Editorial Archives | Page 16 Of 64

Surviving The City Can Be Rough. In Volume 3: We Are the Medicine What’s Examined is Based on Real Life.

In this graphic novel series, Surviving the City, isn’t just about how one culture is dealing with colonialism, but rather with how many other lives can get affected at the same time.

HighWater Press
Spoiler Alert

Some knowledge of what the graphic novel series, Surviving the City, wants to educate is required to acknowledge what the latest instalment Volume 3: We Are Medicine, hopes to heal. Ever since the news about finding a mass grave of children near a former residential school in Kamloops broke out in 2021, there were a lot of protests and finger pointing. The world blamed people in prominent positions of power of the atrocity. Even now, the after-effects are still ongoing. Some reconciliation has happened since, but what’s presented here as fiction is coming true in the real world after reading “Chief says grave search at B.C. residential school brings things ‘full circle’” from the Kelowna Capital News.

This story by Tasha Spillett (pictured above left) makes up the backdrop where Miikwan and Dez are thinking about their futures. This author/educator/public speaker strives for a world where multiculturalism is embraced and everyone is treated with compassion. It’s basically what Gene Roddenberry envisioned for Star Trek, and everything Sisko would fight for when he travelled back in time and became part of the protests for equal rights in “Past Tense, Parts One and Two (Deep Space 9).”

In this story, these youths want to make the world a better place. They will soon graduate, and instead of figuring out what to wear for their last prom, these two indigenous teens change their plans and want to help after this news broke out. These are wonderful kids. Even Dez, the protagonist from the first two books, gets involved! After her own dealings with “The System,” how she deals with authoritarianism is important too. Continue reading “Surviving The City Can Be Rough. In Volume 3: We Are the Medicine What’s Examined is Based on Real Life.”

A Look Back at Discovery’s Shark Week and Wild Eye’s Space Sharks. Maybe It’s Better to Swim with the Selachii

There’ll soon be a lot of danger not only at sea but also on land when Shark Week Starts later this month with also a Space Sharks! We are sure this wasn’t planned, but fans will love it!

Discovery Channel Shark Week 2024 When Discovery Channel declared that Shark Week is coming, I sometimes pay attention. It all depends on who’s hosting, and this year, they have John Cena! While he can help me feel safe near the ocean, I still have to wait and give my thoughts after watching everything that’s available to scream at! My favourites are Expedition Unknown: Sharks vs Nazis, Alien Sharks: Ghosts of Japan and Makozilla. That’s because what’s presented gets mixed up with some local legends and urban myth. And as a bonus, Wild Eye Releasing has Space Sharks, and that was enough for me to tune in!

This sci-fi action thriller shows off enough cheesy action to even make me think about swimming in the oceans again instead of staying on land to cool off. That’s because these bio-engineered versions have taken to attacking the surface world rather than return to the dark depths whence they came. It’s a man versus nature movie that works, especially when these natural predators are given tech to allow them to kill a group of campers with impunity!

This budget film feels more like an extended music video, with the soundtrack playing more often than not. This synth track plays loudly to fill the non-talking set pieces, and even in the moments of dialogue, it overpowers what’s going on. Despite this problem, what’s presented is campier than 60s Batman, and is still a joy to view. That’s because certain talents, namely Eric Roberts, Mel Novak, Scott Schwartz, Vida Ghaffari, and Brinke Stevens valiantly give their all for this work. Continue reading “A Look Back at Discovery’s Shark Week and Wild Eye’s Space Sharks. Maybe It’s Better to Swim with the Selachii”

Summer Nights at Otaku no Culture; A Best of and Going on Vacation This Week

Who’s ready for Summer? There’s plenty of past entertainment to enjoy as we take a break to recharge.

With July now here, even we need to relax in preperation in what we expect to be a busy month! Fantasia Film Festival is coming up and we plan on covering it. We’re awaiting a response to our application and until then, we are still working on a list of top picks on what to see. Until then, we will be out enjoying the sun and try not to get a sunburn. Nobody wants that. We will resume posts next week. In the meantime, please enjoy this selection of best of past summer themed articles.

And we even have a Summertime Mixtape on YouTube too!

Thoughts on Star Wars: The Acolyte and Ideas on How to Save It (From Total Disaster)

Although production of season one is finished and all worse for wear, there’s a change to salvage The Acolyte should season two get someone new in charge and takes note of the ideas presented here on what can be done to fix it.

Now on Disney Plus

The latest instalment of Disney’s Star Wars takes fans to the High Republic years and offers a familiar tale. The Acolyte does not differ from Ninjago’s early seasons regarding siblings at odds. I feel this series set the bar regarding how Sensei Wu and Lord Garmadon represent two extremes but still remain family, and I have yet to see another tale that can do better. There’s Dragonlance with Cameron and Rastilin, but I digress.

But here, they are twins created under mysterious circumstances, and I doubt their nature was modified by genetics. Instead, it was through the bending of midichlorians to create the next generation of witches belonging to the Brendoks Sisterhood. By nature, one is kind and the other heartless. While I don’t care how the tale is from a matriarchal perspective, I want something that focuses more on the mystique that made Episode IV and V spectacular.

With this series, we’re dealing with a very weak murder mystery, which is the grander arc (and revenge fantasy if Mae was the focus; there’s potential to make the series good if she was in charge, but it’s not). The priority is really on Osha (Amandla Stenberg plays both characters), despite the fact the first episode begins with the other challenging a Jedi to the death. Most tales commonly start with introducing the protagonist, and it’s rare to deviate from that. In this case, we see Mae is out to kill four specific individuals from the Jedi Order because her Master ordered it.

Continue reading “Thoughts on Star Wars: The Acolyte and Ideas on How to Save It (From Total Disaster)”

One Fan’s Response to Variety’s Report About 3D in Cinema–It’s Dead

To 3D or not to 3D is the question some viewers may have now that pandemic concerns have abaded. But does anyone want it?

Imax 3D Cinema Subscribers to Variety Magazine and fans of the 3D film medium will no doubt want to read Carolyn Giardina’s report where the “Summer Movie Season [will be] Testing 3D Cinema’s Recoverability.” But as for whether that’s happening everywhere, I’ve noticed that my local movie theatre chain is close to abandoning the format unless it’s a blockbuster. As far as advance ticket sales are indicating what’s available, I’m not seeing any listings.

The only film listed is The Garfield Movie, and it’s a product not worth paying more for. If this activity is indeed happening, I imagine that they are only occurring at major metropolises where numbers matter instead of small towns. Whether fans of this medium want it back, the next few months will be telling. Ever since Covid-19 struck, the fear of getting the virus any which way depends on how much of a germ phobia one has. I firmly believe this fad is just that; and it’s finished running its course.

Continue reading “One Fan’s Response to Variety’s Report About 3D in Cinema–It’s Dead”

Furiosa Needs To Be More Like John Wick If This Franchise Is To Continue

Not even Mad Max can escape the inevitable franchise fatique that defines Furiosa. Had it offered something new in this prequel story that put it in par with Classical mythology, then some folks wouldn’t be screaming about it.

Furiosa A Mad Max Saga Movie Poster I really wanted to enjoy Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga, but sadly, it didn’t have the same wow factor as Fury Road. When it clocks in at 148 minutes, I left the theatre feeling more exhausted than anything else. It could’ve been trimmed down to a more respectable run time, but I suspect writer/director George Miller didn’t want to. While he’s the master of the cinematic spectacle, it seems he can benefit from learning what to leave up to the imagination. With this latest, he may have fallen the way of George Lucas.

Some franchises are better off not continuing. But when every film has Miller involved, maybe he should’ve let Fury Road be the high-note to end at. Instead of offering prequel tales a la The Clone Wars, which is what this latest felt like, just offer a miniseries to flesh out those characters whom audiences love.

Continue reading “Furiosa Needs To Be More Like John Wick If This Franchise Is To Continue”