It’s time to dust off the ol’ lightsaber as LEGO Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Out [Fox, $14.98] tops our DVD watch list this week. The half-hour special, which aired on Cartoon Network last fall, is produced by Lucasfilm and Threshold Animation in space-faring CG and sees the beloved heroes of the Rebel Alliance—including Luke, Han and Leia—off on another adventure to squash a new Imperial threat, though Jedi in training Luke discovers his celebrity status as a “Death-Star-Blower-Upper” is a double edged ‘saber when he’s constantly mobbed by crazed fans. Meanwhile, Darth Vader and Darth Maul are locked in a bitter Sith rivalry competing for the Emperor’s approval. Directed by Guy Vasilovich (Geronimo Stilton, Growing Up Creepie), the voice list features Star Wars alums Anthony Daniels, Brian Blessed, Ahmed Best and Andy Secombe alongside Lloyd Floyd (Luke), John Armstrong (Han), Lisa Fuson (Leia), Matt Sloan (Vader), Sam Witwer (Maul/Emperor) and Tom Kane (Yoda). Plus, the release comes with an awesome Darth Vader LEGO mini-fig! [March 26]
Also out this week:
Alois Nebel [Zeitgeist Films, $29.99] Czech director Tomas Lunak’s much-lauded rotoscope animated noir traces the haunted memories of a troubled train dispatcher at the close of the Cold War. [March 26]
Official Digimon Adventure Set: The Complete Second Season [New Video Group, $79.95] This impressive eight-disc collector’s set not only holds all 50 episodes of season two, but also comes with a 32-page Character Guide booklet and a digital gallery featuring over 40 Digimon villain sketches. [March 26]
Inu-Yasha The Movie: The Complete Box Set [VIZ, $59.90] All four of the animated features based on Rumiko Takahashi’s feudal fairy tale in one lovely set: Affections Touching Across Time (2001), The Castle Beyond the Looking Glass (2002), Swords of an Honorable Ruler (2003) and Fire on Mystic Island. Also on two-disc Blu-ray for $29.99. [March 26]
Mystery Science Theater 3000: XXVI [Shout! Factory, $59.97] For fans of cheesy B-movie monsters and cheap special effects, Joel Hodgson, Michael J. Nelson and their robot buds razz The Magic Sword, Alien from L.A., Danger!! Death Ray and perennial MST3K favorite The Mole People. [March 26]
