Another so-so slate of DVD releases is enlivened by some strong anime entries including Eden of the East, one of the best anime discs of 2011 so far, plus the TV on DVD category includes the Adult Swim’s anarchic Venture Bros., and one of the best evocations of WW II aerial combat ever, plus there's a grindhouse double feature from the 1970s and some of the Gipper’s unheralded, but thoroughly enjoyable “B” movie efforts from the 1930s.

 

 

There are a lot of interesting anime releases this week including Eden of the East Movie 1: King of Eden (Funimation, 85 min., $29.95, BD $34.98). Written and directed by Kenji Kamiyama (Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex) and produced by Production I.G., Eden of the East is one of the most interesting anime releases of the year so far—a property that thankfully is not based on a silly video game or suffused with kitschy cuteness. While its “Bourne Identity” plotline is not terribly original, Eden of the East benefits from excellent background art, superb character designs by Chica Umino (Honey and Clover), and very likable characters. After an 11-episode TV East of Eden TV anime aired in early 2009, Production I.G. decided to create two anime movies instead of a second season, and King of Eden is the first of these movies.

 

Also out on Blu-ray this week is the single-disc Kurokami Part 6 (Bandai, “13+,” 100 min., $24.98), which contains the final four episodes the 25-episode series based on the Japanese/Korean manga series published here by Yen Press.

 

Other new (to North America) releases out on Tuesday include Bleach Box Set 8 (Viz Media, “13+,” 300 min., $49.95), which collects 13 more episodes of the popular supernatural saga that airs on the Cartoon Network, and Ghost Sweeper Mikami Collection 3 (Sentai Filmworks, “13+,” 275 min., $49.98), the third of four installments of the vintage 1993-94 anime series from Toei Animation.

 

Mention should also be made of The Melancholy of Haruhi-chan Suzumiya & Nyoron! Churuya-san! Part 1 (Bandai, “13+,” 66 min., $24.98), which contains a number of comedic shorts based on fan-created 4-panel strips (yonkoma), which feature short, ultra-cute versions of the Haruhi cast.

 

New re-priced bargain sets out this week include Code Geass: Lelouch of the Rebellion The Complete First Season (Bandai, “13+,” 625 min., $49.98), Darker Than Black Season 1 Complete (Funimation, “17+,” 625 min., $49.98), Kenichi: The Mightiest Disciple Season 2 Complete Set (Funimation, “13+,” 550 min., $59.98), Rin: Daughters of Mnemosyne Complete Series(Funimation, “17+,” 300 min., $49.98), and Shiguri: Death Frenzy Complete Series(Funimation, “17+,” 300 min., $29.95, BD $49.98).

 

 

It’s quite a collection of misfires this week, and the amount of talent involved in these cinematic cubic zirconiums makes it even more surprising. The closest thing to a financial success on this week's slate is the live-action Yogi Bear (Warner Bros., “PG,” $28.98, BD Combo $35.99, 3D BD $44.98), which in spite of just earning a 15% positive rating on Rotten Tomatoes and being constantly berated by critics as “'dumber' than the average bear movie,” earned $198 million worldwide.

 

The Tourist (Sony, “PG-13,” $29.98, BD $38.98) features Johnny Depp and Angelina Jolie in an international thriller shot in picturesque Venice by Florian von Donnersmarck, the director of the Academy Award-winning The Eyes of Others.  Don’t be put off by the lowly 20% positive rating for this film on Rotten Tomatoes, viewers who enjoy lighthearted Hitchcockian romps like North by Northwest and To Catch a Thief will like this classically-made thriller.

 

How Do You Know (Sony, “PG-13,” $28.95, BD $34.95) is a generically-titled romantic comedy from director James L. Brooks (As Good As It Gets) that isn’t as bad as the critics might lead you to believe (only 30% positive on Rotten Tomatoes), but like a number of contemporary romcoms, How Do You Know leans to the bland side of the spectrum and largely wastes the efforts of its excellent cast that includes Paul Rudd, Reese Witherspoon, Jack Nicholson, and Owen Wilson.

 

Skyline (Universal, “PG-13,” $29.98, BD $39.98) is an interesting low-budget science fiction film from the directing team of Colin and Greg Srause. Like another modern low budget SF action film District 9, the visual effects in Skyline are surprisingly good. Unlike District 9 however, Skyline’s story and acting don’t really measure up—still most science fiction fans will still probably want to check  out this film, and the brothers Strause could be positioned for better things in the future.

 

 

Producer/director Roger Corman has few peers when it comes to exploitation films. Jackson County Jail/Caged Heat (Shout! Factory, “R” $19.95) is a women-in-prison double feature that includes two grindhouse classics from the 1970s.  Jackson County Jail, which was released in 1976, has an excellent cast including Yvette Mimieux as a well-off advertising executive whose cross-country trip end disastrously in a decrepit southern jail where she tries a breakout with the help of a fellow prisoner played by a young Tommy Lee Jones. Caged Heat, which debuted in 1974, was directed by Jonathan Demme (Silence of the Lambs) and features a sultry cast that includes horror movie queen Barbara Steele. Caged Heat also sports a score by John Cale that features some excellent guitar playing by Mike Bloomfield (Butterfield Blues Band, Electric Flag).

 

Ronald Reagan was a lot better actor (and maybe not quite as great a President) than people give him credit for as can be seen in Brass Bancroft of the Secret Services Mysteries Collection (Warner Bros., $26.99), a great collection four action-packed “B” movies from the 1930s that star Reagan as Secret Service agent Brass Bancroft. Anyone who likes fast-paced B action movies or 1930s movie serials will love this collection rescued from deep within the vaults of Warner Bros. This two-disc set is manufactured-on-demand using DVD-R discs, which may not perform on computers and some DVD players, but should be good-to-go on most.  With costs for mounting a DVD release mounting and DVD sales slipping, manufacturing-on-demand is becoming an increasingly important way for studios to release vintage movies that may only have limited cult appeal.