Tag: 2022

The “Next Exit” in this Supernatural Road Trip Is To Fantasia 2022 & A Better Future

Next Exit offers ideas most paranormal investigators are keen on for years but ultimately it concerns two folks looking for the meaning of life.

Next Exit PosterTo be fair, anyone going to see Next Exit because of Karen Gillan will be disappointed. She only has a small part. Instead, it’s about Teddy (Rahul Kohli) and Rose (Katie Parker), who think that they have no reason to live anymore. It’s hard to tell that they are depressed and wish to end it all. But after getting a call from Stevenson’s Life Beyond institute, they’re on a road trip to be test subjects about the hereafter.

Apparently, Research Scientist Dr. Stevenson (Gillan) discovered a way to track the transition of a person’s soul as it moves from life to death. Sadly, that means anyone wanting to be a Ghostbuster may no longer be needed. And anyone who wants to “move on” isn’t lining up! Well, not yet. The concept is brilliant because of my interest in the paranormal, because I often wondered if we can observe terminal lucidity. Or rather, what does losing 21 grams mean?

Continue reading “The “Next Exit” in this Supernatural Road Trip Is To Fantasia 2022 & A Better Future”

Breaking Bad with The Breach at Fantasia 2022

The Breach is a slow burn, and I needed a second watch to truly appreciate it.

The Breach PosterFans of Craig Davidson’s scary stories will be in for a treat in the film adaptation of The Breach. Technically, he writes under the pen name of Nick Cutter when crafting horror. Although changes were made, the cinematic version honours the literary piece well. It is like The X-files meets Psi Factor meets (a what if) Prequel to Evil Dead.

This movie from Rue Morgue Magazine founder and sometimes filmmaker Rodrigo Gudiño, and GnR guitarist turned executive movie producer Slash, is a brooding piece of terror. I’m glad his involvement lays more in crafting a few atmospheric tones instead of making it completely heavy metal.

To say H.P. Lovecraft’s works are an influence is a stretch. Ultimately, it depends on what fans understand of this author’s vision. I’ve read every work he wrote and also studied the various expositions about his life which have seeped into his work. His idealisms and attitude were a product of the times. His stories were about secret orders and eldrich mindless gods. At other times, what he wrote was simply about mortals involved in mad science experiments. Not every tale he wrote is about this subject, and often, what happens to his hapless protagonists are beyond their control. They stumble into incomprehensible situations and often go insane. What I like from this author are his tales of cosmic horror rather than Reanimator.

Continue reading “Breaking Bad with The Breach at Fantasia 2022”

Inu-Oh is Swoon Worthy Hellraiser and a Lot More at Fantasia 2022

Inu-oh was neglected much of his life, and to see how he survives makes for a great story.

Inu-Oh PosterJuly 27 9:30 PM
Coming to theatres Aug 12, 2022 courtesy of GKIDS. and to all major digital platforms on Dec 20 and on Blu-Ray™ + DVD on January 24.

Masaaki Yuasa’s musical fantasy is very ambitious, and that should be of no surprise for anyone who loves rock and roll or heavy metal. There’s a bit of history too, but to say how much of it is accurate is tough to ascertain. That’s because there’s not a lot of surviving records about the real life Inu-Oh (犬王, lit. “Dog King”). 

The themes in this self-titled movie concerns defying the status quo and showing that it’s okay to be yourself. That’s how Inu-Oh lives his life. He believes there’s no need to conform, especially when he’s born deformed Sadly, people run away if they see him in his true form. Thus, he’s always wearing a mask and dons a huge garment to cover up his entire body. It’s a shame nobody can see past his ugliness, but thankfully Toma can. That’s because he’s blind.

Continue reading “Inu-Oh is Swoon Worthy Hellraiser and a Lot More at Fantasia 2022”

Regarding Alain Bidard’s Opal. She’s More Than A Kind of Magic and is The Best Movie (so far) of Fantasia 2022!

The real message in Alain Bidard’s Opal concerns whether everyone truly loves this princess.

Opal Movie PosterLong time devotees of Alain Bidard‘s works will love his latest movie, Opal. Most of this filmmaker’s catalogue of works played at Fantasia, and his last film was Battledream Chronicle. This movie is his second feature and his past works are often complex fairy tales. This film looks at why a young princess (Dawn-Lissa Mystille) named after a crystal is special.

Not only is she a wonderful, sparkling personality, but also brings joy. If she’s happy, the kingdom prospers. But when she’s sad, the opposite rings true. Whether she’s like the Well of Souls is not up for debate. Instead, what she radiates is magical, since the realm feeds off that. Because she’s key to the nation’s prosperity, should she go missing, plants will die and people will suffer. What we soon learn is that she’s living in a prison without walls. She’s allowed to roam the palace, but can’t go out.

Continue reading “Regarding Alain Bidard’s Opal. She’s More Than A Kind of Magic and is The Best Movie (so far) of Fantasia 2022!”

The Fantasy and Where to Find Summer Ghost After Fantasia 2022

Summer Ghost marks Loundraw’s directorial debut, and I feel he mixes up the supernatural and coming of age genre very well.

Summer GhostGKIDS & Shout! Factory
Release Date: Nov 1, 2022 (available to preorder on Amazon USA)

Summer Ghost is a sweet short movie by Loundraw about three teenagers who want to meet a ghost. Instead of fashioning a scary story, his tale is more about dealing with life. The story he wrote and the film he directed is very thoughtful. Difficult challenges are facing the girl and two boys–Aoi (Miyuri Shimabukuro, Miyuri), Tomoya (Chiaki Kobayashi), and Ryou (Nobunaga Shimazaki)–and none of them know what to do with their lives. 

Because they barely know each other, having just met on social media, to help each other out seems out of the question. In fact, they think communicating with the dead can lead to better results. While their idea of seeking guidance from the other side seems unusual, that’s because one of them has terminal cancer.

Continue reading “The Fantasy and Where to Find Summer Ghost After Fantasia 2022”

Dealing with My Grandfather’s Demons Isn’t Tough at Fantasia 2022

We can learn from Rosa’s little adventure, and when she returns to work after dealing with My Grandfather’s Demons, perhaps she can bring a memento from that secret garden she helped bring back to life.

My Grandfather's DemonsGKIDS

Rosa (Victória Guerra) is struggling with life in My Grandfather’s Demons. She’s in a dead-end job in a company where they reward productivity with a golden digital mascot type award–but that’s not enough for her. Because of this, she’s great at what she does, one day, she freaks out. Nobody knew that her grandfather (António Durães) died, and pretty soon, she was asked to take a holiday.

In what makes this film unique is in how two different animation styles are used to represent the realities that Rosa lives in. I sense this woman’s been feeling very disconnected from the world because her grandfather died. For example, the introduction of her life in a big city is rendered in CGI, whereas the countryside is made with clay and animated in stop motion. The latter may well stand for how Rosa needs to return to her roots. She needs to reground herself.

Continue reading “Dealing with My Grandfather’s Demons Isn’t Tough at Fantasia 2022”