[Fantasia 2021] Having “Dreams on Fire”

The movie Dreams on Fire is about finding that passion to make Yume that rising star, and fulfilling a dream to become a professional dancer.

Dreams on Fire (2021) - IMDbNorth American Premiere

Moviegoers who love films about newcomers wanting to firmly establish themselves in the performing arts have seen this premise before. There’s an individual who wants to be recognized. But in order to do so usually means crossing the line or burning a bridge somewhere.

Yume (Bambi Naka) has Dreams on Fire–this film’s title. After watching a spectacular performance at a local theatre, all she wants to do is dance. She goes against her parents’ wishes and leaves the nest to find she’s alone. She’s nowhere close to getting auditions for those shows or being recognized, much less winning at street dance competitions. But there’s more to the art than having the moves. There’s also finding that drive to keep going. As Don Henley once sang, “She can’t feel the heat coming off the street.”

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[Fantasia 2021] Sympathy for the Devil in Frank and Zed

If Evil Dead II had a spiritual prequel, I’d say Frank and Zed is worthy to fill in the blanks in explaining where the Deadites come from!

Frank and Zed Movie PosterAvailable to view on demand

Just when I thought The Barbarian and the Troll was hilarious, there’s a fantasy horror movie that takes gonzo to a whole new level. Frank and Zed is all about the let’s puke out the gore first and offer a Faustian story second. It’s a movie where the big climax will leave some viewers wanting to catch her breath. 

Here, the focus is on two walking dead. Frank is a flesh golem needing a lot of power requirements. He’s basically a Frankenstein’s monster and all he does is go hunting for rodents and feed his zombie pal, Zed, their brains. This ghoul returns the favour by operating the generator to recharge the giant. They live in relative peace.

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[Fantasia 2021] Alien on Stage is Freakishly Funny!

This British play, Alien on Stage, has that wryness and style which defines many a British sci-fi productions.

ALIEN ON STAGE THE DOCUMENTARY by Danielle Kummer — Kickstarter
Fantasia Film Festival 2021
Available to Scream, er Stream On Demand. Tickets can be purchased here

Not everyone will have visited West End in London to see Alien on Stage when it first premiered. This theatrical take of the movie by Ridley Scott is not meant to be a high budget performance, but a comedic Fringe Festival like to take. Their parody performance is one for the ages. The documentary makers Lucy Harvey and Danielle Kummer deserve a standing ovation for being involved in following the theatre troupe from its inception to its inaugural performance.

Half the crew are bus drivers fromDorset, England and the other are simply close family and friends with a varying range of acting ability. They are an amateur group of community theatre performers, and I was amazed at how they got their act together. This team did their research and props to them when considering they didn’t have too high of a budget! The stage uses curtains and lighting to alter where the crew of the USCSS Nostromo are throughout the ship.

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[Fantasia 2021] From Stage to Film to Streaming with Art Kabuki

Taping live theatre performances is one thing, but to capture the nuance that defines song, dance and drama through the lens of a video camera requires having the eye to make the show as mesmerizing as attending one.

Art Kabuki
Fantasia Film Festival 2021 Available to watch On Demand Tickets can be purchased here For more information, please visit https://artkabuki.com/ (Japanese)

Nakamura Kazutaro and Onoe Ukon knew that when the pandemic hit, not every citizen of Japan could partake in watching Kabuki theatre. There are other forms of entertainment, but some cultural events would have to reinvent themselves if it’s to survive. Taping live theatre performances is one thing, but to capture the nuance that defines song, dance and drama through the lens of a video camera requires having the eye to make the show as mesmerizing as attending one. And thus, Art Kabuki was born.

The story we find has to enthral and even captivate. The first segment, “The Descent of the Four Gods” connects the heavens with the mortal realm as these divine forces get rather curious about our human affairs. Much like early Greek theatre, where gods are said to intermingle in the lives of humans and are part of the show, this Asian world takes a novel approach.
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[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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[Fantasia 2021] Lights! Camera! Pompo: The Cinéphile, A Movie Review

Pompo is an established producer of B-rated hits, but there’s just something missing. Can she be taken seriously?

Pompo: The Cinéphile Anime Film Delayed From March 19 To June 4 Due to COVID-19 - News - Anime News Network
Avex Pictures
Fantasia Film Festival 2021
North American Premiere

Cinéma Impérialt
Montreal, Quebec
August 7, 1:00 pm

Making a movie with Joelle Davidovich Pomponette (Hiroya Shimizu) is tough. She grew up with Peterzen, her grandad, in front of a big screen. He was a big time filmmaker back in the Golden age of Nyallywood, and he taught the young girl everything he knew. Pompo is an established producer of B-rated hits, but there’s just something missing. Can she be taken seriously? To say she’s Pompo: The Cinéphile is bold–which is also this anime film’s title.

For that matter, what about the precocious Gene Fini (Hiroya Shimizu), her production assistant? And how does Natalie Woodward (Rinka Ōtani) fit in? This aspiring actress had a rough go in her first audition, but that hasn’t dissuaded her from pursuing her dreams.

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