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Godzilla and Kong in Print; The Clash of the Prequels

If I had to choose between which of the two books as the clear winner, my money is on Kong this time. Sorry, Godzilla.

gvk-godzilla-dominion-9781681160788_lg — **Available to order on Amazon USA**

Legendary Comics
Release Date:
April 6, 2021

Godzilla vs Kong is a tale of two titans that one movie cannot fulfill alone. The previous films show how terrifying they are separate, and these beasts will clash. It’s been foretold! We’ve seen this in King of the Monsters, in a very short act where Dr. Ishirō Serizawa and his pilot found an Atlantean-like ruin depicting a time where the titans ran amok, and the humans back then disappeared.

The graphic novels Godzilla: Dominion and Kingdom Kong add a layer of lore. Both of the works serve as a prequel to the showdown coming to select cinemas and HBO Max. It’s amazing that Godzilla faced many creatures in the past, but yet they don’t hold a candle to the mightiest ape.

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The Prince’s Voyage Set To Land May 18th!

Directed by the venerable French animator Jean-François Laguionie (The Painting, Cannes Palme d’Or winner Rowing Across the Atlantic) and Xavier Picard (King Arthur and the Knight of Justice), this movie is a beautiful and exciting movie adventure that promotes acceptance and diversity.

This spring, Shout! Studios invites you to embark on an extraordinary journey with The Prince’s Voyage when this highly anticipated animated feature debuts on a two-disc Blu-ray Combo Pack (Blu-ray + DVD) and Digital on May 18, 2021.

Directed by the venerable French animator Jean-François Laguionie (The Painting, Cannes Palme d’Or winner Rowing Across the Atlantic) and Xavier Picard (King Arthur and the Knight of Justice), this movie is a beautiful and exciting movie adventure that promotes acceptance and diversity. Available for the first time on North American home entertainment shelves, The Prince’s Voyage Blu-ray Combo Pack contains insightful bonus content and is a must-have for collectors and animation enthusiasts.

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How to Cinematically Rock Chinese New Year 2021

Nezha Reborn Movie Poster Chinese New Year is today and while it feels late when compared to previous year, that’s because this celebration follows the tides of the moon. A few new films from this country are attached to this time of the year but this time ’round not so much thematically.

Not to flog a dead horse (or ox, as this year represents), the pandemic has done enough to cause problems for the timeline when certain movies are released. Some are developed with the hashtag #blockbuster in mind, and others to show renewal.

Only three works in the fantasy front pop because there’s no more. I hoped for Deep Sea to debut, and it’s no doubt delayed. In what we can enjoy after their release in the homeland and in other territories by Well GO USA are:

Gods: Nezha Reborn
Feb 12-15

This modern update of Nezha sounds very promising, especially when the trailer takes on tones of Akira, Blade Runner and Mad Max! What can go wrong? If you’ve enjoyed White Snake from a few years ago, then Light Chaser Animation Studios and Warner Bros Eastern Division have a hit!

Synopsis: Three thousand years ago, both humans and gods faced a great catastrophe. Not wanting Nezha’s soul to escape the net of heaven and earth, they placed him into a cycle of constant reincarnation. However, the dragon clan’s grievances towards Nezha did not let up, and Li Yunxiang, who had the primordial spirit of Nezha, lived in fear for his life. With the East China Sea at stake, Yunxiang will have to fight alongside Nezha to defeat the dragons and become a hero. [© Far East Films]

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Jiang Ziya’s Release to Digital & Home Video for the 2021 Chinese New Year!

When Jiang Ziya is the next instalment of the Fengshen Cinematic Universe, just what else will happen next is speculation at best!

Jiang Ziya Bluray Case — Available to purchase on Amazon USA

Available on Digital & Home Video (Amazon USA link) Beginning Feb 9, 2021

Arriving in time for the upcoming Chinese New Year 2021 is Jiang Ziya (姜子牙)! This film is reverent for any year because of its themes about renewal. Though the COVID-19 pandemic delayed its release last year, I’ve been excited for this film for a long time. It finally screened in the fall of 2020. While it’s hard to say if the filmmakers updated the post-credits scene to fit the autumn release, it certainly succeeded in keeping the story current.

Christopher Sabat‘s vocal performance is on par with Zheng Xi ’s own in the titular role, and the actresses are just as equally notable. The English voice actress (unlisted in the information I’ve obtained) for Daji is sweet, reminiscent of Zach Tyler Eisen‘s Ang from Avatar: The Last Airbender. In contrast, Morgan Garrett gives viewers a very sentai-style performance as Juiwei (Nine Tail). The purpose is no better or worse than in what viewers expect from watching an episode of Power Rangers, for example.

It’s hard to say how the original dialogue and translated version holds as I couldn’t flip between tracks currently available and having a third, namely Cantonese (which I know). Thankfully, this home release has both tracks available. The screener I saw only had the English track. I found most of the variation comes from what Ziya said when he was creating magik, and a little with his internal monologue and book-ending the tale.

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VFFOnline 2021: Look Out! It’s a Skyfire than Sky is Falling Scenario!

It’s hilarious to see the futility of man versus nature in this film because unless there’s some future tech with an invention to calm Mother Nature down, she’ll burst a blood vessel (or zit) anytime she wants.

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

If anyone is wondering what Simon West of The Expendables 2 and Tomb Raider fame has been up to last year, prior to the pandemic, he was in China directing Skyfire.

His work is nowhere near the same level of 2012, a disaster flick of epic proportions. Instead, it’s toned down and borrows slightly from Dante’s Peak. The only difference is that this film features a very active volcano on the island of Tianhuo. Jack (Jason Isaacs) builds a resort here, and he believes he can profit from showing off how man has tamed Nature. Although this actor has done other films after Harry Potter, seeing him here is a treat.

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PIXAR’s Latest is Soulful and Heartfelt

This film leaves you with that knowledge that life can turn around when you open your eyes. In Joe’s case, he’s not as maudlin…

By Ed Sum
(The Vintage Tempest)

Available on Disney Plus

PIXAR’s got Soul in their latest film about Joe Gardner (voiced by Jamie Foxx), a musician by trade and teacher when required. He needs a full-time job to pay the bills, but as most people will say, making the big leagues in the entertainment biz is tough and it demands much more.

Gardner wants to make mama happy. But being an instructor leaves him feeling unfulfilled. His dreams of being a professional musician means having a special type of freedom, which he tries to explain to his students: you become part of a special team, and the music made together–the harmonies–infect you. They bring out your soul (this film’s namesake) and when you are in that zone, the effect is an out-of-body experience to which this movie masterfully and colourfully visualizes.

When one of his students points out there’s an opening to become part of Dorothea Williams’ band, he’s on it faster than a honeybee to a flower. She’s a jazz legend, and he’s all willy-nilly. He gets the job, but on the journey home to get ready, he falls down a manhole and the title credits roll!

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