By DNA Smith
New DVD Releases for the Week of Aug. 3, 2009
PICK OF THE WEEK “The Machine Girl” (Remix) — Director Noboru Iguchi’s cult grindhouse hit “The Machine Girl” gets a two-disc re-release this week. “The Machine Girl” is a gory, over-the-top action comedy about a schoolgirl whose arm is cut off by some gangsters. She is befriended by a pair of mechanics who graft a huge machine gun to her stump. She then teams up with the chainsaw-packin’ mama of a boy who was murdered by the same gangsters — who are equipped with flying guillotines and drill bras.
I’m not sure why this DVD is labeled a “remix” since you’re getting the same movie as the original. The only difference is the addition of an extra disc that contains a follow-up spinoff film, “Machine Girlite,” which stars a bikini-clad cutie who can attach a variety of automatic weapons to different parts of her body. Fans of “Tokyo Gore Police” will definitely want this set to tide them over until Iguchi’s 2010 release of “RoboGeisha,” which, if you haven’t seen the trailer yet, looks like it will mess you up for life.
ALSO THIS WEEK
“Race to Witch Mountain” — Dwayne “The Artist Formerly Known as The Rock” Johnson stars in this Disney reimagining of the classic 1970s movie series. Johnson plays a cabdriver who must drive two kids to a remote location in the Nevada desert. He discovers that the children are aliens on a mission to save the Earth. Johnson gets some help from a UFO expert (the always gorgeous and awesome Carla Gugino) as the gang tries to avoid the clutches of an evil government dude (Ciaran Hinds) and a killer cyborg. “Race to Witch Mountain” isn’t one of Disney’s (or Dwayne Johnson’s) best films, but it’s just good enough to recommend as a fun family rental for a rainy Saturday afternoon.
TV SERIES
“Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job!” Season Three
“Agatha Christie’s Marple” Series 4
“Project Runway” Season Five
“Flight of the Conchords” The Complete Second Season
“The Love Boat” Season Two, Vol. 2
“Adventures of Black Beauty” Season Two
“Days That Shook the World” The Complete Second Season
© 2009 King Features Synd., Inc.