2021 Archives | Otaku No Culture

VFFOnline: Watching Paolo Head to the (Great) Big North (Il Grande Nord)

The only sad part of watching this film is that we can’t see the true majesty of the terrain as it was intended-on the big screen. Witnessing the glacial landscapes from a small screen perspective really doesn’t do this work justice.

By Ed Sum
(The Vintage Tempest)

Streaming Online
at the Victoria Film Festival
Get your pass here to view beginning Feb 5th, 2021

Note: Available to view for residents in British Columbia

Also available to purchase on DVD on Amazon USA

British Columbia can’t look any more beautiful in the documentary, Big North (Il Grande Nord). This work looks at the life of Paolo Cognetti, an Italian and award winning author, on a pilgrimage through this province, the Yukon and Alaska as he explores the grandiose nature of the region, himself and what it all means.

He’s following in the footsteps of those authors he admires–Jack London, Ernest Hemingway and many others–during his trek, and in what we all see are beautiful shots of the terrain with drone cameras, a cameraman or two, and thankfully no bear encounters! The goal is to have the same experience as they had, and it’ll no doubt translate into his next novel, when he’s ready to write it!

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TheNFB at VFF2021 Part 3: The Myth & Mystery in Altötting, Germany

Andreas Hykade’s Altötting is a very personal story about his first time meeting the blessed Virgin Mary and his experiences. He speaks highly of her, as though she was a lover, but the context is far more allegorical–pertaining to her role in 20th Century history–as a lady in waiting for those seeking salvation.

By Ed Sum
(The Vintage Tempest)

National Film Board of Canada
Victoria Film Festival: Animate Me Shorts Program beginning Feb 5th, 2021

Andreas Hykade‘s Altötting is a very personal story about his first time meeting the blessed Virgin Mary and his experiences. He speaks highly of her, as though she was a lover, but the context is far more allegorical–pertaining to her role in 20th Century history–as a lady in waiting for those seeking salvation.

This minimalist animated short is very alluring in its approach of describing the power of her being. The erotic implications are minimal, and whether that was intentional by this filmmaker, it’s hard to say.

As for the experience of seeing the power of her being for the first time, the feelings may well be simliar to how Lucia Abobora, and her cousins, Jacinta and Francisco Marto, described the angel who came to visit them in Fatima, Portugal and afterwards, the Virgin Mary. But this filmmaker set his piece in a small German town with an equally historical landmark built to honour this person (and be a tourist attraction). The similarity is in how the two are often visited by those in search for a miracle.

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TheNFB at VFF2021 Part Two: Analyzing I, Barnabé

I, Barnabé at the Chapel Playing as part of the Victoria Film Festival: Animate Me Shorts Program beginning Feb 5th, 2021

Spoiler Alert

Click here to buy tickets (disclaimer: region locked to BC residents)

Barnabé is a pastor having a crisis of faith. He can’t take it anymore in this ethereal animated short by Jean-François Lévesque.

This character wants to end his life. To see him taking to alcohol to numb his senses is only a start to a wild and woolly ride of his past, his present and what may come in a Dickenson type of tale. The gothic tropes are nicely used to showcase his deterioration, but it’s his journey which takes on a different tone.

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TheNFB Showcase at Victoria Film Festival 2021

Six National Film Board of Canada (NFB) produced and co-produced feature-length documentaries and animated shorts are being showcased at this year’s Victoria Film Festival (February 5–14, 2021).

Like many other events, this city’s celebration of cinema is going online for residents in British Columbia to screen. The organization announced their line-up earlier today. For details, please visit their website.

For those living in other regions interested in seeing either these works or others, please check out your local film festival listings.

The following will be presented:

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Top Ten Animated Picks to Look Out For in 2021!

By Ed Sum
(The Vintage Tempest)

In the animated front, the films I’m really excited for are from China. Getting the news from this country is tough, and the studios are mum about what’s next in the Fengshen Cinematic Universe! I tried contacting a Vancouver studio supposedly involved and they never responded.

Because of the pandemic, a lot of production work shifted to either finishing at home or was put on hiatus. The workflow may well have slowed down too. Thankfully, there’s some good news: one particular Japanese animated title is coming very soon.

I’m hopeful the international release is not too much later.

Evangelion: 3.0+1.0
Thrice Upon a Time
Jan 23 (Japan)

The Rebuild tetralogy was on infinite hold when Hideaki Anno was off building Shin Godzilla. Anyone who has seen the original anime will know the general premise–young teens saving the Earth from a holy battle–but with the Illuminati like conspiracies going on, they are locked in an even different secret war. However, this reboot is huge, and it’s one I’m refusing to see one by one over several years. The wait is finally over so fans can see this re-imaging in its entirety.

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Top 10 Films to Expect for 2021 (from 2020)

Black Adam Promotional Image

By Ed Sum
(The Vintage Tempest)

Assuming movie theatres resume operations in 2021, the films I’m excited to see include part of my 2020 list. Any work that was in production and slowed down due to the pandemic striking early 2020 are not all going to be out this new year, but instead are pushed to 2022. Whatever the case, interests can shift and priorities on what to see can be pared down to the following.

The works on this list could easily be doubled, but I’m going to take the knife to essential geek viewing. Yes, Black Widow has gotten the axe. The excitement is just not there anymore for Marvel’s next phase. I’m not blaming the pandemic but rather the unfamiliarity with the various new teams to emerge, setting up perhaps a Secret War.

On the list (organized alphabetically) are:

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