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Alex Proyas’ The Crow 30 Years Later. Just ‘Knowing’ is Half the Battle.

Whether we need a reboot of The Crow depends on who you ask, but while we’re waiting for that Summer release, fans can enjoy the classic.

The Crow 30th Anniversary Steelbook Collection — **Available to purchase on Amazon USA**

To say when a home video release can reach me in advance to review depends on how fast the crow flies to bring me that gift. But often, the last mile is at truck’s (a snail) pace. The reference is apt to describe why I wanted to see The Crow again in 4K; fans of this cult film will want the steelbook and the bling that comes with. It’s excellent and the package is well designed. Myself, I really wanted to check out the new bonus material.

What’s provided is definitely a fond look back. And when this year marks this film’s 30th anniversary, there’s a reason to celebrate! Not only are we remembering Brendon Lee‘s passing but also acknowledging this movie’s contribution to trying to make movies a safer place. There were protocols that weren’t adhered to which resulted in this actor’s death. As for whether this accident could’ve been avoided, it’s possible when considering the details revealed during the trial.

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Remembering Roger Corman (Part One). The Beast from Haunted Cave Remastered.

Although Beast From Haunted Cave is not one of Roger Corman’s best, it’s notable for other reasons in this retrospective of this filmmaker.

Beast From Haunted Cave and Ski Troop Attack — **Available to purchase on Amazon USA**

The Beast from Haunted Cave (1959) won’t win awards for its schlock, but for B movie enthusiasts, to see it offered side by side with Ski Troop Attack (1960) can make for a fun weekend at the movies–especially if you’re the type who love those drive-in type affairs. Film Masters released this pairing back in October as a look at what the Corman brothers did early in their career. Roger produced the former and got his brother Gene to direct.

Strangely, what I wrote before and thought I had posted has disappeared. Perhaps that monster chewed it up because it didn’t like what I wrote. But after hearing of Roger’s passing, I had to delve into my library and select a sampling of works to remind myself about why this filmmmaker is revered.

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Talking About A New Generation with Doctor Who’s 14th Season (or is that one?)

There’s some revisionist changes to the changes of Doctor Who that few will appreciate, and what’s explored here concerns the misaligned episode “The Devil’s Chord.”

Doctor Who Season 14 Poster A lot has changed with The Doctor over the years. And to say which Doctor Who incarnation is better depends on whom you ask, which generation they’re from and if the show can survive the test of time. As for why The Beatles was chosen over the The Who to market the new era under Disney’s distribution network, that’s because the British Invasion with the former really changed the landscape of the music industry. Both gained recognition around the same time (1964).

With today’s woke culture inspiring Russell T. Davies to further change all that was classic with the series, I’m not as keen to call myself a fan of everything new. The Doctor’s reward of getting a new set of regenerations (“Time fo the Doctor”) is because he saved his homeworld from complete destruction. Unlike The Master, when he transferred his essence to other bodies to extend his own cycle (this character was originally male), the Doctor was keen to expire and let someone else save the universe. But the BBC said we can’t put an end to their best known media empire.

To explain how regenerations work, it’s all because of the power a black hole contains. If one can harness the energy from the singularity, it can supercharge the cells of a Gallifreyan body. The Eye of Harmony was made to contain all this power, and as for why this is important, perhaps Ruby (Millie Gibson) has some ability to tap into that or be a storehouse of energy too. Continue reading “Talking About A New Generation with Doctor Who’s 14th Season (or is that one?)”

Welcome to TheNFB’s Hothouse 14! Showcase is Online and Fancy Free.

Hothouse is about reimagining ways of making animation—ways that are faster and more flexible, and that embrace the many possibilities of the animation process while achieving creative and technical excellence.

The National Film Board of Canada’s Hothouse animation apprenticeship program is a great way to see emerging talents showcase their visual design skills. It’s sometimes less about the stories presented and at other times more about what an individual can do within a medium that’s sometimes challenging to use to tell a story. What I find engaging is what each person can dream up.

Sometimes it’s just a melody and other times just an experience, and I offer a quick look at this year’s collection of works. The theme is “Small Things Considered,” where filmmakers had to consider how things grow from a germ of an idea. They’re now available to view online.

AMMA
Akash Jones

I’m sure everyone can relate to this work about a youngster about to leave the nest. Although his mother means well, even I get that when too much is too much and hope that there’s time to do what you want. It’s a classic why me scenario that many will get, and hopefully this filmmaker has his peace.

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Top 10 Favourite Shorts from VC Film Fest 2024

There’s a few amazing gems from this year’s VC Film Festival. Let’s hope some of them get further expansion on to become feature length works!

This year’s VC Film Festival at Los Angeles had a lot of short films to showcase, and presented here are my top picks after seeing more than just a handful of animations. There’s live action works which makes my list of top ten best presentations. They are presented in alphabetical order, and if I had to say which is number one, it’s a tie between The Queen’s Flowers and The 7th Night.

As this event has wrapped up its week long celebration, I can finally get to add to my notes as I look back at what I liked the most. This top ten is different from my picks before the event.

A SHADOW’S GLOW

This work by Cole Fourqurean and Josh Mizrahi has a premise that I’m sure Don Bluth would admire. I particularly love the animation style because it’s one of contrasts. Here, the screen wonderfully plays with what defines light and shadow. The character designs are rather wicked, as what’s rendered feels like what PIXAR’s Elemental would motion-capture/storyboard out before sending the files to the render farm.

Here, the story is simple: it’s about a lost flame who wandered away from home. And if I’m to assume this being is a she, this cute soul has strayed too far into the world of darkness where are a lot of creatures are eager to destroy it. However, there’s one shadow figure who believes otherwise and saves the light from being extinguished.

What’s important is the study of yin and yang. Both elements need each other in order to support being able to move forward. Everything that’s presented shows why both are complementary rather than distinct opposites. The personality that’s imbued in this non-verbal narrative makes me hope this student film can find traction elsewhere. I like to see more of this world get expanded upon as it gives a sense that this work is inspired by The Dark Crystal.

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