Warchild

Languages: English, French

Subtitles: English, French

Comments: A New Adventure From the World of Jumanji

Summary: "Zathura", a smart and stylish kid's adventure, launches into action when Danny (Jonah Bobo) twists the key of a dusty science fiction game--a game that unleashes a localized meteor shower and wrenches Danny's house into orbit around a distant ringed planet, bringing Danny's brother Walter (Josh Hutcherson, "Kicking and Screaming") and sister Lisa (Kristen Stewart, "Panic Room") along. Soon a defective robot, a rangy astronaut (Dax Shepard, "Without a Paddle"), and an alien spaceship enter the picture. Only by completing the game can the kids return their house to its proper space-time coordinates, but the game board falls into the hands of some nasty, carnivorous lizards. "Zathura" has some obligatory emotional conflict and resolution between the two brothers, but that's pretty much beside the point; what makes "Zathura" a delight is the wonderful design, the skillful escalation of disasters, and the adroit direction of Jon Favreau ("Elf"), who is quickly becoming the go-to guy for mass-market movies with wit and timing. Some situations may be too intense for younger kids; Favreau ratchets up the suspense at a few points. Based on the book by Chris Van Allsburg ("Jumanji"). Also featuring Tim Robbins ("The Shawshank Redemption"). "--Bret Fetzer"

Comments: Zatôichi

Summary: Blind Zatoichi makes his living by gambling and giving massages. But behind his humble facade, Zatoichi is a master swordsman, gifted with lightning-fast draw and strokes of breathtaking precision. Zatoichi wanders into a town run by sinister gangs and a powerful samurai. He's destined for violent showdowns when he stumbles on two beautiful geishas avenging their parents' murder... Duels, wit and a touch of zen! Cult anti-hero Zatoichi is back in a sword-fighting adventure written, directed and starring Takeshi Kitano.

Languages: Japanese

Subtitles: English

Sound: MP3

Comments: Darkness is his ally [USA]

Summary: As the 26th installment in a popular film series that lasted 27 years, "Zatoichi" is essentially a "greatest hits" compendium of all the films that preceded it. That makes it essential viewing for Zatoichi fans and anyone interested in the voluminous "source code" for Quentin Tarantino's "Kill Bill". Known in Japan as "Zatoichi 26" or "Zatoichi '89", this lavish production was the last to star Shintaro Katsu, who originated the title role of "the Blind Swordsman" in 1962's "The Tale of Zatoichi" and served triple-duty as writer and director of this stylishly violent latter-day adventure. Now much older and still a wandering loner, the blind, peace-loving masseur Ichi (or, in Japanese, "Zato Ichi") seeks a quiet life among the gentle people of Edo Period villages, but when he's caught in a power struggle between rival Yakuza clans, his reputation as a deadly defender of the innocent precedes him, and he's forced to fend for himself in a series of sword-wielding showdowns. Between geysers of spurting crimson, this gorgeous "Zatoichi" film delivers good humor and mild sentiment, although series devotees were justifiably disappointed when the familiar plot failed to advance Zatoichi's legend in a middle-aged context. Still, the action sequences are frequent and fun, and despite controversy surrounding an accidental death during the climactic battle (for which Katsu's son, playing a villain, was ultimately found not guilty), this was a fitting farewell to Katsu's involvement in the franchise, which was revived once again with the successful release of Takeshi "Beat" Kitano's "Zatoichi" in 2003. "--Jeff Shannon"

Languages: Japanese, Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono

Subtitles: English

Sound: Dolby Digital 2.0

Comments: Zatôichi senryô-kubi

Summary: In the 1840s, Ichi, blind masseur and quick-draw swordsman, travels to the village of Itakura to pay his respects at the grave of Kichizo, a man he killed two years' ago. The villages in the area, after several years of famine, have struggled to raise 1,000 ryo in taxes they owe. The money is stolen while in transit to the governor. Ichi is accused as is Boss Chuji, a samurai Ichi respects. Ichi sets out to find the money and clear his own and Chuji's names. Along the way, he must face Kichizo's sister, some of Chuji's own gang, a corrupt governor, and his henchmen. Loyalties shift even as Ichi's moral compass stays true.

Languages: Japanese

Subtitles: English

Sound: Dolby Digital 2.0

Comments: Zatoichi sakate giri

Summary: Blind swordsman Zatoichi, jailed briefly, is implored by another prisoner to aid him in proving his innocence of a crime for which he is sentenced to death. Zatoichi is reluctant to get involved, because he knows how often such involvement has led to trouble in the past. But events conspire to thrust him repeatedly into involvement, and gradually he comes to believe in the man's innocence and determines to free him.

Languages: Japanese, Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo

Subtitles: English

Sound: Dolby Digital 2.0

Comments: Zatôichi to Yôjinbô

Summary: With a price on his head, Ichi seeks tranquillity in a favorite village. Since his last visit, it has fallen prey to Boss Masagoro, the son of a merchant rumored to have stolen gold from the shogunate. The boss has hired Yojimbo as his hard-drinking enforcer, but Yojimbo is both a spy for the shogunate, trying to find the gold, and in love with the merchant's unwilling mistress, Umeno. Ichi hires on as the merchant's masseur and buys Umeno's freedom with his employer's own money. This embarrasses Yojimbo who withdraws from a pact with Ichi to stir up trouble between father and son and their gangs. As the two sides fight, Ichi finds the gold and sets up a final set of confrontations.

Languages: Japanese, Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono

Subtitles: English

Comments: Zatôichi kenka-tabi

Summary: Blind swordsman/masseuer Ichi (or "Zatoichi") is asked by a dying man to deliver the maiden Mitsu (or "Omitsu") to her family in Edo, and Zatoichi feels honor-bound to do so. But rival gangs each have an interest in kidnapping the girl for ransom. Zatoichi joins with one of the gangs when the other gang captures Mitsu, but he then finds that to rescue her, he must fight both gangs.

Languages: Japanese

Subtitles: English

Summary: This 16th episode of Zatoichi tends to have a more complicated plotline than usual. This may be due to the fact that there are quite a few complicated characters in this film. Farmers in the province that Ichi has wandered into have clashed with the local Yakuza bosses, who wish to see the farms fail in order to increase their revenues.

The champion of the farmers are led by two different groups. One is by benenvolent and caring boss who wants to see the farmers taken care of better, and the other is a sort of philospher-samurai who wants to start an agrarian cooperative of sorts. The Yakuza bosses want to see the farms fail, because it will help increase their gambling revenues. Sound a little complicated yet?

The acting in this episode is very good; however, it seems as if the director Satsuo Yamamoto was trying to put too much into this particular Zatoichi episode. Moreover, lost in this film is the noble qualities that we are used to with the Ichi character. I believe too much reliance on severed limbs, and lots of blood was the major problem with this episode. Yes, I am aware that Ichi lives in violent times and the nature of the swordsman sometimes requires the lopping off of a limb or two. But good writing always takes precedence to the violence.

However, the cinematography in the film is absolutely beautiful as usual: The stunning Japanese countryside is shown in all its splendor. I would not say this was the worst Zatoichi film. It could have been better; however, the storyline just didn't go anywhere with me. Recommended, but with caution.

Subtitles: English

Summary: When a small boy halts an official Nambu Samurai Procession and, consequently, is about to be executed; Wang Kong, a one-armed swordsman from China, steps in to save him. The result is a massacre of the local peasantry. Now a target for the Nambu Samurai, who wish to eliminate all witnesses to the incident, Wang Kong must become an outlaw to survive. Meanwhile, Zatoichi comes across the same small boy in the arms of his mortally wounded father, another victim of the samurai massacre. His last wish is for the blind swordsman to take care of his son.
While traveling with the boy in his care, Zatoichi and Wang Kong meet. With a bounty on Wang's head, mistrust and deception grow as the local boss sees his opportunity to gain power and influence. With their two different languages acting as a barrier between them, the two swordsmen are destined to meet in battle, where only one will walk away.

Languages: Japanese

Sound: Dolby

Summary: Being a failure as a teacher and a familyman, Shinichi tries to escape everyday live by dressing up as "Zebraman", the superhero. Although the TV series whas canceled after only 6 episodes, this cannot stop him from acting out his escape fantasy in a self made zebra-suit. He get's more then he could ever wish for, when his black-and-white dressed alter-ego seems to be the only thing to stand between absolute (green) evil and a happy ending.

Languages: Thai

Subtitles: English

Summary: Leaving his native China behind, hopeful Zee Oui travels to Thailand looking for opportunity. But once there, things are not as easy as he'd imagined, and against great obstacles, Zee's health takes a turn for the worse. Physically tormented by tuberculosis, and with no prospects in sight, Zee starts to lose it completely, slowly becoming convinced that the only way to improve things is by eating the hearts of small children.

Comments: Sci-Fi that Reaches Out and Grabs You!

Summary: Teppei and Kamiya, two average joes working in the electronic services industry, stumble upon the intergalactic bounty-hunter Ilia, and her partner, the artificial intelligence named Bob. Both men are accidentally transported to the Zone, a virtual reality in which Bob has trapped Ilia's latest prey, a biological weapon named Zeram. The Earth natives must both survive the experience and help Ilia capture Zeram before the Zone disappears around them.

Languages: English

Sound: AAC

Summary: Fictional documentary about the life of human chameleon Leonard Zelig, a man who becomes a celebrity in the 1920s due to his ability to look and act like whoever is around him. Clever editing places Zelig in real newsreel footage of Woodrow Wilson, Babe Ruth, and others.

Languages: Cantonese

Subtitles: English, French, Portuguese, Spanish

Comments: Her love is torn between a doctor and a poet.

Summary: Every so often, the convoluted love story "Zhou Yu's Train" seems to stop in its tracks and succumb to rapture, gazing on the disarmingly beautiful face of actress Gong Li. A young painter named Zhou Yu (Gong Li, "Raise the Red Lantern", "Shanghai Triad") falls headlong in love with a painfully shy poet, Chen Ching (Tony Leung Ka-Fai, "The Lover"). Twice a week she takes the train to his town to be with him, even though he's bewildered by her near-obsessive passion. On the train, a wise-cracking veterinarian (Sun Honglei) pursues Zhou Yu, but she resists his emotional directness. "Zhou Yu's Train" bounces back and forth, not only between these two romances but also in time, to confusing effect. But there's something compelling about Zhou Yu's need to love the version of her lover that she holds in her mind, and that sustains the movie through its muddled moments. "--Bret Fetzer"

Languages: English, Dolby Digital 5.1

Subtitles: Spanish

Sound: Dolby Digital 5.1

Comments: The most infamous serial killer of our time... is still out there.

Summary: THE ZODIAC takes a different look at the famous Zodiac Killer case from other screen treatments of the murders. More than a simple crime story, the film is an emotional thriller focusing on the murders' impact on victims, their families and the wider community. The film follows a police detective and his son who become obsessed with the murders and endanger their family in the process.

Languages: English

Subtitles: English, Spanish

Comments: The 12 Signs of Evil

Summary: The infamous Zodiac killer returns through a string of copycat murders in this terrifying thriller. In modern day Los Angeles, a young man is driven by obsession and madness to recreate the murders of the Zodaic Killer- a gruesome serial killer who was never caught or even identified, and remains one of the most mesmerizing killers in American Crime

Languages: Japanese

Subtitles: English

Sound: AAC

Summary: Blind swordsman/masseur Zatoichi is pursued by the retainers of a lord who fear that he will reveal a secret weakness of their master. Returning to the village where a year before he had killed Hirate, a much-admired opponent, Zatoichi encounters another swordsman and former rival in love: his own brother. He must face in combat not only the pursuing retainers but his own flesh-and-blood.

Comments: He's a depraved, homicidal killer...and he makes house calls!

Summary:

Sound: AAC

Comments: Live Dead Nudes

Summary: In the not too distant future a secret government re-animation chemo-virus gets released into conservative Sartre, Nebraska and lands in an underground strip club. As the virus begins to spread, turning the strippers into "Super Zombie Strippers" the girls struggle with whether or not to conform to the new "fad" even if it means there's no turning back.

Sound: MP3

Comments: Zombies of the ocean deeps!

Summary: Zombiefied sailors guard the treasure of a ship they went down with 60 years earlier. A group of sailors scoff at the legend, and decide to retrieve the diamonds from the ocean floor only to discover the hard way that there is some truth to legends.

Sound: MP3

Comments: Invasion From A Mystery Planet!

Summary: Security agent Larry Martin, who can fly with an experimental rocket suit, investigates clandestine visits to earth by a Martian spaceship. Meanwhile, villainous Martians conspire with a traitorous atomic scientist to blast earth out of its orbit and replace it with Mars! Can Larry and his cohort Bob Wilson stop the Martians before they complete their dastardly project? Not a zombie in sight.

Sound: Dolby

Summary: A misguided scientist enables an alien from Venus named Zontar to come to earth in order to help solve man's problems. However, Zontar has other ideas, like disabling the power supply of the entire world and taking possession of important officials with mind control devices.

Languages: Japanese, English

Subtitles: English

Summary: This collection of shocking, unpredictable stories feature the first screen adaptation of th