It is Never Safe or Good to Enter “The Void,” A Movie Review

The Void

By Ed Sum (The Vintage Tempest)

* Mild Spoiler Alert

Nearly everything I ever wanted to see in an H.P. Lovecraft inspired film can be seen filling The Void. This indie Canadian horror movie made its world premiere in 2016 at Fantastic Fest, and six months later (set to release April 7th), it is getting limited theatrical distribution in the United States (showtimes can be found on Screen Media films website) and is now available worldwide via VOD on outlets like iTunes.

This movie produced by Casey Walker (A Little Bit Zombie, one of many people involved) and written/directed by Steven Kostanski and Jeremy Gillespie (who are also part of the maverick horror company Astron-6) show several heads are better than one to create a movie about cults on the loose and serving a greater cosmic force — or they have watched one too many Re-animator movies. I see a bit of Clive Barker influence with their editing style and visual direction (their use of real prosthetics is to be commended) for this film. When it comes to crafting a tale involving surviving a night at a ward, perhaps the familiar idea of taking the fight to a hospital from Hellraiser II is not needed. Technically, these filmmakers are paying homage to the horror movies they loved from their childhood (the 80’s), like John Carpenter’s The Thing, but sometimes I wonder if coming up with a new idea is even possible these days without conjuring up recollections of past products.

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Getting the Most out of Life with Some Bunny Loves You – Tour Dates & Interview

jesse thomBy Ed Sum (The Vintage Tempest)

Jesse Thom is a talented performer who not only recently published his debut children’s book, Some Bunny Loves You, but also is a busy musician. He’s a member of a few bands and also a solo artist. The Honey Tongues is a gypsy, folk-rock alternative group and Daemon & Airdrie is an electronic musical duo. Between the various types of shows he performs in as he travels the breadth of North America and beyond, life can be stressful. He’s a meditation coach who also needs time to relax. Sometimes, all it takes is a return to basics, to a time when he found peace, or rather with a creation which helped set him on a creative path.

From April 7th to May 22nd, he will be like a Traveling Wilbury, taking his puppet show (based on his book) through parts of Vancouver Island and the Greater Vancouver Mainland area before hitting the musical stage and performing behind the curtain again. Stops include the Garden City of Victoria to which he is from and details can be found on his website. I’m willing to bet a break will still be needed for this performer to re-energize like a particular battery bunny mascot before he embarks on another musical odyssey.

“As with any success, I’m just going to honour the path that forms,” revealed Thom, “I listen to my heart, and listen what the audience wants and I provide what seems to be wanted and needed.”

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When 2 Worlds Collide (Again): TMNT Meets Usagi Yojimbo!

coverBy Ed Sum (The Vintage Tempest)

To those comic book readers who missed reading about the meeting of two of the greatest anthropomorphic warriors, a group of agile reptiles and a rabbit (and those issues are hard to find) there’s no need to fret. Coming this summer is a reunion of sorts. After twenty long years, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles are hopping into Usagi Yojimbo‘s world in a special one-shot comic by Dark Horse Comics!

Crossing over to other dimensions or realms is nothing new in either franchise properties. When considering a lot of time have passed since the two last interacted, something is bound to change. I’m wondering if the two even really remember each other.

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Just How Often Can Major Get Blown Up in Ghost in the Shell (2017)?

The Void

By Ed Sum (The Vintage Tempest)

The live-action Hollywood “remake” of Ghost in the Shell (GitS) hardly succeeds in waxing the philosophical from Masamune Shirow’s manga or the anime directed by Mamoru Oshii. While I knew these ideas will be the farthest thing the hive mind planned for the Western adaptation, I secretly hoped for some redemption. A few scenes from the anime were nicely recreated in live-action format, but I wanted more substance than style, to which this film had in abundance. When this movie is partially shot with Alexa 6K (65mm) cameras, I’m hoping the National Geographic IMAX theatre in my hometown gets it during this film’s second run at theatres so I can see this movie proper on a square screen.

While I did not expect much of the Frankenstein-style discourse to exist throughout the film, there were a few moments Major (Scarlett Johansson) tries to understand who she is, why she was created and where her “ghost” comes from. This actress basically got a chance to play a different kind of Black Widow, a person stripped of her identity to become a professional hit-man (woman) and not have “family” to worry about. When she’s the main character, at least fans of this actress got what they wanted instead of waiting for a Marvel Comics Entertainment version.

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Does the Bare Necessities Reveal The Grizzly Truth? An Interview with Tom Reissmann

From the hunter’s perspective to governmental and First Nations, everybody has an opinion banning grizzly bear hunting–a subject explored in The Grizzly Truth.

The Grizzly TruthAvailable to view on demand on Vimeo
starting March 30th. 2017

Whether created by animation or live-action, the great bear has come to symbolize one of several things. As a symbol of strength and courage — or perhaps a constellation you see on the night sky — this animal’s importance to nature and in a grander a cosmic scheme must never go unnoticed.

In the cartoon world, we have beloved characters like Yogi the Bear (created by Hanna-Barbera in 1958) and Baloo from Disney’s The Jungle Book (1967) / Tail Spin (1990). Jump ahead a little more than a decade, this studio made Brother Bear (2003) which looked at how man should respect nature and understand tolerance. The main character, Kenai, was transformed into a bear, and had to learn for himself why this animal is so revered within his tribe. In Haida culture, this gentle creature is known as the “Elder Kinsman” and is treated as a noble guest instead of a thief because it stole from the river, which also provided sustenance to the locals.

If only the people who hunt them can treat and think of these gentle creatures the same way. In this documentary, the hunters sort of say they do, but that’s for the viewer to decide. I was offered the opportunity to get a sneak preview of a very thought-provoking and insightful program. It looks the role this animal and where it stands within different organizations. From the hunter’s perspective to governmental and First Nations, everybody has an opinion on a hot political topic in this year’s British Columbia election: to finally ban grizzly bear hunting.

They are sought after more often as trophys these days, which is sad. For those just wanting to take a snapshot, it it even helpful to the local economy? A lot is said to view the pros and cons of both, and this film nicely walks the fine line than lean towards a specific stance.

In Africa, the lion is said to be on top of the food chain. In North America, it is the bear. Destroy the alpha, and there will be problems. This fact and many other details are revealed in this documentary that’s now available online to view. And writer/director Tom Reissmann had other facts to reveal about the making of this film:

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Just One Day at A Time with Miss Hokusai, A Movie Review

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By Ed Sum (The Vintage Tempest)

Exotic beauty and supernatural magic grace Production IG’s animated biopic, Miss Hokusai. Based on the manga of the same name by Hinako Sugiura, this film follows the narrative style and simply offers moments of this artist’s life in Edo-period Japan.

With it now on video, I can start studying it more in-depth. My only disappointment is that the home release does not come with a lot of bonus material. A feature-length documentary about the making of this film is provided. I was craving more, especially when this anime explores an important time in Japan’s art history.

This look into the life of O-Ei (Anne Watanabe), daughter of revered painter Hokusai (Yutaka Matsushige), is very gentle and bittersweet. The plot looks at much of her life from her perspective as she shows how fiercely independent she is. Though she works as an assistant in her father’s studio, she often finishes what he can not finish when he’s being drunk (which is rare) or acting irresponsibly.

For artists wanting to look at why these Ukiyo-e works are majestic, I particularly liked the dialogue (I saw the subtitled version) explaining how the brush can invoke portals to other worlds. You have to be careful when painting a work featuring demons. At least with one work O-Ei made, real spirits came to haunt the residence. No title is offered for this work, but according to the soundtrack, it’s simply known as “The Cursed Picture of Hell.” When the work is retrieved, her father observed that because Hope was not offered, that’s why they visited. A simple detail was added and the evil left. However, there’s more to life in Edo period Japan because the Shinto life is not everywhere.

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