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The Zen of “Demigod The Legend Begins” at Fantasia 2022

Demigod, The Legend Begins may well be a prequel to Legend of the Sacred Stone, because Su Huan-jen is part of the cast.

Played at Fantasia 2022 July 23, 2022

Demigod The Legend Begins, is a visual treat. Not only do we get to watch Taiwanese glove puppet theatre on the big screen, but also the story is epic! Through the magic of editing, these characters come alive.

However, I must wonder if Bunraku is the appropriate term to use to describe this style of puppetry. The motions of these medium-sized dolls are achieved via hiding the puppeteers with simple tricks of the camera. Instead of watching a stage show, we are watching it though the eyes of the cinemtographer–where we have medium shots and closeups of the characters instead of wide shots to show these action figures in motion. In truth, this technique is the centuries-old tradition of budaixi—Chinese opera using glove puppetry. This movie updates the music with modern day electric guitars, and I’m fairly sure one song is taking cues from Fleetwood Mac’s “The Chain.”

When a robe needs to look like it’s rustling, good ol’ fashioned fans are used. When the background needs to come alive, we have CGI replacing those green screen moments. Also, we have some well placed smoke effects and cups of blood to splash around when needed! The presentation is as good as those classic wuxia Hong Kong films from the 80s. But I can’t help but chuckle when they move off camera like a Muppet. That’s okay; Demigod The Legend Begins is not meant to be as perfect as other films using marionation.

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[Fantasia 2022] More Than Just a Sneak Peak at José Luis Saturno’s La Melodía Torrencial

José Luis Saturno’s La Melodía Torrencial is more than just a fairy tale, and we got to interview this filmmaker about it’s deeper meaning.

José Luis Saturno Monsters and and Humans Shorts
July 23 at 9:00 PM at the Cinéma du Musée

In Fantasia’s 2022 list of animated shorts, not only did José Luis Saturno’s poster for La Melodía Torrencial catch my attention for its artistic design but also the trailer looked fabulous! The art design had a touch of Tim Burton’s design aesthetic which I adored, and I had to know more. I mentioned this film in my top animated picks list, and got a chance to see this short film ahead of its premiere.

This story about a rainmaker going by the name of Fluvio has a lot of layers tucked into its narrative. When a township sought him out to bring them rain to their arid community, what they get–some may say–was their just desserts. But there’s a lot more going on in Saturno’s latest work than meets the eye.

This filmmaker studied Film Animation at Concordia University in Montreal and started producing even before finishing his degree. He didn’t submit for film festivals until his third year in school, and instead of working for the big studios, he decided going independent was the way to go.

Thus, Enjambre Hexagonal was born. A few of their works can be found on YouTube, but to see them as they’re intended, on the big screen, is a must so the detail can be appreciated. He hires freelance artists as part of the staff to do this work, and the people on call include Yann Ben Alluch who does the storyboards and helps animate (“El mimo y la mariposa negra”). Robin Servant handles all the music and is the talent behind the sounds in La Melodía Torrencial.

He said, “I never felt compelled to work in the industry from the bottom in the hopes of one day being hired as a director. I simply wanted to make films as quickly as possible.”

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The Fight is Real! Shin Ultraman Brings on the Nostalgia, and What’s Next After Fantasia 2022?

I suspect the eventual sequels (if they get greenlit) will look at the fallout from the events that we’ve seen in Shin Ultraman.

Next Fantasia 2022 Screening on July 30, 12:00 PM at the Auditorium des diplômés de la SGWU (Théâtre Hall)

When Hideaki Anno was offered a chance to update Toho’s most beloved kaiju, not everyone knew what he would do until Shin Gojira played at movie theatres. Some fans hailed it as a masterpiece, while others said it was too talky. This talent behind the writing of Neon Genesis Evangelion even rebuilt that series. But as for Shin Ultraman, a reboot to the classic series, I thought, “As long as he delivers some classic moments from the series, it’ll be good.”

He was tasked by Tsuburaya Productions to create a pitch for a trilogy of films, and what I’m seeing in this movie’s North American debut is a beloved throwback to the old 80s style of filmmaking. Shinji Higuchi was in charge of directing, and Anno got to play the titular character! It was a childhood dream of his come true! And instead of digitising and realising these big kaiju sized fights on the computer, it’s done with miniature sets and rubber suits! That is, they’re more like motion capture suits these days, but to have the animation department recreate that look has me thrilled.

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Andy Mitton’s The Harbinger isn’t Doomed for Failure at Fantasia 2022

The Harbinger’s terrifying tone gets established right down from the first frame to the last, and this film’s assault to the senses is relentless.

Next Fantasia 2022 Screening on July 22, 2022 1:50 PM at the Salle J.A. De Sève

Dec 1st, 2022 Update: Available on all major VOD channels and Select Theatres

When considering the bounty of movies made concerning the pandemic, Andy Mitton The Harbinger is the definitive movie to watch. This film concerns what people must and must not do if they want to survive. Here, Monique (Gabby Beans) lives with her brother and father in a family bubble which they maintain with vigilance. In order to stay healthy and safe, they no longer live in the big city.

One day, her oldest friend Mavis (Emily Davis) gives her a call and says she’s being tormented by nightmares, has trouble waking up, and she needs her bestie by her side. She’s afraid something will take her away, and without someone near, nobody will notice she’ll be gone.

Monique heads to New York to be by her side, but in what she discovers is much worse. She learns everyone in the entire building is affected by the same dream Mavis has, and a demon is stalking them! And if this plot sounds familiar, that’s because the Nightmare on Elm Street vibes are certainly there. Instead of offering up grisly kills, what we get is a large exposition about the anxieties over what the future holds for every person these ladies have talked to.

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Is The Mole Song FINAL Reiji Kikukawa’s Swan Song at Fantasia 2022?

In The Mole Song FINAL, we see everything this filmmaker is famous for–off the wall action, a kinetic performance by his performers and tons of dirty jokes that’d make City Hunter blush.

Playing at Fantasia 2022, July 25 6:35 PM at the Auditorium des diplômés de la SGWU (Théâtre Hall)
(Buy Tickets here)

Anybody not familiar with Takashi Miike’s The Mole Song trilogy might want to get all caught up before seeing The Mole Song FINAL (土竜の唄 FINAL). That’s because the last movie was made in 2016. Trying to remember why Reiji Kikukawa (Toma Ikuta) is undercover won’t be tough. He was kicked out of the police force because of the way he conducts himself, but secretly this disgrace was to give him a means in to infiltrate the Sukiya-kai, a ruthless yakuza organisation in the first film, and the Chinese Demon Skulls gang in the second.

One thing in common between movies is that we will see a nude Ikuta in the production. Usually, that’s at the start, and he has something to mask those bits, so not everyone has to avert their eyes.

With that warning out of the way, what’s presented is a high octane romp and adventure where Reiji attempts to climb up the ranks was not only difficult but also nearly life ending! After he’s earned Shuho Todoroki’s respect, he can subsequently try to get that one piece of evidence that will lock this ringleader up for good.

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Jing Wong’s Mercenaries from Hong Kong Unleashed in 2K for Fantasia 2022!

Jing Wong’s Mercenaries from Hong Kong Get Unleashed in 2K for Fantasia 2020 and where can we find it playing next?

Another old Chinese movie playing at Fantasia 2022 is Shaw Brothers’ Mercenaries from Hong Kong. The 2K restoration screened over the weekend and I hope a home video rerelease is planned. It’s a must for any collector and enthusiast of vintage Hong Kong action cinema.

To note, not even I have seen every movie that’s been released during this time. There’s plenty of works that have never crossed the Pacific to screen in North America, and back then, the only source to find these works meant frequenting video rental shops in Chinatown. But they do not import every film unless they bootleg. Alas, these operations have become a thing of the past. These days, we search YouTube for trailers and visit YesAsia to make a purchase. To note, the DVD is out of print and not everybody has a player for the outdated VCD format. Perhaps this recent restoration might mean a new release is coming.

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