Sunday, February 13, 2011

Gateway Cineplex Cubao (3D Movies)

FYI lang sa lahat ng mahilig manood ng 3D movies sa gateway cubao:

may option kayo not to get the "complimentary" / "free" popcorn and drinks, if you opt not to, you would be paying PhP 70.00 LESS sa ticket price.

kung insist naman nila na you still have to pay for the popcorn and drinks, kindly ask them to issue a receipt specific to the food items purchased.

madalas wala silang resibo, and this is in violation of BIR policies. demand official receipts for every purchase made :)

i work outside the "system" and let's just call this my consumer advocacy hehehe

Monday, April 12, 2010

Pirates of Carriedo

This blog is where you can avail a variety of your favorite DVDs at a very very very reasonable price! Titles range from the rare films of the 1920s to present, art films to box office hits, local to international cinema, independent to hollywood movies. Name it and we are likely to have them!

Sit back and enjoy the movies! Pirates of Carriedo will bring to you your favorite movies at a very affordable price!

For orders, please send email with your name and contact number at piratesofcarriedo@gmail.com.


Enjoy the serach for pirated DVDs!!!

Wednesday, September 2, 2009

In Memoriam: Alexis Tioseco (1981-2009) and Nika Bohinc (1979-2009)

In Memoriam: Alexis Tioseco (1981-2009) and Nika Bohinc (1979-2009)

http://criticafterdark.blogspot.com/2009/09/alexis-tioseco-1981-2009.html


Wishful Thinking for Philippine Cinema
March 15, 2009, 3:57 am
By Alexis A. Tioseco

http://alexistioseco.wordpress.com/

(Shorter version originally published as an addendum to an article in Rogue Magazine, extended final version which appears below published in Philippines Free Press week of December 13, 2008).

I wish that the Film Development Council of the Philippines would understand the value of the money they’re given and consider going to Paris and spending P5 million of their P25 million allotment for a showcase given by a young festival an investment, and not just a vacation.

They support filmmakers with finished films to go abroad to festivals for the pride they bring their country—I wish instead they would support their films locally, and help them get seen by a larger Filipino audience.

I cry for the loss of Manuel Conde’s Juan Tamad films.

I cry for a country that can’t convince that one Filipino-American who owns the only known print of Conde’s Genghis Khan in its original language to return (i.e. sell) the film back to his mother country.

I cry for the generations of Filipinos, myself included, that can no longer see Gerry De Leon’s Daigdig ng Mga Api, and instead have scans of movie ads to admire on the internet (with sincere thanks to Simon Santos and James De la Rosa).

Monday, June 15, 2009

IP Address Alone Insufficient To Identify Pirate, Court Rules

IP Address Alone Insufficient To Identify Pirate, Court Rules
Written by enigmax on June 15, 2009

Anti-piracy groups and lawyers across Europe are unmovable - they say that since they logged a copyright infringement from a particular IP address, the bill payer is responsible. Now a court in Rome has decided that on the contrary, an IP address does not identify an infringer, only a particular connection.

Right across Europe, many countries are being targeted by anti-piracy evidence gathered by outfits such as Swiss-based Logistep. After tracking alleged infringers, legal action is taken to force ISPs to hand over the identities of the person who pays the bill on the particular account linked to the allegedly infringing IP address. Lawyers operating in tandem with companies like Logistep, such as ACS:Law in the UK, insist that since they have an IP address, this automatically means that the bill payer is the copyright infringer or at least liable for the infringement.

Friday, June 12, 2009

Open Letter to a Young Director

Dear Raya,

Your tita has to get these things off her chest before she risks those unhealthy things that happen when one “holds a fart in,” as the expression goes.

Yesterday morning , maybe at the hour you just arrived from Europe, I left Pasig City for Bataan on a community outreach project and made sure I could hitch a ride back to Mandaluyong City so I had enough lead time to line up for the 8 p.m. screening of your much-lauded Independencia.

Wednesday, June 10, 2009

Torrent Link: Serbis (2008)

Serbis (2008)

http://www.mininova.org/tor/2674153 french release (subs FR)



A drama that follows the travails of the Pineda family in the Filipino city of Angeles. Bigamy, unwanted pregnancy, possible incest and bothersome skin irritations are all part of their daily challenges, but the real "star" of the show is an enormous, dilapidated movie theater that doubles as family business and living space. At one time a prestige establishment, the theater now runs porn double bills and serves as a meeting ground for hustlers of every conceivable persuasion. The film captures the sordid, fetid atmosphere, interweaving various family subplots with the comings and goings of customers, thieves and even a runaway goat while enveloping the viewer in a maelstrom of sound, noise and continuous motion.

Friday, April 3, 2009

Torrent Link: Let The Right One In (2008) Full DVD

Let the Right One In (2008)

Torrent Link:

http://www.mininova.org/tor/2448147

Synopsis:

Oskar, a bullied 12-year old, dreams of revenge. He falls in love with Eli, a peculiar girl. She can't stand the sun or food and to come into a room she needs to be invited. Eli gives Oskar the strength to hit back but when he realizes that Eli needs to drink other people's blood to live he's faced with a choice. How much can love forgive? Let The Right One In is a story both violent and highly romantic, set in the Stockholm suburb of Blackeberg in 1982.

Although this Swedish film is based on a best-selling novel of the same name, "Let the Right One In" is cut from a different cloth than most vampire tales.

Director : Tomas Alfredson
Writers: John Ajvide Lindqvist
Cast : Kare Hedebrant, Lina Leandersson, Per Ragnar, Henrik Dahl, Karin Bergquist
Genre: Drama, Horror,Romance,Thriller
Language: English 5.1, English 2.0, Swedish 5.1, Swedish 2.0
Subtitle: English, Spanish Lat.
Special Features: Yes
Country: Sweden
NTSC

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1139797/

Thursday, April 2, 2009

NOT an April Fool's Joke : The X-MEN ORIGINS: WOLVERINE movie, soon in Q!!!

Download "The X-Men Origins: Wolverine" movie from your favorite torrent sites NOW...

'Wolverine' leak: Hollywood's mixed response

Apr 1, 2009, 06:08 PM | by Christine Spines

Categories: Movie Biz

Wolverine_l_3 When a high-quality, full-length work print of X-Men Origins: Wolverine surfaced on Internet bittorrent sites last night, early speculation was that this was a doomsday scenario for Fox and the filmmakers behind the tentpole, which is not due to be released until May 1. The response today from competing producers and studio execs, however, has been more measured. One producer behind another major summer franchise insists that while piracy is a serious problem that needs a "focused and visionary response" from the movie industry, a leak like this may not actually cut that deeply into Wolverine's ticket sales.

"People who are going to download and watch it on their computer were either never going to pay to see it anyway or they're the type of super-fan who was going to go 10 times in the first week," he says, citing a leaked version of Iron Man that circulated a week before its blockbuster opening. "Seeing a spectacle movie like this one on your computer is not the same as seeing with a communal audience, and I don't think this is going to hurt them that much."

On the other hand, a high-ranking theater exhibitor sees much more dire consequences for the franchise. "This is a disaster," he says, referring both to the free downloads resulting from the leak and to the subsequent bad reviews making their way around the Web. "It's tens of millions of dollars lost."

It's certainly a sign of our digital file swapping times, and many in Hollywood are viewing it as a chilling cautionary tale. "If there's been a tutor in my life about this stuff, it's Steven Spielberg," says director Brad Silberling, whose Land of the Lost is due to hit theaters June 5. "There's a reason why directors are control freaks. Between marketing and publicity and all the other areas that get their hands on a film, you have to monitor it. You never like hearing about something like this happening an inch away from a movie being released."

Fox and the filmmakers have released an official response, vowing to track down whoever is behind the leak, while competing studio execs seem to be engaging in some wishful prognosticating about whether audiences will still show up for the big theater experience, regardless of other cheaper options. "That movie is a spectacle and the audience wants spectacle," says the exec with his own tentpoles due for release this summer. "I predict it still opens with a seven in front of it."-- Additional reporting by Nicole Sperling and Josh Rottenberg

Monday, March 30, 2009

On Hiatus

Pirates of Carriedo will be on hiatus from April 6 to April 24, 2009.

Orders will still be accepted but orders which will come after the 6th will be processed on th 24th onwards. Thank you so much for patronizing Pirates of Carriedo!

Enjoy the beach and the sun! Wear sunscreen... Enjoy the power and beauty of your youth! (...sabi nga sa song ni Baz Luhrmann)

Tuesday, March 24, 2009

Updated DVD Movie List

Here's an updated DVD movie list with corresponding prices in Excel file. We are sure that you will find something that would definitely interest you.

Kindly send email to piratesofcarriedo@gmail.com for your orders. Thanks!

Wednesday, March 11, 2009

Torrent Link: Cronos (1993) Guillermo del Toro

Torrent Link: http://www.mininova.org/tor/1293058

CRONOS

Cronos was made in 1993 and still represents one of the most original takes on the vampire genre in recent years.

The film, Guillermo Del Toro’s third film, tells the story of Jesus Gris, an antique seller, who happens upon a golden scarab hidden in the base of a statue of an archangel. When the scarab, an invention of a 15th century alchemist, pierces his hand, Jesus finds himself changing: he has more energy, appears younger and begins to have problems with the brightness of the sun. Also he can’t stop himself allowing the scarab to pierce him.

Throughout he is visited by a non-made up Ron Perlman (Hell Boy). Perlman plays the nephew of a dying millionaire who has managed to track down the scarab and wants it for himself thus beginning a game of cat and mouse that provides much of the film’s tension.

That the film is an earlier example of Del Toro’s work is evident. In 1993 he has yet to win the critical acclaim and independence he fought so hard for after the disaster that was Mimic. Yet you can see his trademark craft in putting Cronos together, the layers of subtext, the idea that humanity is the monster - the real villains in this film are all humans - and the use of mythology to explore human themes of addiction, family and death. For such a short film (only ninety minutes) it really does pack in a whole lot of story.

The visual effects do date the film slightly as does the quality of the film print from which the DVD was mastered but this doesn’t really distract from what’s going on. Del Toro’s skill as a make up designer (his early career was spent doing this) are overall what keeps the effects in the game and more than makes up for the absence of CGI or modern prosthetics.

The cast was and is largely unknown to me. However the performances from the entire cast were very good but two deserve mention in particular. Tamara Shanath, who plays Aurora, turns in a wonderfully nuanced performance for such a young actress and provides the film with it’s heart as the film’s protagonist, Jesus, attempts to hide his addiction from her. The other is that of Perlman who delivers a brilliantly three dimensional performance as the vain, long suffering, nephew of millionaire De la Guardia. A chilling and intelligent performance.

There’s a lot to like here. This is smart horror delivered in a slick movie that’s not afraid to make you laugh, cry or scream. Most likely all three. I recommend it without reservation.

Thursday, November 27, 2008

Dangerous Living: Coming Out in the Developing World (2003)

Dangerous Living: Coming Out in the Developing World (2003)

Dangerous Living: Coming Out in the Developing World is the first documentary to deeply explore the lives of gay and lesbian people in non-western cultures. Traveling to five different continents, we hear the heartbreaking and triumphant stories of gays and lesbians from Egypt, Honduras, Kenya, Thailand and elsewhere, where most occurrences of oppression receive no media coverage at all. By sharing the personal stories coming out of developing nations, Dangerous Living sheds light on an emerging global movement striving to end discrimination and violence against gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered people.

Format: DVD5
Year:2003
Runtime: 62 minutes
Country: USA
Disc: 1
Price: PhP 60.00

IMDB Review

After two viewings, I've concluded that DANGEROUS LIVING is one of the finest documentaries focusing upon the global LGBT human rights struggle that I've seen; it's lone major flaw is that it left me wanting more.

The film is structured around the well-publicized and much-protested persecutions and torture of a number of gay men arrested in what was presumed to be a comparatively safe environment in Cairo, and the incident is used as a touchstone to explore what gay, lesbian and trans-gender activists in a number of other countries have had to endure. Activists from Brazil, Honduras, Namibia, Uganda, Egypt, Pakistan, India, Malaysia, Vietnam, Fiji and The Philippines are interviewed, and in every instance I wanted less voice-over, and more 'in their own words' discussion. I also would have liked to hear more about where conditions have improved, and how those improvements were obtained. DANGEROUS LIVING does also manage to hint at the link between the LGBT rights struggle, and the broader fight for human rights around the globe, and likewise suggests (an opinion I share) that state-sponsored homophobia has been heavily shaped by Western influences. Both of these issues still await further cinematic exploration.

I'm of the opinion that the fight for LGBT rights is global, and that we are overdue a documentary that would make that plainly clear to Western LGBT communities who may take certain freedoms for granted, and - in relying so heavily upon voice overs, I'm not certain that this film does that effectively in its' comparatively brief running time. Still, this is both a moving and an infuriating film, and it does work as an inspiration to further research; to paraphrase the late writer and activist Paul Monette, a difficult life can take you to the core of your being; teaching you what has to be fought for and how - DANGEROUS LIVING does this often, with moving reality.

At the risk of cheer leading, I would strongly encourage others to seek this film out.

Monday, November 24, 2008

Torrent Link: Maynila Sa Kuko Ng Liwanag (1975)

Maynila Sa Kuko Ng Liwanag (1975)



Released 1975
Director Lino Brocka
Starring Bembol Roco, Hilda Koronel, Lou Salvador Jr., Princess Reymundo, Tommy Abuel


Maynila: Sa Mga Kuko ng Liwanag is structured into episodes. After the episode with the construction site, homeless Julian is wooed into becoming a street hustler for a chance for quick cash. He sells his body, his dignity, his manhood for the original promises of a bright future by the neon lights that tempt everyone to enter the city. Maynila: Sa Mga Kuko ng Liwanag is basically a film that threads together snippets of melodramatized chunks of reality. It's a huge cake to chew on and one might actually consider the film a bit too painful to watch, much too depressing and too tragic. The tale of Orpheus is subjected to the test of modern reality where hell is not another world, but a city where sweat, blood, and tears are commodified, and those who are ignorant enough to get enchanted by its grandiose promises are oppressed and forever trapped in its clutches.

Download Torrent HERE:

http://www.mininova.org/com/1564828

Thursday, November 20, 2008

Torrent Link: Galawgaw (1982)

Galawgaw (1982)

Download Torrent HERE: http://isohunt.com/torrent_details/53485965/galawgaw?tab=summary

DVDRip, Recoded to 685MB, English Softsub
Video: DivX, 624x464, Watermarked
Audio: MP3

Director: Ishmael Bernal
Cast: Maricel Soriano, William Martinez

Love always comes as a surprise.

Maricel Soriano plays the role of Olga, a sharp-witted and feisty tricycle driver who seems to have finally met her match – a match in love. When the rich and charming Truman (William Martinez) accidentally bumps into Olga’s tricycle, love sparks instantly flew upon his first sight of her. What follows next is a series of hilarious and romantically charged events as Truman moonlights as a taho vendor in order to win Olga’s heart.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0474690/

Tuesday, November 11, 2008

Bishonen (1998)

Bishonen (1998)

Jet (Stephen Fung) is a handsome gay hustler whose sex appeal seems to know no bounds. Everyone wants to make love to him, but he is in love with no one but himself.

Things change drastically when he notices what seems like a young couple in a shop, Sam (Daniel Wu) and Kana (Shu Qi). At first sight, he falls in love with Sam and begins following the two around.

Jet's friend Ching, who is also a hustler, runs a personal in a gay magazine for Jet, imploring Sam to contact Jet.

At first, Jet is angry with Ching for not asking him, but his wrath subsides quickly when indeed he meets Sam again in what seems like a chance encounter, but actually is an outcome of the personal.

Sam turns out to be a police officer and Jet starts to befriend Sam, hoping this will turn into a relationship. But Sam does not seem to notice Jet's intentions towards him.

Unbeknownst to Jet, Sam had a homosexual affair with pop star K.S.(Terence Yin) five years earlier. At the same time, Ching had been in unrequited love with Sam (then calling himself Fai) when the two were still office workers.

Format: Dual Layer/DVD9
Year: 1998
Runtime: 101 minutes
Country: Hong Kong
Disc: 1
Price: PhP 80.00

IMDB Review Inspired by a scandal in the Happy Valley area of Hong Kong, in which a wealthy playboy was found to have taken thousands of photographs of police officers posed in various states of undress, BISHONEN is nothing less than a romantic homage to male beauty: Stephen Fung plays a handsome prostitute whose vanity is breached after he falls in love with an equally attractive young cop (Daniel Wu) who is closeted from his old-fashioned parents (Kenneth Tsang and Chiao Chiao) and wary of forming new relationships due to events in his recent past, events which finally catch up with him in the worst possible way.

Directed by photographer-turned-filmmaker Yonfan (BUGIS STREET, PEONY PAVILION), this unusual film was actually promoted as a spectacle for *female* viewers, though the narrative is defiantly Queer in tone and construction, and unfolds with all the melodramatic excess of a 'Harlequin' romance. While Yonfan's script and direction may seem hopelessly naive to some Western viewers, his painterly eye uncovers the beauty in HK's urban sprawl, as well as the physical attributes of the actors themselves, and some of the images of languid young men are genuinely intoxicating. Terence Yin (HOT WAR) plays an aspiring pop singer who leads Wu astray from an old boyfriend (Jason Tsang) during a long flashback sequence explaining Wu's melancholy demeanor, prompting a number of oblique references to actor-singer Leslie Cheung, whose suicide in 2003 ended the long career of one of HK's most beloved gay icons. In fact, Yonfan uses the milieu of HK's sexual 'underworld' to comment on the former colony's clandestine gay scene, and the ways in which it has been downplayed (or hideously stereotyped) by an overtly conservative media. Gay fans of HK cinema have always relished the voluptuous splendor of Asian film stars (Bruce Lee, Alexander Fu Sheng, Andy Lau, Nicholas Tse, countless others) and the homoerotic undercurrents which fuel hundreds of tough guy action movies and sensitive dramas (despite what some blinkered western critics would have you believe); BISHONEN drags the implication out of its closet and exposes it to the clear light of day.

Many scenes are unscripted and/or shot guerrilla-style on the streets of HK, and while some of these vignettes are rendered inconsequential by unskilled actors, the script's emphasis on the redeeming power of love is both heartfelt and charming. However, the closing scenes - in which a leading character makes a tragic error of judgment - will strike some viewers as regressive and unnecessary, though the situation is entirely believable in the context of Eastern sensibilities. Shu Qi (SKYLINE CRUISERS, THE EYE 2) plays the only significant female role in the movie, a lesbian who acts as a go-between for Fung and Wu, and the movie is narrated by Brigitte Lin (famous for the sexually fluid roles she has played in countless movies); HK film critic Paul Fonoroff also appears, in a brief cameo role. Along with Wong Kar-wai's HAPPY TOGETHER (1997), this was one of the first HK films to depict gay sex in an explicit manner, though some of the supporting players are clearly uncomfortable during moments of supposed intimacy. However, Wu has no such inhibitions: He's stripped to his underwear on numerous occasions (revealing a beautiful, gym-toned body) and shares a couple of detailed sexual encounters - a memorable shower scene with Yin, followed by a climactic make-out with Fung - which represent milestones in HK Queer Cinema.

In a country where careers are often made and unmade overnight, Fung and Wu have since become major players on the HK movie scene. Both were educated in America (Wu had only a rudimentary grasp of Cantonese when cast in BISHONEN, his first movie), and while both were selected by Yonfan primarily for their looks, they give strong performances in complex, difficult roles (Fung's character remains sympathetic despite his narcissism, while Wu is a haunted, tragic figure). Fung - the son of former Shaw Brothers actress Sek Yin - is quite simply *gorgeous beyond belief*, and his subsequent films (including blockbusters GEN-X COPS, THE AVENGING FIST and MY SCHOOLMATE, THE BARBARIAN) have assured him a place in the pantheon of HK teen idols, though his cool, insouciant beauty was never captured with more grace or allure than here. He turned director in 2001, co-helming the multi-episode HEROES IN LOVE before going solo on the well-received comedy-drama ENTER THE PHOENIX (2004), in which he cast Wu as the gay son of a dying Triad who resists his father's criminal legacy. Of the two, however, Wu is the more accomplished actor, another teen sensation whose career has encompassed everything from commercial juggernauts (PURPLE STORM, NEW POLICE STORY) to intimate 'Art-house' entries (BEIJING ROCKS, NIGHT CORRIDOR), and he's gained a reputation for playing sexual outsiders in unconventional films, earning him a sizeable gay following throughout SE Asia.

Friday, November 7, 2008

Paupahan (2008)

Paupahan 2008
(Crossroads)

Download Torrent File HERE: http://isohunt.com/torrent_details/52751809/paupahan?tab=summary



DVDRip, Recoded to 740MB, Softsub
Video: DivX, 640x352, Watermarked
Audio: MP3

Three unrelated but interwining stories of characters-all seemingly ‘living dead’-unfold in this anthology of lives of have-nots who have become commodities that are either for sale or for hire,in a most unlikely milieu:a public cemetery just a stone’s throw from a squatter’s area( Kalye Sangandaan) in the city near the lake.

Gloria ( GLORIA ROMERO),a 73 year-old caretaker of a rich family’s mausoleum,has a simple wish:to be buried beside the tomb of her husband Donato who has long been dead.But the same mistress,ETANG ( LUI MANANZALA),with whom Gloria shared her infidel husband,continues making life miserable for Gloria.
DADENG ( GERMAN MORENO),Gloria’s 65 year-old gay neighbor who sells flowers for the dead in funeral parlor,is burdened by the child ( of a dead love-of-his-life) now a teen gay Byuti ( KIRBY DE JESUS ),an incurable romantic who is head-over-heels in love with Topher ( JOSEPH BITANGCOL) ,a 19-year old “user-friendly” bum,later revealed to be a closet “gay”.

Estrella Kerubin or Star ( KRISTA RANILLO ),21,is a trying-hard bit-player who has not stopped dreaming,believing and surviving in a dying showbiz. She’d do anything for her ambition,even use her body to please the powers-that-be,including a caterer/caretaker( MON CONFIADO) who claims connections with the production staff. Star has a ‘silent war’ with mother Lucinda ( SNOOKY SERNA),48,whom Star blames for the death of her father/stuntman).One common thing,though in this feuding mother-daughter tandem is their compulsion to work and earn.Lucinda brokers for neighbors who sell their kidneys and other vital parts for a fee.Ironically,she’s a chain-smoker who tries to survive despite her cancer-stricken lungs. While ,Tonio Torres ( ALLEN DIZON ),29,is a male starlet-member of an all-male group called “Wild Boys”.He has seen better days as a bold starlet-now-a pimp to new aspirants. Star calls him a showbiz “kuya”.Despite his misgivings, TONIO’S a resourceful breadwinner who uses his income for expanding his humble abode by building adjoining rooms he rents out for added income. He is also fighting for the custody of his daughter.

Roberto San Pedro ( JAY MANALO ),32,an ex-convict,gets paroled by a powerful armed group who uses him as an assassin.A man of few words whose eyes reveal personal tragedies and utter bitterness,he’s a reluctant hitman married to a nervous wreck,Angela San Pedro ( ANGELU DE LEON),29,a good former public school teacher who has lost job after cracking due to extreme pressure.

Almost all of the above stories are resolved.Others are open-ended ‘coz that’s reality.Being treated as a commodity is a hurting truth we have to live by.


Thursday, November 6, 2008

The Spirit of the Beehive (1973)

The Spirit of the Beehive (1973)
El EspĂ­ritu de la Colmena

In the aftermath of the Spanish Civil War, Ana, a sensitive seven-year-old girl in a rural Spanish hamlet is traumatized after a traveling projectionist screens a print of James Whale's 1931 "Frankenstein" for the village. The youngster is profoundly disturbed by the scenes in which the monster murders the little girl and is later killed himself by the villagers. She questions her sister about the profundities of life and death and believes her older sibling when she tells her that the monster is not dead, but exists as a spirit inhabiting a nearby barn. When a Loyalist soldier, a fugitive from Franco's victorious army, hides out in the barn, Ana crosses from reality into a fantasy world of her own.

Format: DVD5
Year: 1973
Runtime: 97 minutes
Country: Spain
Disc: 1
Price: PhP 60.00

Monday, October 27, 2008

Shaun the Sheep

Shaun the Sheep
Seasons One and Two
Episodes 1-40


Shaun is a sheep who doesn't follow the flock - in fact, he leads them into all sorts of scrapes and scraps, turning peace in the valley into mayhem in the meadow. Shaun and his pals run rings around their poor sheepdog Bitzer, as he tries to stop the Farmer finding out what's going on behind his back. Every day brings a new adventure for Shaun.

Format: DVD5 (Data DVD/avi files)
Year: 2007
Available Episodes: 1-40
Runtime: variable
Country: UK
Disc: 20 episodes per disc
Price: PhP 60.00 per disc

Saturday, October 25, 2008

Bleach

Bleach
Episodes 1-140


The story opens with the sudden appearance of Soul Reaper Rukia Kuchiki in Ichigo Kurosaki's bedroom. She is surprised at his ability to see her, but their resulting conversation is interrupted by the appearance of a "hollow", an evil spirit. After Rukia is severely wounded while trying to protect Ichigo, she attempts to transfer half her powers to Ichigo in order to let him face the hollow on equal footing. Ichigo instead unintentionally absorbs almost all her energy, allowing him to defeat the hollow with ease. The next day Rukia appears in Ichigo's classroom as a seemingly normal human, and informs Ichigo that his absorption of her powers has left her stranded in the human world until she recovers her strength. In the meantime Ichigo shelters Rukia in his home and takes over her job as a Soul Reaper, battling hollows and guiding lost souls to Soul Society.

After a few months of this arrangement, Rukia's Soul Reaper superiors interpret her disappearance as desertion, send a detachment to arrest her, and sentence her to death. Ichigo is unable to stop Rukia's capture, but with the help of several of his classmates who also possess spiritual abilities and ex-Soul Reaper Urahara Kisuke, he sets off for the Soul Reaper base, located in the afterlife realm known as Soul Society. Once there, Ichigo and company battle against the elites of the Soul Reaper military, and are ultimately successful in halting Rukia's execution.

It is then revealed that Rukia's execution and Ichigo's rescue attempt were both manipulated by Sosuke Aizen, a high ranking Soul Reaper previously believed to be murdered, as part of a far-reaching plot to take control of Soul Society. Aizen betrays his fellow Soul Reapers and allies himself with the hollows, becoming the primary antagonist of the series, and Ichigo teams up with his former enemies in Soul Society after learning that the next step in Aizen's plan involves the destruction of his hometown. At this point, Bleach chronicles the war between Aizen and the Soul Society, a plotline which has not yet been resolved. According to Tite Kubo, the ending of the series is not yet planned out or written.

The anime version of Bleach is produced by Studio Pierrot and directed by Noriyuki Abe. It began broadcasting in Japan on October 5, 2004, on TV Tokyo. Episodes 1-167 were made and broadcast in 4:3, with episodes 168+ made and broadcast in 16:9 wide screen.

Format: DVD5 (Data DVD/avi files)
Year: 2004-2008
Available Episodes: 1-140
Runtime: variable
Country: Japan
Disc: 20 episodes per disc
Price: PhP 60.00 per disc