Anime
Blood: The Last Vampire
2000, Manga
Director Hiroyuki Kitakubo's taut thriller revolves around a group of vampires
hidden inside a Japanese air base used by the U.S. Air Force. It's the eve of
the Vietnam War and a team of secret agents are dispatched to destroy the vampires.
A young woman emerges as the U.S. military's secret weapon. Saya (voice of Youki
Kudoh) is the last original vampire, and her task is to destroy these rebel bloodsuckers.
Blood: The Last Vampire's rapid-fire action and creepy visuals push the envelope of digital animation. But the mysterious Saya remains the film's best asset. She's the type of tough heroine Hollywood seems incapable of creating on their own. (Grade: A)
Anime
Black Magic M66
Unrated
1987, Manga
An out-of-control, android assassin is the key villain in this collaborative feature
from two anime veterans. Masamune Shirow (Ghost in the Shell) brings a
taut screenplay and storyboards to Hiroyuki Kitakubo's (Blood: The Last Vampire)
credible characters and dazzling production designs.
Shirow and Kitakubo's co-directing efforts keep the sci-fi action moving fast and furiously in this tale about a young video journalist who tries to stop a killer android from killing its creator's granddaughter.
Black Magic M66 tells a story reminiscent of Philip K. Dick's Do
Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?, the story behind the film Blade Runner.
Still its shadowy style, simply drawn landscapes and believable characters
allows Black Magic M66 to stand on its own. (Grade: B)
DVD Debut
Dumbo
Unrated
1941, Disney
A tale about a tiny baby elephant and its giant-sized ears is bound to be cuddlier
than one of Disney's Brothers Grimm fairy tale adaptations. Released for the first
time on DVD, Dumbo continues to be as lovable as ever.
Timothy the Mouse, some smart-aleck crows and a circus train named Casey Junior provide plenty of comic support. Director Ben Sharpsteen pulls the emotional strings during the scenes between Mrs. Jumbo and her pint-sized baby. The believable friendship between Dumbo and Timothy the Mouse brings the film added warmth and feeling.
DVD bonuses include the animated shorts "Elmer the Elephant" as well as "The
Flying Mouse." There is a photo gallery of concept art and an exclusive look
at the production of Dumbo II.
Like all Disney tales, there is a message tucked inside Dumbo's stylish images and rich colors. Dumbo is about self-esteem, and that's a theme relevant to all age groups. (Grade: A)
And the rest
Ordinary People (Paramount), director Robert Redford's acclaimed adaptation of Judith Guest's tale about an affluent family's crisis over the unexpected death of a son, is a kindred spirit to classic melodramas and Douglas Sirk "weepies." Timothy Hutton earned an Oscar for his portrayal of the distraught, surviving son. Still, it's Mary Tyler Moore's cold-hearted mother who best captures the film's humanistic drama. ... Romantic folly and Demi Moore's curly blonde hairdo are the driving forces behind The Butcher's Wife (Paramount). Moore emphasizes a Southern drawl as a psychic who relocates to New York City with her butcher husband (George Dzundza). Jeff Daniels is the big-city psychiatrist who questions her extrasensory powers. Moore fails to convince us of her character's comic fate. The result is a comedy that gives us a deeper appreciation of Moore's dramatic performances and her natural brown hair. ... Bridging the gender gap is the core theme of the wannabe, screwball comedy He Said, She Said (Paramount). Ken Kwapis directs the segment told by journalist Dan Hanson's (Kevin Bacon) point of view. Co-director Marisa Silver is in charge of the half told by Hanson's newspaper colleague, Lorie Bryer (Elizabeth Perkins). Bacon captures the uncertainty of a Hanson's romantic aims. The underappreciated Perkins sparks as a career woman struggling to fulfill her emotional needs. Together, their performances almost make this tedious comedy watchable.
