Based On Poem Archives | Otaku No Culture

About Mavka, The Forest Song and Dancing Your Troubles Away

There’s a lot more going on in Mavka, The Forest Song than just be an adaptation of the poem by Lesya Ukrainka.

Shout! Studios
Release Date: Aug 15, 2023
Available to order on Amazon USA

It seems opinions about the Russian invasion into the Ukraine have filtered into children’s entertainment. When it hits that hard, that’s because one side doesn’t want the fighting, and prefers that all countries get along. When the conflict in Mavka, The Forest Song rears its ugly head, just how this title character can be a protector depends on faith.

Although the commentary was most likely not Lesya Ukrainka’s intent in her original 1911 play The Forest Song, what’s modified for this animated treatment certainly makes callbacks to other similar works, like Fern Gully than anything Disney would produce.

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Top 10 Animated and Cinematic Fantasy Worlds to (Re)visit after Watching Dungeons and Dragons Honor Among Thieves

We got a list that considers how cinematic fantasy worlds should look like in both the cinematic and broadcast front.

Cinematic Fantasy Worlds - 300 Rise of an Empire Movie Poster

After Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves, I felt the need to cleanse the palette. I wanted to visit other cinematic fantasy worlds that truly delivers the mediaeval aesthetic. To find a film that’s true to the feel is tough, and to nail a top ten is even harder! I hit streaming services and my library to see what’s there, and I was being tough on myself since any element that’s off meant taking it out of this list.

Movies based on mythology are a given. And I’ve removed literary works like The Hobbit/Lord of the Rings because that would be cheating. What I offer here is listed in alphabetical order and the links go to Amazon USA for those wanting to stream it or to buy. Final movie trailers are also included to separate each entry.

300 (2006)

Zack Snyder’s colourful and gritty story about a bunch of Spartans protecting a pass is a movie to truly marvel at. When all of Greece gets threatened, what else can an elite warrior class do? Here, we learn about what it takes to defend a nation. As for the sacrifices, it’s the stuff of legends. Although the sequel doesn’t fare as well as the original, this pairing is a must for fans of this filmmaker.

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The Green Knight’s Headed to Theatres This Summer

Gawain is the hero, and he must do what the other’s can’t–to take on a giant.

Elevation Pictures
Director: David Lowery

Anyone who has studied the Gawain and the Green Knight in school will be in for a treat!

Few filmmakers have adapted the poem, and its reimagining has been long overdue. No Doctor Who reference is intended here, but rather what’s needed is a focus on making this retelling a tale of horror. It’s an unusual take in an otherwise medieval morality play.

Gawain (Dev Patel) is the hero, and he must do what the others can’t–to take on a giant who symbolizes Nature. The Christian symbolism in the trailer is notable, and as for whether King Arthur and his court are challenging their own demons or they simply know Camelot is coming to an end, the ideas aren’t likely to stray far from the source material. New to the canon is a fox, and perhaps a spiritual antagonist in the form of a fox.

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