Tag: Fantasy

Netflix’s Monkey King vs Well GO USA’s Monkey King Reborn. Who Will Win?

This film has more of a DreamWorks style quality to the humour and approach to introducing Monkey King to Western audiences (again).

The Monkey King 2023 Movie Poster (Netflix)Now Playing on Netflix

The latest release of The Monkey King is a movie redesigned for today’s generation, and as a result, loses its touch with what made this hero great. When compared to the previous take (review link), my money is on the former. Here, it feels like four studios were duking it out too for how to reinvent this character, and although some parts of the narrative is faithful, its execution wasn’t all that exciting to keep watching.

As for whom Monkey serves, it’s easy to tell. He’s independent and helps no one but himself! Surprisingly, much of his origin story is accurate. When Lin (Jolie Hoang-Rappaport) discovers him, he’s quite the rascal and eventually gets known as Sun Wukong (Jimmy O. Yang). These two somehow become friends. The way these two play off each other to learn a few of life’s lessons is good, but ultimately, I couldn’t help but think this American-Asian made film misses the point on why he’s a legend. When considering Anthony Stacchi (Better known for The Boxtrolls and Rocketeer) is most likely out of his element, perhaps that’s why the love isn’t there.

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You Got Rhythm with Two Touhou Danmaku Expansions!

“It is an honour to introduce a pair of Touhou titles to the world,” says Unknown X. “We are very happy to show the results of Touhou Danmaku Kagura Phantasia Lost’s crowdfunding campaign, and we look forward to sharing more information on both games in the near future.”

Touhou Danmaku Phantasia LostDeveloper Unknown X and publisher Alliance Arts bring the Touhou universe to life with two upcoming Touhou Project Officially Approved Derivative Games, as revealed at Touhou Matsuri.

Tap to the tunes of Touhou Project melodies in Touhou Danmaku Kagura Phantasia Lost, the fan-favourite mobile rhythm game coming to Steam for PC on Wednesday, February 7th, 2024, featuring a special collaboration with Toby Fox and currently in development for Nintendo Switch, and fight waves of phantoms in Touhou Dungeon Maker – The Labyrinth of Heart , a roguelike tower defence dungeon management RPG coming to Steam in 2024.

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When Dreams Becomes Horrific Nightmares in Panya: The Mummy’s Curse #2

Just what lurks in the dreams of Panya in this latest issue hints that all is not well for her!

Panya The Mummy's Curse #2 Comic Book CoverDark Horse Comics
Spoiler Alert

In issue #2 of Panya: The Mummy’s Curse, we get to see how some places of worship have rebuilt themselves after Akhenaten’s rule. Now that he’s fallen, the old gods are back. As for the title character, she’s much older now, and is quite the dutiful caretaker as life is as it once was.

But her days are being tormented in gentle ways. Something is calling to her in her dreams, and while what we see is her role in the ongoing fight between Apophis and Re in their animal forms, there’s something else calling to her in the aether. Also, like the past issue, there are lots of cats! As for who the new antagonist is, it’s hard to tell. Since the heretic king is no longer present, someone else will have to get involved.

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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.

Mavka The Forest Song DVD CaseShout! 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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Examining IDW’s Dungeons and Dragons: Saturday Morning Exciting Adventures in Full, and Hoping There Will Be More.

There’s a few more months left to the 40th anniversary of Dungeons and Dragons: Saturday Morning Adventures and let’s hope there’ll be more product to enjoy!

Dungeons and Dragons Saturday Morning AdventuresIDW Publishing
Trade Paperback due Nov 7, 2023
(Available to preorder on Amazon USA)

I often say it’s best to wait for the collected edition of some comic book mini-series than to buy the monthly releases, and Dungeons and Dragons: Saturday Morning Adventures is no exception. That’s because an episode is parted out as four issues/chapters. While I applaud bringing back a beloved 80s cartoon to print, it’s a much better read when I have them altogether. A lot of ongoing titles depend on how well this title sells.

With this release, the goal is to put them in another Saturday Morning Adventure where they’ll one day realise home is where the heart is. Either fans can cue in Elvis Presley’s song or interpret this phrase differently.

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Tian Xiaopeng’s Deep Sea is More Than A Study on Depression

This latest import from China arrives just in time for the summer season, and Tian Xiaopeng’s Deep Sea does not dissapoint!

Deep Sea Poster Main Theatrical Release
© 2023 October Media. All Rights Reserved.

Screening at Fantasia Film Festival 2023 on Aug 6
Please click here to purchase tickets

Potential Spoiler Alert

Shenxiu (Tingwen Wang) is not a happy young girl in Tian Xiaopeng’s movie, Deep Sea. That’s because she’s not being loved; not only is she neglected by her dad and step-mom, making her feel very depressed, but also the relationship with her biological one is deteriorating. Because the film didn’t translate all those text conversations that blitzed by in the opening act, I’m thankful I understood enough to notice.

But to comprehend everything this motion picture presents requires a few more viewings and an updated subtitle file to play along with this movie. Although I had an electronic press kit to help reveal some other details, I’d rather want to discover these facts on my own.

Thankfully, more screenings after Tribecca and Fantasia Film Fest are planned, and I would love to see this on the big screen as the filmmaker intended. Xiaopeng is best known for Monkey King: The Hero is Back (movie review), and while that tale delivers more in the humour department, I believe his sophomore work is darker.

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