FUNimation announced that they’ve acquired the rights to the live action horror comedy, Vampire Girl vs. Frankenstein Girl. You read that correctly, live action horror comedy. Those are four words I didn’t think I’d see together.

Here is the plot of the movie:
“Valentine’s Day turns twisted for Mizushima after the vampire schoolgirl Monami gives him a chocolate laced with vampire blood. One bite of the delicious sweet infects him with immortality. This does not sit well with Mizushima’s jealous girlfriend Keiko. She wants him all to herself. A bloody battle between the two women ends with Keiko falling to her death. To her luck, Keiko’s mad scientist father reanimates her into an undead Frankenstein girl. Now on a level playing field, the undead damsels fight for the heart of Mizushima.”

If you are in Ontario, Canada you can see the film April 15 and 16 at the Mayfair Theater. Next week, the film will be at the Nashville Independent Film Festival on April 20.

The film will be released on DVD and Blu-Ray this October 2010. In time to host a scary, but funny, Halloween screening.

First up is Josee, The Tiger and The Fish, which is screening February 5th-18th. This movie is about a college student, Tsuneo, who meets a young woman named Kumiko, aka Josee, who embraces life with her feisty personality, even though she has cerebral palsy and a baby buggy for transportation. This movie has already won a lot of awards in Japan, and it seems to be a very sweet, feel-good kind of movie.

Then there is La Maison De Himiko, showing from February 18th until March 4th. Family secrets, redemption, and the power of love in aiding to renew family bonds are explored with a father and daughter who cant understand each other and a man and woman who can’t love each other. The odd and beautiful stories are brought to life against the backdrop of a homosexual retirement home. Saori despises her father, who left her mother to live his new life “out of the closet.” Their family ties are remembered as she learns about her father’s cancer. Her curiosity is piqued by a mysterious young man who gives her the message and claims to be her father’s lover.

VIZ Cinema is at 1746 Post St. in San Francisco’s Japantown. It’s right across the street from the Peace Pagoda. If you’re in San Francisco and feel like catching a movie, be sure to go while these movies are out.

Our friends at VIZ have let us know about some of the cool Anime and Japanese films you will have the opportunity to see from now until the beginning of February! They’re calling the whole event “Hit Me With Music, Volume 2“, taking inspiration from the way in which music can shape the ways of our lives. So what can we see, and when?

Starting off, we have “Shindo“. This film has been screening since December 26th 2009, and finishes up on January 7th 2010.

Shindo is based on a manga series created by Akira Sasou. Wao is a high school graduate wanting to go to music school and he meets Uta, a 13-year-old child prodigy pianist. Uta often skips lessons behind her mother’s back but she takes a liking to Wao, who is completely devoted to the piano. Uta soon begins to regularly visit Wao’s family vegetable shop and although they are not lovers or siblings, their relationship grows close through the pair’s shared love of music. Actor Kenichi Matsuyama (Death Note) gives an excellent performance as the young man, Wao, while Uta is played by Riko Narumi, a talented up and coming actress. This is her first starring role in a feature film.

Next we have “Midnight Sun” (pictured) which starts on the 8th of January 2010, and finishes on January 21st. If you have a chance I would personally recommend you see this movie… not that I’ve ever watched it online or anything… oops!

Kaoru is a talented young teenager who sings and plays guitar. But she also suffers from a rare skin disease called Xeroderma Pigmentosum (XP), which prevents her body from repairing the cell damage caused by ultraviolet (UV) light. This means that she must avoid sunlight completely. She has never attended school and is incapable of doing many things most teenagers take for granted. When she falls in love with a boy named Kouji, however, she once again begins to challenge herself as she tries things she had given up because of illness and slowly regains her inner sunshine.

You may have heard of “Sword of the Stranger” (which is out on DVD in Australia now), and it is going to be showing on January 19th and 20th for ANIME WEEKNIGHT PEOPLE.

Famed animation studio BONES (Fullmetal Alchemist the Movie: Conqueror of Shamballa) pulls out all the stops in this feature-length samurai anime action movie. No Name is a ronin who abandoned his name in troubled times and vowed to never unsheathe his sword again. Luo-Lang is a blond-haired, blue-eyed Western assassin working for the Ming Dynasty. The two strangers are destined to clash, as the only thing they believe in is their swordsmanship. They kill – and kill some more – in this blazing display of Japanese sword action!

On January 26th, for ONE NIGHT ONLY, there will be a screening of the documentary film “Daido Moriyama: Stray Dog Of Tokyo“, which will also include the launch of the films DVD.

Daido Moriyama has been a major force in artistic photography since the late 60’s, but his true persona has been hidden behind a veil of mystery, until now. This documentary follows the charismatic Moriyama as he takes his first digital photos and displays his trademark photographic technique of taking quick snapshots without looking in the viewfinder. Often shot in black and white, out of focus and dramatically cropped or tilted, the themes of Moriyama’s images have been said to convey a sense of the disordered human condition and the conflicting realities of modern urban life.

“Oh! My Buddha”  is running from January 22nd to February 4th. And it doesn’t appear to be a take on the “Ah! My Goddess!” anime – in case you were wondering!

Jun is a boy who just started his first year at a private Buddhist school and is obsessed with his guitar and Bob Dylan. Despite his love for rock and roll, his life is like a mundane routine just passing him by. One day, his friend invites him to go to an island over summer break and stay at a youth hostel with other boys and girls who practice “free love.” Jun’s journey into adulthood begins. This film refreshingly and often comically depicts the awkward stages of adolescent life. Daichi Watanabe from the popular band Kuroneko Chelsey makes his debut in this film.

If you would like to go and see one of these “eiga” (film) sessions, go to the VIZ Pictures or the VIZ Cinema website for screening times and information. To find the complex itself, head to 1746 Post Street in San Francisco and look for the building with a 3-floor transparent glass “façade”.

So, what are you going to see?

The DVD, 2 disc Blu-ray and digital download will be available on December 29th!

Patrick Swayze may have passed, but many films he starred in will live on as classics. This Christmas you can have the time of your life for 12 hours. That’s right, for 12 hours on the TV Guide Network, they are showing Dirty Dancing.

“Sometimes a movie encapsulates a period or a moment in all of our lives in such a way that it never dies. And I think ‘Dirty Dancing’ did that,” Swayze commented in an interview featured on the film’s 20th Anniversary DVD release.

Dirty Dancing fans will be able to chat on TVGuide.com to share favorite moments, watch rare cast interviews and chat about the film.

Nobody puts Baby in a corner, so if you haven’t seen Dirty Dancing, schedule a two out of the twelve hours to make sure you watch this classic.

As a part of the Weeknight Anime Program, the cinema are holding a two-night only special presentation of Gurren Lagann: The Movie 1: Childhood’s End and Gurren Lagann: The Movie 2: The Lights In The Sky Are Stars. The movies are subtitled, and are shown back-to-back.

In the first movie, Simon and Kamina are forced to live within the limits set by the village elder – but that changes when, just as Simon discovers a “fantastic” device, the village becomes victim to a wild intrusion. They are soon entangled in a battle against surface “Beastmen” who control giant robots known as Gunmen. The underground inhabitants manage to commandeer one of these robots for themselves and name it GURREN, which they use to lead the battle against the Beastmen.

The second movie sees Simon in mourning for loved ones lost while he was in a battle against the Beastmen leader named Lordgenome. Seven years later, humans are returning to the surface to create a “flourishing civilization” which they soon expand into outer space. This expansion brings them a new set of problems when they score themselves a brand new enemy!

Fans interested in seeing this double-feature need to get themselves to the VIZ Cinema complex in San Francisco on either Tuesday the 17^th or Wednesday the 18^th of November, where they are also offering a special discount for this event! Ticket information, preview trailers and screening times are available at the website, www.vizcinema.com.

When we sent Renochan to see the 3^rd installment of the 20^th Century Boys films, she became a fan in a big way – evident by her recommendation in the Turning Japanese Holiday Guide this year! Renochan (and fellow 20^th Century Boys otaku), your Christmas wishlist just expanded! The 1^st film will be here on the 15^th of December – just 10 days before Christmas!

The films are based on the manga by Naoki Urasawa, and are directed by Yukihiko Tsutsumi (who also directed the live-action movie HAPPILY EVER AFTER – also available from VIZ Pictures).

So what’s the story?:

It all begins in 1969 when a young boy named Kenji and his friends write “The Book of Prophecy” in which they write about a future where they fight against an evil organization trying to takeover the world and bring about doomsday. Years later in 1997, a mysterious cult being lead by a man only known as “Friend” emerges and begins to gain strong influence over society. A series of catastrophic events begin to occur mirroring the prophecies made up by the young Kenji and the greatest fear is the climax of “The Book” becoming a reality; December 31st, 2000, a terrifying giant virus-spreading robot will attack the entire city of Tokyo leading to the end of mankind. The only people who know about “The Book” are Kenji and his childhood friends. Who is “Friend”? Will Kenji and his friends be able to save mankind and live to see the 21st Century?

Seiji Horibuchi, President and CEO of VIZ Pictures:

“20th CENTURY BOYS mesmerized audiences at its U.S. theatrical premiere in San Francisco this past summer and we’re very proud to announce its North American debut on DVD,” says Seiji. “Naoki Urasawa’s multi-layered story of childhood mystical prophecy, government conspiracies and alien invasion is given a lavish production treatment and the film’s ending is a real cliffhanger that’s also very different from the original manga series. We look forward to introducing audiences to this exciting 3-part science fiction saga!”

As if that weren’t enough, VIZ Cinema in San Francisco are holding screenings of the new release through December. On the 10^th specifically, there will be a special event that starts at 7:30pm to mark the DVD release. The tickets cost $25, and it includes an entry pass to the screening, the brand new DVD, a poster, and more! If you’re not sure where to find VIZ Cinema, head for the heart of Japantown. Ticket purchases can be made online or at the theatre’s box-office, and any information on the event can be found at either www.vizcinema.com or www.viz-pictures.com.

Evangelion 1.0: You are (Not) Alone is coming out on November 17! To celebrate that we have a synopsis of the upcoming movie as well as the first nine minutes to show you! It is a full length feature that they spoke about at Anime Expo this year. You don’t have to be already familiar with the series to enjoy it.

“Created by the same production team behind the hugely successful Neon Genesis Evangelion series, EVANGELION 1.0: YOU ARE (NOT) ALONE is a futuristic tale which tells the story of schoolboy Shinji Ikari as he is summoned by his estranged father to the vast city of Tokyo-3. The tearful reunion he was hoping for does not materialize as his father has a far more nefarious reason for wanting his son by his side again. Led down into the underground labyrinth of NERV headquarters, he learns that he is one of only a few children that can pilot one of the enormous Evangelion robots against a terrifying enemy. Tokyo-3 is under attack from the terrifying Angels, creatures of an unknown origin bent on laying waste to anything they find. However, there are greater forces at work behind the scenes, and is the true enemy the angels, NERV, the mysterious SEELE, or the demons held within the hearts of the people involved? ”

Marvel announced dedicated video games for comic favs Captain America and Thor will be coming in 2011.

GameSpot noticed the announcement in Marvel’s recent quarterly financial report.

Thor is scheduled for a May 2011 release, the same time as the movie is set to come out. The Captain America title will be one month later and will also have a movie supporting the title called, The First Avenger: Captain America. And yes, that evil, little girl is me. ^_^

Liberty Mutual is sponsoring the Responsibility Project which uses entertainment to create a forum for people to discuss personal acts of responsibility. For the films they have asked a group of NBC stars to answer the question, What does responsibility mean to you? The stars were asked to come up with the concept, write and direct the 60 second short film. Those films will debut all week on NBC. Zachary Levi met with a few of us journalists to talk about his experience.

Zachary Levi is the star of Chuck and this holiday will be a voice in Alvin and the Chipmunks: the Squeakwil. He used his production company, Coattails Entertainment to work with him on his first time directing. The film is called, The Chase, and will be on October 13 during the Biggest Loser. Here is the Q & A with Zachary Levi:

Q: What is it like to direct for the first time and directing yourself (he’s in the film)?

A:Very interesting (laughs). I started directing a bit in theater but this is the first film that I’ve directed so I’m really excited about it. NBC brought the idea up and I wanted to use it as practice for directing Chuck (he will be directing an episode of Chuck). Hiring the crew from Chuck helped us accomplish a lot in a few days.

Q: What was the most challenging aspect of directing a one minute short film?

A: It’s very difficult because it’s only one minute. Having never directed before, it’s hard. It came down to the editing room and friends at NBC were able to put their input. I’m proud of the 60 second spot and I learned alot.

Q: What advice do you have for new directors?

A: There are so many aspects to directing. Be prepared. Don’t feel you can wing it.

Q: Have you ever lost a wallet or found one?

A: I have lost a wallet and found one. Sometimes you see a stray $20 and I try to put myself in the loser’s shoes. With the Chase, I wanted to make something that you didn’t know what it was about until the end. Returning a lost wallet is a perfect example of personal responsibility.

Q: When can we see Chuck on tv again?

A: Check will be on March 1 or around then. NBC picked it up for mid-season. Unless something unforeseeable happens.

Q: Do you have an interest in directing webisodes?

A: I feel like webisodes should be what everyone wants them to be which should be an answer to what television is but online. But not sure if it’s there yet. I have seen some well published webisodes, but people yearn for more than just 3 minute shows. I would like to direct webisodes but not necessarily in the way they currently are.

Q: What do you think of the Chuck Halloween costume?

A: Has to be the coolest thing I’ve seen in my life. There are few things that strike you. I saw the Chuck comic book and was awestruck. If they ever make a Chuck video game I might die on the spot because that would be incredible.

Q: What does personal responsibility mean to you?

A: I don’t know if it’s going to mean much of any different. It’s an universal truth and the first step is to realize you aren’t alone and we’re all living in this world together.

Zachary was amazing and completely humble and nice during our interview. We love getting to talk to him on GamingAngels.com any chance we get!

Here is the breakdown of all the shorts you can see this week on NBC:
Monday Milo Ventimiglia will be directing a short film staring Masi Oka
Tuesday is the Zachary Levi piece during Biggest Loser
Wednesday is Connie Britton from Friday Night Lights during the Jay Leno Show. Her piece is about giving back in your community
Thursday is Jack McBrayer during 30 Rock. His is an animated short about being a temp in an office.
We round up the week on Friday with Anthony Anderson directing Jeremy Sisto during the episode of Law and Order.

If you miss any of the commercials they will all be on NBC.com after they air.