Tag: French

The Prince’s Voyage Set to Land in America May 18th!

The Princes Voyage Blu-Ray Cover
Available to preorder on Amazon USA

Coming May 18, 2021
From SHOUT! STUDIOS

This spring, Shout! Studios invites you to embark on an extraordinary journey with The Prince’s Voyage when this highly anticipated animated feature debuts on a two-disc Blu-ray Combo Pack (Blu-ray + DVD) and Digital on May 18, 2021.

Directed by the venerable French animator Jean-François Laguionie (The Painting, Cannes Palme d’Or winner Rowing Across the Atlantic) and Xavier Picard (King Arthur and the Knight of Justice), this movie is a beautiful and exciting movie adventure that promotes acceptance and diversity. Available for the first time on North American home entertainment shelves, The Prince’s Voyage Blu-ray Combo Pack contains insightful bonus content and is a must-have for collectors and animation enthusiasts.

A production of Blue Spirit Productions (Oscar®-nominated My Life as a Zucchini) and Melusine Productions (Wolfwalkers), The Prince’s Voyage screened at The Annecy International Animation Film Festival, Rotterdam International Film Festival, New York Animation First, and Chicago International Film Festival to great audience enthusiasm. Filmmaker Jean-François Laguionie received an Honorary Cristal Award at the 2019 Annecy for his illustrious career in animation.

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Thoughts and a Review of Malzieu’s Une Sirène à Paris

In Paris, romance is in the air more often than naught, and it’s nice to see the challenges of giving life to a broken heart. To see Gaspard keep it going may require a new drug formed by a mermaid’s tears, but will he take it?

Une Sirène à Paris

By Ed Sum
(The Vintage Tempest)

Fantasia Festival 2020

Played Aug 27 & 30th, 2020

Mathias Malzieu is a type of French movie maker whose output is very minimal because he’s the front man to a very active music band, Dionysos. The last film is an exquisite and haunting Jack and the Cuckoo-Clock Heart (2013). One detail I noticed is in how the soundtrack in his latest film is like this prior work because of one signature tune over variance. It works with the last film because of the cyclic motif, but here it doesn’t quite ring.

More music is needed in the live action Une Sirène à Paris. Gaspard (Nicolas Duvauchelle) has one song to win Lula’s (Marilyn lima) heart, and it’s ironic because usually it’s the other way around on who woos whom. The translated title is A Mermaid in Paris, which may seem unusual. Anyone who knows their classical mythology will recognize a siren (usually more bird-like than fish) no matter how it said in another language. She’s a mythical creature whose sweet melody lures sailors to their death.

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Marona’s Fantastic Tale is Fanciful and Care Free

Marona\'s Fantastic TaleBy Ed Sum
(The Vintage Tempest)

GKIDs Virtual Cinema Release

Coming to Blu-ray, DVD, Digital
November 2020

Marona’s Fantastic Tale is more than just a meditation on life—a reflection of what was—of a beloved dog fading away. Unlike The Call of the Wild which is based on Jack London’s novel of the same name, with a happy ending this animated movie is an original work written and directed by Anca Damian and her son, Anghel, which is much more sombre and philosophical.

The titular character voiced by Lizzy Brochere reveals all that she’s experienced in a Parisian town filled with colourful humans. Sometimes, what the pup dealt with in the beginning is not as telling as her other encounters. There are some weird people out there, and they are definitely caricatures of people exhibiting some weird vices.

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Long Way North finds a Home Video Release Jan 17th, 2017!

Blu-ray/DVD packaging
available for pre-order on AmazonUne Sirène à Paris

By Ed Sum (The Vintage Tempest)

The French-Danish animation production Long Way North will not take long to arrive in home video in North America. Thanks to Shout! Factory, the release is set for January 17, 2017 (at the height of winter) and many folks can cozy up to this warm tale by the fireplace about Sacha (voiced by Chloé Dunn) seeking more than freedom from the Russian aristocracy she hails from. Her grandfather Oloukine is missing. He’s a renowned explorer seeking to conquer the North pole, and everybody assumes he’s dead. I am pre-ordering this title since it’s a beautiful story to behold not only for its artistic merits but also wonderful but yet sombre tale. A full review can be read here to explain why I loved it.

This two-disc Blu-ray and DVD combo pack release include a digital copy along with the usual collection of extras. To note, I’m curious in what the conceptual pilot is about . In addition to a physical release, this film will soon be available on Digital HD and iTunes USA.

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Overlooked Gem, Microbe and Gasoline gets a State-side Release July 1st

microbe__gasoline_key_art_posterBy Ed Sum (The Vintage Tempest)

* This subtitled film is finally getting an American-side release come July 1, 2016 courtesy of Screen Media Films. Please check local listings for screenings and locations.

Microbe and Gasoline is a charming, optimistic and insightful coming-of-age story of two young boys. Together, they embark on an epic road trip when life at home simply sucks. Just how they managed to build a vehicle in the shape of a tiny cabin with a small engine to traverse France is beyond me, but this leap of faith works. The idea puts this film into the realm of escapist fantasy. When their decision to leave is based on the fact they wish to put behind a miserable life, I can certainly see the reasons why.

Both are outcasts. The younger of the two, Microbe aka Daniel (Ange Dargent) is the quieter of the two (and runt of the family). He gets bullied at school. Théo (Théophile Baquet) is nicknamed Gasoline because he often smells like he works at a garage. Nobody at middle school is fond of being near him. He does not let the insults tossed at him hurt. He wears a stylish imitation leather jacket that Michael Jackson might envy.

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