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Breezing onto VOD this Week: Sirocco and the Kingdom of the Winds

One of the reasons why Sirocco and the Kingdom of the Winds is taking its time to arrive on home media is that it should celebrate the season too, and Autumn feels just right.

GKIDS & Shout! Studios
Now available on Amazon Prime and Apple TV.

Sirocco and the Kingdom of Winds is one of those wonderful and whimsical films I’ll gladly see time and time again, and it’s now available on demand! One reason is that it’s wildly colourful. When two kids get dropped off for a weekend with their babysitter, who is a well established writer of children’s fiction, little do they know that her words have power. One day, an illustration comes to life, and this mysterious rabbit (technically he isn’t one) says there’s trouble in the magical realm, it’s up to Juliette and her sister to venture into the Kingdom of the Winds instead of visiting Oz to do what’s right.

In a move considered very Studio Ghibli, they transform into anthropomorphic cats and do what they can to find the mysterious Sirocco, and save another woman as well. But when this person Selma has a connection to this strange magician, things aren’t as what they seem. To note, the real world connection is important, and that’s a detail I won’t spoil.

A more detailed review about this movie can be read here. I’m glad to view this movie again since this animation is one of two features acquired by GKIDS to be featured either theatrically or play at film festivals this year. I wanted to see this work again since it had a lot of magical moments to adore, and hoped to find it again. As for the eventual home video release, I don’t expect to find bonus features to be included and that’s okay.

The other work I’m anxious to see Ghost Cat Anzu, and I hope this feature will “haunt” cinemas this Autumn or be delivered to digital!

Sirocco and the Kingdom of the Winds Trailer

From Nina and the Hedgehog’s Secret to The Sacred Cave, NYC’s Animation First is Headed to a Weekend of Cinematic Wonder

In addition to what’s reviewed and put on the spotlight at NYC’s Animation First Film Festival, there’s also Robot Dreams and The Siren–these adult themed works look worth checking out.

As Animation First in NYC winds down its week long celebration, there’s still plenty to see as the weekend approaches. Not only will there be a spotlight on the National Film Board of Canada‘s French made works, but also there’ll be more feature films making their debut. Regarding the former, there’s eleven shorts (list can be read here) to take pleasure in checking out, and as for what was made available for me to screen in advance, I offer reviews of the following:

Nina and the Hedgehog’s Secret

This movie pays tribute not only to the early days of Disney animation but also becomes its own entity. That’s because the Hedgehog (voiced by Guillaume Bats) is drawn and animated much like how Mickey Mouse once looked, as created back in the Steamboat Willie days. While his interactions with the real world may well be a product of the title character’s imagination, what I got out of it is in how the two manage to help each other. The manifestation is right out of a storybook that Nina’s father would read to her every night.

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High Flying Adventure is in Store for Sirocco and the Kingdom of the Winds

The world one finds in High Flying Adventure is in Store for Sirocco and the Kingdom of the Winds will look somewhat familiar. I can’t help but be reminded of Studio Ghibli’s The Cat Returns.

Sirocco and the Kingdom of the Winds Movie Poster — **Animation First 2024**
**Playing Jan 26, 7pm**
**FIAF Florence Gould Hall, NYC**

Anyone who loves anthropomorphic cats will adore what Sirocco and the Kingdom of the Winds has in store for them. Although the character designs are reminiscent of Hayop Ka! thankfully the narrative here is more family friendly and nurturing.

Here, we’re introduced to a writer (voiced by Géraldine Asselin) who suddenly has to babysit Carmen (Maryne Bertieaux) and her younger sister Juliette (Loïse Charpentier). But in order to prepare for their stay, she decides to let them play by themselves whilst she naps. Pretty soon, they are whisked away into a far off adventure!

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Mars Express Ready to Debut at Animation First 2024’s Film Festival!

If you love hard boiled sci-fi detective fiction, then you’re in luck! Mars Express is playing at this NYC based film festival and hopefully continue touring in 2024.

Animation First 2024 Poster — Films are playing at various venues operated by the French Institute Alliance.

Animation First is a film festival dedicated to showcasing why Francophone animation is awesome. As a result, it’s expanded from a three-day event to six! On opening night will be Mars Express, and it’s the perfect way to get this show started! This party runs from Jan 23 to 28th in New York, playing at various venues down Lower Manhattan Island.

What’s offered has come a long way since the days of what I saw on CBC‘s French channel. In regards to the limited options I saw growing up, what’s produced these days is vastly different from those television shows and the few films I saw long ago. My early introduction came from watching what was off television with works like Inspector Hound and Spartakus and the Sun Beneath the Sea. It wasn’t until after watching Michael Dudok de Wit’s The Red Turtle (2016) that my interest was elevated to new levels.

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When There’s A Hauntingly Beautiful “Humanist Vampire Seeking Consenting Suicidal Person,” Who Needs To Run Away?

Ariane Louis-Seize’s Humanist Vampire Seeking Consenting Suicidal Person twists two familiar genres into a hilarous film that works.

Humanist Vampire Seeking Consenting Suicidal Person Movie Poster Please check local listings for showtimes near you.

When there’s a movie title that gets right to the point, I knew I had to check it out. And oh, my bleeding heart! What’s presented In Humanist Vampire Seeking Consenting Suicidal Person is everything I wanted to see in Netflix’ Wednesday with the sexiness and gothic taken away. In this world, there are people living quietly in the shadows of our own and they have their own community. Most of them are content to leave humanity alone; but when it comes time to feed, what happens is supernatural. Lamps flicker, and the victim they choose to consume are usually folks who won’t be missed.

But when one young lady decides that killing goes against all her principles, just how she survives depends on who supports her and doesn’t. For her parents, they are aghast! They have tried everything under the moon (since the sun kills them) to make her come around, but sadly her fangs aren’t showing.

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The Last Journey of Paul WR Isn’t Sad. We’re Just Glad Humanity Remains Hopeful

In The Last Journey of Paul WR, this astronaut knows something others don’t, hence his departure and unwillingness to help save the world from total destruction.

The Last Journey of Paul WR Coming to VOD and Theatres July 26th
Spoiler Alert

The apocalypse is coming, and the only person who can stop the red moon from smacking the planet Earth is AWOL. In The Last Journey of Paul WR (Hugo Becker), this astronaut knows something others don’t and he doesn’t want to be the man responsible, hence going into hiding. Although everyone believes it’s the end of the world as we know it, Paul is fine with the idea. Just in case everyone hates him, he’s gone into hiding.

Not everyone is after him, though. They’re more preoccupied with deciding how to spend their last days. Director Romain Quirot crafted a product which shows just how bad it has gotten, and as for giving it a rather visually beautiful look, that’s because the CGI is layered on top of a road trip movie through the French countryside.

In the meantime, the government is searching for him though and has posted a bounty. Although fortune hunters are few and far between, enforcement is doing what they can to bring him in. But I found it odd they aren’t making a better effort when this recluse surfaces.

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