Icons of Sci-Fi: Toho Collection (Battle for Outer Space, H-Man, and Mothra). Of these three films, I have only seen Mothra, but I would like to check out the others. Toho is a legendary studio, most famous for their Godzilla films, this set showcases some of their other entries in the science fiction genre.
The Last Starfighter: 25th Anniversary Edition (also Blu-ray). This release was very nearly my pick for this week. I really like this film, and even though it feels a bit dated now, I still have a lot of affection for it. I can also see it being reimagined for today rather successfully. The film features a teen who is a great at a video game, which is actually a test for potential pilots in an interstellar war. Great stuff, it has certainly been a while.
The Last House on the Left (also Blu-ray). This remake is fantastic. It is mean, nasty, and doesn't pull any punches. This will hit you in the gut, drag you around for a while, and then spit you out into the night. The original may have a grittier edge, but there is something to be said for this new take and its ability to disturb. The movie is essentially a revenge film that finds group of nasty dudes commiting terrible atrocities upon a couple of teen girls, and then the subsequent actions by one of the girl's parents. Garrett Dillahunt can be one creepy fellow!
Eli Stone: The Complete Second Season. Sadly, this series has been canceled. I liked it, I liked the idea of faith and a higher power being dealt with in a weekly series, and one that did not immediately belittle the idea. It was well acted and told interesting stories. I would have liked to have seen where it would go. At least we have the DVDs to revisit.
Dirty Sexy Money: The Complete and Final Second Season. Never a great series, but definitely an entertaining one. This is another show I am sad to see leave the air too soon. Sure, it was the stuff of soap operas, but the characters were interesting and I liked watching the actors dig into the roles. It is a show that went inside the lives of a ridiculously wealthy New York family and the son of the family's deceased (murdered?) father who steps into the vacated position.
Surveillance (also Blu-ray). Like Rashomon, only with a distinctly lower target. This movie has a couple of FBI agents investigating some brutal murders, and their witnesses all give different accounts that must be pieced together.
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