Gallery
The ever amazing attendees of Dallas Comic Con 2014 braved the Texas heat and humidity this past weekend to show off their amazing skills and talent at crafting the perfect cosplay. Fans from across the great plains of Texas and beyond came dressed to the nines in their favorite movie, video games, comic, anime, and TV show characters. Check out the full Dallas Comic Con 2014 cosplay gallery after the break. Continue reading
WonderCon 2014 Cosplay Photo Gallery
The valiant attendees of WonderCon 2014 arrived to Anaheim, CA in a spectacular display of cosplay this past Easter weekend. No genre or medium was left unturned as cosplayers from far and wide proved their fandom to the fullest. From Doctor Who to Adventure Time to Assassin’s Creed to Star Wars, WonderCon 2014 was a great weekend to be a cosplayer. Check out the full gallery of over 200 images after the break. Continue reading
Studio Ghibli 14-Film Retrospective Hits Los Angeles
If you are a film geek like myself then you have probably partaken in the viewing of at least one Hayao Miyazaki film or any of the wonderful features that Studio Ghibli has to offer. Due to the popular success in New York, children’s entertainment distributor, GKIDS, is proud to bring Los Angeles an 18-year retrospective of 14-classic Studio Ghibli films from 1984-2002. Some of these hits include: Howl’s Moving Castle, Princess Mononoke and the Academy Award winning best animated feature Spirited Away. Did I mention it starts Today! Continue reading
Neato: Animation Color Wheel
You meet a lot of strange and colorful individuals through all different kinds of animated features and shows. The genius minds over at Slate.com decided to create an amazing spectrum of color utilizing various different animated characters throughout time in honor of The Smurfs releasing this past weekend. There are so many iconic figures in this wheel that it brings way too much nostalgia that I might strike a tear. Doubtful since I removed my tear ducts in a surgery last fall. Click on the image above to enlarge!
