Notable new releases
Blood +: Part One (Sony) Teenage girl discovers she’s the latest in an ancient lineage of vampire hunters, struggles to protect her family and friends, and harbours unease over her own killer instincts — OK, I know where this one is going. A potent blend of horror, pop gothic and teen melodrama (complete with gooey J-pop songs), this spinoff series of the 2000 hit anime one-off Blood: The Last Vampire boasts an obvious appeal to devotees of Buffy the Vampire Slayer. And while the dialogue is devoid of Xander-calibre witticisms, the swiftly paced narrative and dazzlingly rendered action scenes still satisfy. What’s more, the series’ superior production values — which include a seamless integration of hand-drawn and CG animation, and a blustery score by Hans Zimmer — extends its appeal beyond the anime crowd. That said, they’re likely to be the only ones willing to fork out for this six-disc set, whose extras include a few bonus interviews and a black t-shirt that I am certain will only fit teenage girls and will therefore stay in its plastic wrap.

FORBIDDEN HOLLYWOOD VOL. 2 (Warner) Released in 2006, the first volume was a treasure trove of American moviemaking from the era before the Hays code rid Hollywood of its most licentious tendencies, as well its bent for hard-edged social critique. Those soon-to-vanish creative freedoms get another workout in the five Warner titles on this three-disc set. Norma Shearer won an Oscar for starring in the 1930 marital melodrama The Divorcee. Barbara Stanwyck and Clark Gable were paired up for 1931’s Night Nurse, notorious for its abundance of scantily clad medical professionals. In 1932’s Three on a Match, Bette Davis, Joan Blondell and Ann Dvorak play three dames headed for the gutter. Made especially for the set, a new documentary explains why the era’s viewers were so eager to join them there.

Also out this week
Into the Wild (Paramount) Sean Penn’s take on the life story of ill-fated adventurer Christopher McCandless is much enriched by its sense of wonder and its reverence for the ties that bind folks together, however temporarily. EXTRAS: two making-of docs, trailer.

My Kid Could Paint That (Sony) The strange tale of preschooler painter Marla Olmstead’s rise in the art world made for one of last year’s most provocative docs. EXTRAS: commentary, extended interview with New York Times writer Michael Kimmelman, update.

MALE FANTASY (sullivan) Men behave badly in this proto-mumble-core comedy by Vancouver indie filmmaker (and New Pornographers keyboardist) Blaine Thurier. EXTRAS: none.

Mr. Magorium’s Wonder Emporium (Fox) Whimsy overdose sinks directorial debut of Zach Helm, scribe behind the far more wondrous Stranger Than Fiction. EXTRAS: making-of docs.

Out March 11
Sleuth, Hitman, Dan in Real Life and No Country for Old Men — bonus features include the scene of Josh Brolin and Javier Bardem’s final rendezvous so controversially absent from the Oscar winner’s theatrical cut. Spoiler alert: there’s kissing!

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