Monday Update: Part One

Another Monday has arrived, but the Ox is in a very good mood for several reasons. Firstly, he gets to go see his parents and siblings for the Merdeka weekend. Secondly, he had a very good weekend. And thirdly, he managed to snag several good DVD releases yesterday (but he's not telling where, for obvious reasons), as well as watch them. I confess I went a bit mad yesterday evening, as it's been a long long wait to get these DVDs. Thankfully, they were worth every minute. So here's a rundown of what I got:

La Femme Nikita (dir. Luc Besson)
This precursor to the quite popular and stylish TV series (starrring the lovely Peta Wilson, also appearing in LXG) is worth a watch to anyone who's a fan of Luc Besson's distinctive directorial style. This French only release stars Anne Parillaud as Nikita, who commits murder while on a drunken night out. Apprehended by the government, she is then given over to a special agency to train her as an asassin. Tcheky Karyo (Kiss of the Dragon) plays her handler, who tells her that Nikita is dead, and she will have to carry out assasination missions to pay her country back for what she did. Jean Reno (another Besson staple) also makes an entrance here. How can I describe it? Stylish, high octane action, with plenty of human sentiment and passion. Like Reno in Leon (The Professional), Luc Besson is not afraid to show the internal struggles and desires faced by the hero/heroine. Where Leon just wants to have a normal life outside of killing, Nikita has to, in order to atone for her sins. I'd recommend this DVD gladly to any action fan. Even better, get a copy of Leon, and watch them together for an interesting study into the mind of an asassin. Again, highly recommended.

Finding Nemo (dir. Andrew Stanton, Lee Unkrich)
Do I really need to explain? Not having caught the movie during its cinema run, the DVD is chock full of extras, and the visuals are wonderful, thanks to a direct digital transfer by Pixar. It's a simple story of love and letting go, and I absolutely recommend this one withouf reservations. Go ahead. I know 60 year olds who love it. I may be getting the 2-disc special edition as well later.

The Cat Returns (dir. Hayao Miyazaki)
Oh my God. It seems the geniuses at Studio Ghibli have done it again. If you're a cat lover read on, please. If you just like good animation, also read on. This animated feature tells the tale of a girl called Haru, who dreams of escaping her clumsy, boring life..until one day she saves a cat from being run over by a truck, and her life is changed forever. The cat turns out to be the Prince of Cats, and (unknown to him) as a token of appreciation, his father spirits Haru away into the Cat Kingdom, to be married to his son. Luckily, Haru is befriended by Muta (a grumpy fat white cat), Baron Humbert (a swashbuckling cat-type hero) and Toto (a crow-gargoyle). Together, they work to save Haru from the mad King and get her back home...and Haru also learns a thing or two about acceptance, and herself. BTW, if you're reading this and think it's silly for a grown up man to be raving about a "cartoon ", I suggest you stop and go here. The animation is simple, but effective. Little touches of CGI (ala Princess Mononoke) were added, but the bulk of the story is presented using traditional techniques. Miyazaki's team has proven yet again that it is the story and soul of a movie that makes it special. I recently bought a bumper DVD release from Ghibli (original) with 11 of Miyazaki's best work, and a short prequel to this movie, Whisper of the Heart inspired me to look for this one. In case you haven't gotten the message yet, look for it, please.

Identity (dir. James Mangold)
I haven't had an opportunity to watch this one yet, but it's been on my want list for a couple of months already. All the reviews I've read refer to is as an effective, gripping murder mystery. Now add in names like John Cusack (America's Sweethearts), Ray Liotta and Alfred Molina (among others) and I'm definitely hooked. I'll be watching it in the next few days, so expect a review coming soon.

Other noteworthy releases: I saw that the Taken box set is already available for purchase, and it looks like another title to be added to my want list. But first, I need to finish Band Of Brothers. Have been sitting on it too long...hehehe.

Well, that's all for Part One of Monday Updates! Check back for more later!