Tag: Family

[Fantasia 2021] Un Petit Vampire is Moving on Up From Festival to Home…

In what makes The Petit Vampire enduring is the story. It borrows from many animated traditions, including Casper the Friendly Ghost.

The Petit Vampire (Lil Vampire) Movie Poster
Playing at Fantasia Film Festi on Aug 08, 2021 3:00 PM and Aug 10, 2021 9:00 AM

Coming to VOD Sept 21 & Home Video Oct 5th via Shout! Factory Kids.

Joann Sfar’s adaptation of The Petit Vampire (The Lil’ Vampire) book series to film is an amazingly well thought out story. Many people have adapted the original series by Angela Sommer-Bodenburg to either a movie (there were two prior) or a book, and none of them really gained traction till now. In this filmmaker’s case, the titular protagonist can no longer grow up. He wants to go to school in the graphic novel editions. This coming of age tale teaches us viewers something else–the value of friendship. This artist’s version takes a few cues from Casper the Friendly Ghost, and goes further because of its rich phantasmagorical mythology.

One unusual aspect in this property is that certain characters don’t have a proper name. The Captain of the Dead (Jean-Paul Rouve) leads this clan. He also protects them from Gibbous–whose face is like the crescent moon. He’s hardly a man and there are times where I think he’s a harbinger of Death. In the animated movie, these two figures desire Pandora, and I’m sure that name is taken from a certain Greek myth.

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Boss Baby. From Back in Business to Family Business, the Clues are There…

Knowing the Netflix series isn’t required and I thought the next movie of the Boss Baby franchise on a rival streaming network unusual.

Boss Baby Back in Business
Coming to VOD on Aug 31, 2021
Home media release:
Sept 14, 2021

Playing on Peacock and theatres near you.

Spoiler Alert

The only shame with The Boss Baby franchise is the voice of Tim Templeton, one of the main characters, was recast. I would’ve preferred Pierce Gagnon from the Netflix continuation than James Marsden to take over. Tobey Maguire isn’t back because he doesn’t have the skills to sing. Usually someone else can fill in those bits but the producers opted to get a new performer. This information was reported on Yahoo News.

Unless Timmy’s voice cracked twice, he’s not likely to experience a second or third childhood since he never fully grew up. The hilarity isn’t tough to maintain. As a director, Tom McGrath‘s crazy sense of humour is exemplified when he was the brains behind Penguins of Madagascar. Ever since that series was retired, he’s been bringing his style to other properties. He directed Back in Business and shared creating the story with Michael McCullers. The short bursts of kiddie humour are off the rails—especially during the climax—and yes I miss the birds.

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The Mitchells vs. the Machines vs. Pleasing the Masses

Despite borrowing from the likes of past works I’ve enjoyed, this animated film shines with its kinetic production design.

MitchellsMachinesPoster.jpgBy Ed Sum
(The Vintage Tempest)

Available on Netflix 

The Mitchells vs. the Machines is certainly a very colourful and crazy mixed media movie about a not so normal family. Katie (voiced by Abbi Jacobson) is about to leave the nest. She’s an artist and a videographer. Her love for theatrics (aka storytelling) is something her dad doesn’t get. He refused to take challenges and was unadaptable. He’s hilariously sad since staying up to date is as foreign to him as kids of today are to punch card technology.

Even the younger brother Aaron (Mike Rianda) is odd. He loves dinosaurs, which is typical for any lad, and is obsessive as Hudson Harper from Lego Jurassic World: Legend of Isla Nublar. Linda (Maya Rudolph), her mom, is about the only voice of reason to keep the clan together. The family dynamics are at the heart of why this film is adorable. This oddball clan is just that, and honestly, it’s Munch the dog who steals the show. This exotropia and bug eyed pug is very familiar tho’, and when I’ve seen a whole ton of animated shows, it’s easy to see what series Phil Lord, Christopher Miller and the writing crew picked from when creating this film.

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Five Animated Picks to Enjoy Easter With!

Over the Moon (2020) - IMDbBy Ed Sum
(The Vintage Tempest)

Easter is forever tied with a certain spiritual tradition and before being adopted in to Christianity, it was about the rebirth of the land. That is, in a pagan world, people were celebrating the return of Spring! Those who are not religious can still spend this long weekend making merry in front of the television, or go out to enjoy the fresh air.

While I encourage spending time outdoors than in front of the television, those who are immune-compromised don’t have a lot of choice. Here are my picks on what to enjoy at home that doesn’t have to be very preachy about this long weekend. Sometimes it’s just about being able to hug a bunny!

Over the Moon (2020)

Available on Netflix

This heartfelt flick introduces a spunky Fei Fei, who is forever lost. Her mom passed and the last thing the two did together was when the girl was gifted with a bunny. At the same time, she’s determined and believes its possible to get her mom back, but she has to meet the Moon Goddess and make that wish. While her family is able to move on, she isn’t, and builds a rocket to ride on in order to meet the deity.

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All-in Madonna & Secrets Behind the Set, an Interview

All-in Madonna is a character study, a drama, and de Lara said these locations, including where it was filmed is a significant element in establishing the tone of the film. Lim wanted to show off a diversity of what the city of Victoria represents. Film analysts can interpret this subtle layer of meaning in this movie as however they wish.

All-in Madonna

Streaming Online
at the Victoria Film Festival.

Get your pass here to view beginning Feb 5th, 2021.
Facebook Watch Party on Feb 6th, 6:30 PST

Note: Available to residents in British Columbia

All-in Madonna marks Arnold Lim‘s (pictured left) directorial debut in making a feature length work. After its virtual (world) premiere at the Whistler Film Festival and limited online availability last year, its next screening is at the Victoria Film Festival!

This filmmaker’s visual style evolved from how he likes to communicate, which is through the camera. He made a career out of it. In Victoria, BC he’s very well known because of not only his role at Black Press Media as a photo-journalist, but also as a talent whose heart is big. He is the official photographer to various local charities. At the Victoria Film Festival, he’s involved with programming (handling the Asian film content), act as juror and be a member of the board.

Lim revealed, “Different films from different countries look, feel and smell tonally different because of a combination of the different actors and locations and cultures that exist in combination with the perspective of filmmakers whose voices tell the story.”

As part of the CineVic Society of Independent Filmmakers team, this photographer soon became a filmmaker after doing a story about them, about the Reel to Reel program. He joined, learned the craft and wanted to make movies. After making the short film version of All-in Madonna–about Maddie going to public school for the first time and hearing rumours that her dad is a thug–he and Susie Winters, the screenwriter, knew it needed to be feature length!

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VFFOnline 2021: Reaching for the Stars, Not Mars in Queen of the Andes

Unlike going to the moon and coming back, the difference is with how much of the experience can affect the psyche. This movie deals with this aspect of why not everyone is excited to return to space. A few ideas also feel like they were from H.G. Wells’ novella, The Shape of Things to Come. The shifting of ideologies and marxist attitudes–is this part of how these private enterprises planning their space programs are run?

Queen of the Andes - IMDb

By Ed Sum
(The Vintage Tempest)

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 Leonardo DiCaprio can stand at the bow of a ship and proclaim he’s the King of the World, then so can Bhreagh MacNeil climb the highest mountain and announce she’s Queen of the Andes. Technically, a plant bearing this name exists in Peru and its lifecycle is unique. It doesn’t flower until they are about 80 – 100 years old.

MacNeil plays a bright scientist, Pillar, who has ideas on how to help society at home. She’s even proposed a means to end world hunger, and a few people are ready to take notice. The performance from this actress is strong. She’s questioning why she was selected to take part in Canada’s quest to get into Space. She feels she can do more at home, on planet Earth, with her discovery and to decide on which career to take part in is tough.

This future ‘what if’ scenario is more about civil rights—to which it succeeds in exploring—than complete science fiction. The privately funded Space Program seen in this film is not all that rosy. However, its borderline tones of conspiracy made this watch to the end a must.

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