Month: January 2024

Dana Kippel’s Reflect is More Than a Meditation on the Game of Life

Relax, Don’t Reflect on it. Because if you try too hard to find the pleasures at the end of the rainbow, this film shows one possible result!

Reflect 2023 Movie PosterAvailable to stream on Apple TV

Shades of The Truman Show can be found in Reflect, a movie written and directed by Dana Kippel. When she stars in it too, I can’t help but wonder if this work is a result of her going through some personal crisis that she wants to look back on, and sort through. Whatever the case, this magical journey has some elements to like, and other bits which will vary in meaning–subject to each viewer’s own experiences.

And as for whether we’re watching a television show within another depends on who wants to witness the coming challenges. There’s two men, a father and son, who seem to know what is exactly going on, and while I keyed into those characters more than the ladies, that’s because I’m a male. They seem to be in control of the larger story. And as for Summer (Kippel) and her gal pals headed to a retreat to mend fences, what transpires next is somewhat surreal in a Midsummer’s Night Dream kind of way. Although Katie (Grace Patterson), Annie (Marissa Patterson), Nia (Ariana Brown) and Liz (Jadelyn Breier) question what’s to come, Hermes (Joe Filippone) seems more genuine. But this messenger of the gods is no trickster. By the time this film gets to the first campfire scene where everyone should be singing Kum ba yah, arguments ensue!

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Disney’s Gargoyles. Ready to Burst at the Seams Again!

At long last, casual fans of Disney’s Gargoyles can pick up reprints of the comic books released by other publishers prior to Dynamite Comics’ acquisition!

Disney's GargoylesBack the commerative editions here.

Fans of Disney’s Gargoyles can rejoice! The elusive comic books from yesteryears are getting a digital cleanup and will be reprinted! After Dynamite Comic‘s Kickstarter campaign to publish the 30th anniversary editions is over, it may head to stores next.

Whatever the background drama wase to finally make this happen, at least the wait will be worth it. I imagine that because this new publisher has been doing very well with reimaging a lot of Disney properites recently, to visit this particular 90s Disney Afternoon favourite was inevitable. Back in the last decade, fans have been patient and campaigning to get the animated series out on home video.

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You Can’t Push Willy Around in Wonka, Which Shows Who Has the Magic to Build an Empire!

Dancing, glancing, Willy (Wonka) will drive them rivals silly with his star shoe shimmy shuffle down.

Wonka Movie PosterSpoiler Alert

To be wild about Wonka depends on how many times an individual wants to see this musical. This prequel about the chocolatier (Timothée Chalamet) before he’s set up his empire is well done and offers a lot more music than its predecessors! While this latest is rooted in magical realism rather than being a social commentary, what’s key to all films (including Tim Burton’s remake) is that we’re dealing with how to deal with ill-mannered individuals.

Here, we see this wannabe magician cum chocolatier arrive at some borough in London. While we see him do a lot of daydreaming, hopefully those glimpses of that empire he wants won’t come crumbling down. That’s because he’s facing stiff competition. That cartel of other local chocolate makers he’s next door to believes he’s trouble. But instead of finding his operation infiltrated upon, what happens here is that they’re trying to prevent him from setting up shop!

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The Best Five Genre Films to See at the Victoria Film Festival’s 30th Anniversary

Not every milestone year can be perfect, but I try to be fair about what the Victoria Film Festival offers, especially when the 25th didn’t live up to my expectations.

Victoria Film Festival Current LogoWhile there aren’t enough movies to make a top ten picks of nerdy films playing at the Victoria Film Festival‘s 30th year, that’s only because I’m selecting works that I haven’t seen before and am truly interested in. My expectations after experiencing their 20th are hard to top and what I’ve witnessed over the decade is like a sine wave. Their 25th showed them trying to include new venues and making sure there’s works that’ll appeal to non film buffs.

I’m surprised that even now, they and Tsukino Con (the Uvic Anime Club) haven’t decided to partner up. This anime event takes place after the festival, and to work together to offer up the latest Japanese animated film feels like a missed opportunity to help each other out.

It’s tough to offer an movie event celebration that has a bit of everything to cater to all levels of tastes and genres. There was even a year where the organisers experimented with the next wave–with the use of virtual reality–but now there’s little interest in choosing your own adventure storytelling; at least this show is adaptive. As for being a place to find niche genre works, it’s tough to call dibs not to get those films that matter–which I’ve seen elsewhere.

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Look, Up in the Air, It’s a Flying Swordsman Coming to Home Video This Week!

Ultimately, The Flying Swordsman plays out like a video game on steroids, and those familiar with Bushido Blade may see similarities.

The Flying Swordsman DVD
Available to pre-order on Amazon USA

Well GO USA
Release Date: Jan 9, 2024

Hidden in some secret valley are untold riches, and for The Flying Swordsman (雪山飞狐之塞北宝藏 / The Hidden Fox) to find it, he will have to defeat other treasure seekers for it! They’re all after this pirate’s bounty, as I like to call it, but for Hu Yidao (Ben Ngai-Cheung Ng) who is the sacred guardian of an iron box that contains the key to finding this place, he won’t give up those secrets easily!

Emperor Tian Guinong (Gang Wang) wants it and even tries to trick this master into giving it up. However, the people he sends die, and time passes where its legend only grows. This setup is rather mighty, because without a knowledge of this history, this film feels like every other wuxia style motion picture I’ve seen. What’s different about this work is a storytelling technique rarely used. Lots of flashbacks reveal what was, as Tao Baisui (Ray Lui) embarks on the same quest. As for what’s presented, it’s a very stylish martial arts film where the heroes and villains are very much involved in a game of hunting each other down!

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The Documentary YOSHIKI Under The Sky is Ready to Stream and Make Magic in Early 2024!

In what’s special about this documentary is that to see Yoshiki Under the Sky and how the concerrt was put together speaks volumes about where this musician’s heart lays.

Yoshiki Under the Sky Promotional PosterMagnolia Pictures

The slow roll-out of YOSHIKI Under The Sky from special screenings to streaming is coming soon, and what’s presented makes me regret not checking the online concert from 2020. What’s presented in documentary form is a terrific showcase on what’s missed. Although some of these performances feel short, I’m hoping an album will get released to keep the message ongoing and alive.

When the pandemic was declared, very few musicians thought about what they could do. When Yoshiki decided to put this online concert together, he was smart to also have cameras to capture what went on behind the scenes. Just who he brought collectively from around the world for this telecast includes Sarah Brightman (England), Scorpions (Germany), HYDE (Japan), Jane Zhang (China) and Nicole Scherzinger (USA). There are many more talents, and whom I’ve listed are my personal favourites and I forgot just how amazing the latter’s voice is, especially pre and post Pussycat Dolls.

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