The top pick today is Spike Jonze’s delightful live action take on Where the Wild Things Are. It was sad and incredible. I know some people didn’t like it and found that it wasn’t their cup of tea, but I thought it was a really great film about how hard it is grow up.
Next on the list is a classic from our youth. Clash of the Titans, starring Harry Hamlin, Laurence Olivier and Burgess Meredith, among others. This is one of my favorite movies from when I was a kid. It was an incredible take on greek mythology and between the Gorgons, Medusa, and the Kraken, I had many a nightmare. Harryhausen’s effects still hold up well and I’m excited to get it on Blu-ray in the special Book version.
Hayao Miyazaki’s latest animated effort, Ponyo, comes out today in a Blu-ray/DVD combo from Disney. I’m really happy to see Disney buying into Miyazaki’s films so much. They’re as good or better than most of the average Disney fare and are top notch. Ponyo is based loosely on the Hans Christian Anderson story of The Little Mermaid and is geared more toward kids than his more recent fare. I watched it with my kids and they loved it, they were laughing hysterically the whole way through. Also from Miyazaki and Disney today are the 2 disc DVD sets of Castle in the Sky, Kiki’s Delivery Service and My Neighbor Totoro. For Castle in the Sky and Kiki’s Delivery Service, these are excellent versions and I would recommend getting them. Totoro, on the other hand… Disney went and fixed wasn’t broken and redubbed the audio and I would have to say that until they restore the original English language dub that Fox put out, you should avoid this one.
Another classic from my childhood that I am terrified won’t hold up is getting a Blu-ray release today: The Neverending Story. I’m hoping it holds up better than I think it will, but we’ll just have to wait and see.
Also out today on DVD: