Ultraman on DVD!

The original Ultraman series is out on DVD! All the reviews I've read (IGN, DVD Verdict) praise it! With both the original Japanese and long-lost English dubs, you can finally have your cake and eat it too. These also are the uncut (or more aptly uneditted) version from Japan. While this probably means that Chaiyo's getting a cut of the profits, I can't express how cool it is for this to finally be out.

Rumors are also hinting that Tsuburaya is considering releasing an official Region 1 release of Ultraman the Next movie, hopefully with extras! And if sales are good, Ultraman Max and Nexus will follow! Please support the Ultras and help bring them back to the States. Tokyo Shock/Media Blasters is the perfect candidate for Tsuburaya, am I right?

More Superman Returns Figure Reviews

Oh, I also forgot to mention another review, this one of "Missile Launching" Lex Luthor and "Solar Flare" Superman. They look like they're one of Mattel's better figures..

遅延のために残念

(I hope that translated correcly...)

Oh, hello. Just playing with a translation widget. Apologizes for no updates. It seems like I don't any free time to endulge the blog, but luckily I have no social life, so here I am. Kudos to Grant Morrison for winning Eisner Awards for Seven Soldiers and All-Star Superman. While Astonishing X-Men never blew my socks off, John Cassady does deserve an award, though it should be for Planetary...

Let's see anything else I miss? Batman 2: The Dark Knight. Heath Ledger as the Joker. Spidey 3 super cool. I think that covers it.

Superman Returns Review

Okay, the movie's out, but is it good? Yes. For the most part. I know that director Bryan Singer is a big fan of the original Donner film, so I expected one or two homages, but there's a lot more similarities that I thought. Even to the degree that some may just want to call this a remake of the original, rather than a sequel.

The cast is one of the stronger elements of the film. Brandon Routh is believable as Superman and as Clark Kent, though I don't think he'll top Christopher Reeve in the hearts of many, again this due to the fact that Routh plays Kent/Superman too close to the way that Reeve did it. If he added more of his own spin, then he might have done an even better job. Kevin Spacey does another great job as the villain, combining charm and twisted anger. Unfortunately, his character is too isolated from everyone else and only has one major scene with Lois and one scene with Superman. The new Lois Lane is okay, but she seems too cold or reserved. Also, I'm older than her, and I'm not even 25.



Two actors deserve acknowledgement: Parker Posey and James Marsden. She's funny; he's sympathetic; and they're both in the movie more than I thought they'd be. Posey provides a more three dimensional Girl Friday to Spacey's Luthor, but she doesn't do anything in the last hour except to look guilty. Marsden, at least, gets to help rescue Lois... and Superman.

The second strongest element is the special effects. All 250 million dollars worth. Breathtaking and spectacular, especially the plane disaster in the first hour of the film. Also, I thought it would worth noting that each of Superman's powers, including heat vision and super breath, are used in this film.

There are only little things that bother me with this film. The beginning jumps around too much, and the last 30 minutes drag on for too long. John Ottman gives us another compelling score, using John Williams' themes, but should have focused on editing the film. It's too long. Seriously, it's too long. Also, there's the kid. Not as annoying as I thought, but he's just an ugly continunity problem waiting to happen.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that it's an entertaining film, but it had dared to get out of the shadow of the Donner film, it could have be, well, super. B