Tag: Analysis

Thoughts on Finding Dory, First Movie Trailer Release

By Ed Sum (The Vintage Tempest)

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Just who is Dory remembering? Viewers will pick up on the fact that this regal blue tang fish is remembering her mother in her sleep in PIXAR / Disney‘s first trailer in the sequel, Finding Dory, due in theatres June 17, 2016.

This teaser shows that the story picks up months after the events in the first film, Finding Nemo, and as life in the Great Barrier Reef settles down. More adventures are to come when Dory starts to recall parts of her youth when she’s awake. She will no doubt set off (on her own) to discover where her family went.

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The Legend of How to Fight a Dragon’s Fury, a Review & Look into the Saga

By Ed Sum (The Vintage Tempest)

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Fans of the How to Train Your Dragon book or animated series will no doubt know that two worlds are always going to be at odds with each other. The trust between humans and dragons is difficult, and when these two cultures clash, to find methods to preserve the peace is difficult. This principal message is one that both creator/author Cressida Cowell and writer/director Dean DeBlois have expertly crafted into the this narrative, and that is what makes this Viking saga so enduring. To see how the conflict finally comes to an end in the final book is aptly named How to Fight a Dragon’s Fury.

This novel was released in the UK on Sept 8th. In North America, it will be released in Canada on Oct 20th and in the USA on Nov 3rd. Readers will finally see the finale that’s been built up two books ago. The last three books comprise The Dragon Rebellion story-arc and the rising action only gets better in this last release. Here, the hero Hiccup Horrendous Haddock the Third finally confronts the dragon Furious, who is upset at all the inhumanity done to him and his species.

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Trying to Name the 16 Realms in LEGO Ninjago: Masters of Spinjitzu (Part Two)

By Ed Sum (The Vintage Tempest)

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The LEGO animated series universe may well simply consist of 16 realms. In the Ninjago series, three were visited during season five — Chima, The Dark/Cursed Realm, Underworld and Cloud City — and that begs the question of just what does the other realms thematically represent. The immediate assumption, because of the Laval cameo, is that this company’s in-house products are included. While some folks can hope for licensed titles like Harry Potter or Star Wars to be included, that’s not the case. To include other worlds made by other creators brings the count to 20+! In what’s coming, the movie worlds would include:

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LEGO Ninjago: Masters of Spinjitzu Makes for a Fun Asian Ghost Month Watch! (Part One)

By Ed Sum (The Vintage Tempest)

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The latest season of LEGO Ninjago is certainly worth watching during Hungry Ghost Month. In Asia, this tradition of entertaining spirits during the start of a new lunar month is widespread and based on folkloric beliefs. Some of what’s presented in the series comes into play, and it adds to the versatility of what this world represents. Although this latest season’s introduction is in part due to the events from the last story-arc, to see how much of the spirit realm influences daily life needs to be observed. Lord Garmadon is the blame when he had to cast powerful magic to open a portal to the Cursed Realm to save the day. He may have inadvertently traded places with Morro, a renegade spirit. When this ghost saw that Lloyd is the new Green Ninja, he had to figure out a plan in how to possess him.

But Morro also has a vendetta against Sensei Wu. He was a former pupil whom Wu thought was the chosen one. But when the master saw an ambition and arrogance that would rival even Darth Vader, he knew the boy was not the one (“Winds of Change”). The number of episodes made to tell this latest chapter is shorter than its early seasons, and the 10 episode count makes for a perfect weekend watch. The storytelling is top-notch and the Hageman Brothers have outdone themselves in how they pay respect to a few supernatural Asian traditions.

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The Minions Third Trailer Sheds a Clue with Gru?

By Ed Sum (The Vintage Tempest)

despicable_me_2_minions-wideThe Minions are getting a better explanation in what they’re up to in this new trailer for their self-titled movie. Not only does it summarize the events from the previous two but also it goes into new territory. Just what this film’s story is about gets revealed, and the potential tie-in to how they met Gru — well at least the father of Dr. Nefario might have been revealed. The Queen’s royal guard who protects the Royal Crown looks suspiciously familiar. The plot to steal this piece of history is the deux et machina here, and the tale in just how well these little yellow minions will fare with their chief Scarlet Overkill (Sanda Bullock) from way back then, well 42 years before Gru, shows that no matter how hard they try, the villains just do not understand.

When they are in large group, these boys are proving to be the Keystone Cops for a new generation. When as a trio, their hijinks is like that of The Three Stooges. They’re hilarious in all the crazy hijinks they end up in. The 60’s really has to be worried, fire hydrants notwithstanding.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wfql_DoHRKc%5D

Thoughts on the Batman v Superman Official Trailer

By Ed Sum (The Vintage Tempest)

ahletwx18dkogwhiihxqIs Superman a false god or a prophet? Just who is he and what is his purpose on Earth? These are the questions raised in Zack Snyder’s reimagining of the DC Universe. In fact, this comics company has this “New 52” in place for sometime. and this director has been following along a similar line of themes for DC’s theatrical presentation and reimagining of some iconic heroes. In Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, not everyone approves of this new mighty man of steel poised to look like Atlas holding the weight of the world upon his shoulders. In the voice-over, one individual asks if the biggest demon might be someone who fell from the sky — is this an allusion to Lucifer, the Morningstar? We’re not talking about the devil here, but that’s the feeling some folks might get. Literary analysts might wonder if this person is playing on the idiom, “Better the devil you know than the devil you don’t.”

Given another frame where there are soldiers bowing to Superman, some may wonder just what kind of hold he has upon the fair people of Metropolis. The city has recovered from the events of Man of Steel, but not everyone approves. And is it a vault that he’s entering into?

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By the time Bruce Wayne aka Batman emerges, this version of the caped crusader is going to be nothing like former iterations seen on-screen. He’s staring at an old costume and is perhaps wondering if its time to put it on again. The dialogue is sharp as a new narrator speaks about how dark feelings can turn a good man to bad. There’s this fever and rage that festers, and that’s essentially Batman as visioned by Frank Miller. Viewers of this trailer get to see this version don some mechanical threads that gives him a wicked glowing eye look. Wayne is going to need it if he’s going to fight Superman.

Perhaps the biggest question here is just how far gone has Batman become? Is he there to do what’s right for the people of Earth? Does he even know about Superman’s weakness to Kryptonite? When this film’s subtitle is known as Dawn of Justice, that means other types of superheroes could potentitally emerge to side with either the caped crusader or man of steel in hopes to find freedom from being ostracized. The villain is not so clearly defined yet. As any follower of DC’s films will know, Lex Luthor is waiting in the wings.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IwfUnkBfdZ4%5D