A short but sweet installment of Anime Talk this time around. We have reviews of the Love Hina movie collection as well as our take on the latest volume of Baki the Grappler. There's also a table of anime titles coming out in the next couple of weeks, Holly's Anime Bargains, and Todd gives us the low down on the last two volumes of the Chrono Crusade manga. If you'd like to read more verbose columns, check out our columns on Anne Freaks and Ninja Nonsense, Ultraman, and the Complete Excel Saga.

Takashi Shimizu is in the director's chair, yet again, for this remake of a sequel of a remake (confused?) called The Grudge 2. After The Grudge became a surprise hit in the states a sequel was obviously in the cards and, this time, Amber Tamblyn's along for the scares as The Grudge 2 opens wide this weekend. Also in theaters this week is Man of the Year - Robin Williams hams it up as late-night political talk show host Tom Dobbs who decides to run for president (problem is, he never expected to win); Infamous - Douglas McGrath's painstakingly researched film about Truman Capote that will, unfortunately, forever live in the shadow of the award-winning Capote; and Little Children - this adaptation of Tom Perotta's best selling novel is Todd Field's long-awaited follow-up to his 2001 indie hit In the Bedroom. Be sure to catch reviews of other recent Theatrical Films: Alex Rider: Operation Stormbreaker, The Departed, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning, Employee of the Month, Jesus Camp, Going to Pieces: The Rise and Fall of the Slasher Film, The Guardian, School for Scoundrels, Open Season, Revolver, The Queen, The Last King of Scotland, Jackass: Number Two, All the King's Men, Flyboys, The Science of Sleep. As always, we invite you to share your thoughts on films in theaters in our Movie Talk Forum Area.

A number of notable TV on DVD releases reviewed this week including: MXC: Most Extreme Elimination Challenge - insanity from Japanese TV wrapped up for a US audience at spitfire speed with entertaining commentary from Vic Romano and Kenny Blankenship; McLeod's Daughters - Season 1 - an enjoyable Aussie soap opera, with beautiful, stunning location shots, well-written scripts, and some good acting by an attractive, energetic cast; The Odd Couple - Season 1 - the legendary comedic series gets its debut on DVD from Time Life and it's a pleasure to revisit the beginning of one of TV's funniest and most enduring teamings; The Chris Rock Show - The Complete First and Second Seasons - HBO packages both seasons of Chris Rock's short-lived but critically acclaimed HBO series in a set definitely worth picking up; South Park: Hits Volume 1 - if you don't already own most of the South Park sets this 'best of' is a great way to own some of the crown jewels of the South Park legacy. Visit the DVD Talk Review Database for all the latest reviews including an entire section devoted TV on DVD.

This week the DVD Savant has a number of new reviews including: Magdalena's Brain - A rarity -- a new direct-to-video feature made with intelligence and a narrative cleverness that will blindside many a viewer; Storm the Skies - an excellent Spanish docu that traces the mysterious life of the assassin of Leon Trotsky; The Big Animal - Jerzy Stuhr's gentle parable is taken from a script by Krzystof Kieslowski; Look Both Way - Sarah Watt's exceedingly clever comedy-drama spends three days with people overcome by morbidity; Madmen of Mandoras (+They Saved Hitler's Brain) & The Devil's Hand -Mandoras helps clear up the mystery of one of the more incompetent 'bad movies' ever made, and Hand turns out to be a minor but solidly built horror offering; Phantom - the best-looking film restoration from 1922 I've yet seen; The Girls - Mai Zetterling scores another superior art film. Read all this and more in this week's DVD Savant.

An interesting mix of notable DVDs out this week including: Click [Review] - Adam Sandler, Kate Beckinsale and Christopher Walken save this high concept romantic comedy which may not appeal to Sandler's regular fans; 12 and Holding [Review] - tragically overlooked theatrically, this is one of the best movies we've seen about how the modern world ushers its young into the next phase of life; Black Rain: SE [Review] - a significant upgrade to previous releases of Ridley Scott's underrated gem featuring a picture perfect performance by Michael Douglass; Art School Confidential [Review] - Terry Zwigoff's follow up to Ghost World unfortunately misses the mark. Other notable DVDs out this week include: Fox & The Hound, The King, Numb3rs: S2, Prairie Home Companion and Scrubs - S4. Be sure to check out our DVD Talk Review Database for all the latest reviews including an entire section devoted to reviews of DVDs out this week.

Now with over 17,200 DVD reviews in the DVD Talk Review Database, it's easy to overlook some of the great reviews. Recent DVD Reviews include: Windy City Heat - perhaps the greatest practical joke ever played on someone in a show packed with notable comedians who help yuck it up; The Vice Guide to Travel - one of the most jaw dropping and exceptional travel DVDs you'll ever see, inconceivably made and worthy of seeking out; Kill Zone (aka SPL) - a bad re-title of a solid action film on a great DVD, enough to please even the most discerning of action fans; Mrs. Parker and the Vicious Circle - Jennifer Jason Leigh gives an amazing performance in a gem of a film that has often been overlooked but has the stuff that classics are made of; Land of Plenty - The Wim Wenders film you probably didn't even know existed peers into the minds of post-9/11 Americans; The Roost - a film that falls short but gives us a glimpse of a truly talented young filmmaker. Visit the DVD Talk Review Database for all the latest reviews including an entire section devoted to reviews of DVDs out this week.

This week we have several clips from KOCH Lorber Film's Changing Times [view trailer]. Internationally-acclaimed director Andre Techine brings together two of cinema's biggest stars – Gerard Depardieu and Catherine Deneuve - in the 2006 box office hit about life, love and the sacrifices we make along the way. Enjoy these clips from Changing Times: At the market, Tangiers casino and The stop over (Get more information about the Changing Times DVD here). In addition, KOCH Vision brings you some scenes from McLeod's Daughters: The Complete First Season, the hit Australian television series now available on DVD: Reality Bites, Stir Crazy and Dirty Pool (Visit the McLeod's Daughters DVD website here). Be sure to catch past week's clips at DVD Talk TV.

It's an unfortunate reality - many great film festivals have become launching grounds for big studio pictures trying to build indie cred, get pre-oscar buzz or snag that olive leaf festival seal for the DVD box. New voices and struggling filmmakers often get bumped from festival lineups in favor of studio films unspooling just prior to their national debut in theaters. BendFilm shatters this all to common mold with a fiercely independent festival (set in the picturesque resort town of Bend,Oregon) dedicated to great truly independent films and the filmmakers who make them. Last year BendFilm was the launch pad for The Puffy Chair and The Real Dirt on Farmer John. This year we have a preview of six of the films playing at the BendFilm fest including: Pirate Radio, USA, Dance Party, USA, Chalk, 10 Questions for the Dalai Lama, Trout Grass and Eve and The Firehorse. At least one the six films will undoubtedly find its wings and get greater attention after the fest. Read our complete festival preview of BendFilm 2006.

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