Tag: History

TheNFB at Victoria Film Festival 2025, Incandescence Review & Much More!

As the Victoria Film Festival is in full swing, Incandescence is a film from Nova Ami and Velcrow Ripper leads the charge on what works produced by theNFB to watch.

National Film Board of Canada LOGOThe National Film Board of Canada always has a delightful range of films that’s set to debut at one film festival or another. And in Victoria, BC, this homegrown event will feature eight produced (or co-produced) TheNFB pieces featuring the work of talents who know what living in this country means. High on the list is Incandescence, a documentary by Nova Ami and Velcrow Ripper whose last work, Metamorphosis, was a potential game-changer. I interviewed them about why this work matters not only on a grander scale but also in what humanity can do to save the environment.

Incandescence Movie Poster
Playing on Feb 10, 5 PM Cinecenta Theatre (on UVic campus); for tickets, please visit this link.

Flash forward to now, those themes they’ve explored back then get revisited again in their latest. This time, the topic concerns wildfires and how they affect forested communities. What viewers should takeaway afterwards is how tragedy can bring some people together, but also bring about change.

Whether these accept the problems that can arise while living in the boonies, some folks are up to it and others not. This work delicately examines the pros and cons, and also considers the life cycle that occurs following the death of a forest and the renewal process afterwards. It’s a work that’ll get people talking. The footage used ranges from seeing how some fires can get out of control to showing how people feel about the attempts to save homes. It’s quite vivid, and I’d be scared too if I were a volunteer firefighter!

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So Which Popular Artist/Illustrator, Do You Want “Story & Pictures By” Under the X-Mas Tree?

To fill in the blank in the documentary, Story & Pictures By, can be tough. That’s because to finish that phrase on who is best at crafting the perfect children’s picture book is difficult to answer.

Story & Pictures By Movie PosterROCO Films
Available to view on Apple TV+

Some folks might say the market for children’s picture books is dying, and I have to say no. What Story & Pictures By reveals is this type of publication continues to be popular and when educational content is attached, much more so! And unlike those works that I read growing up (Curious George), what’s different now is a better representation from a group of authors who say it’s better than ever! Christian Robinson, Yuyi Morales, and Mac Barnett are the focus on Joanna Rudnick‘s excellent documentary.

Also, balancing well-known past illustrators with current leading artists must have been a hard task for the filmmakers. The talents who stand out are those who illustrate their own work and will talk about what helped define them.

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When Houston Had The Blues, Nobody Can Bring Me Down!

The who’s who of everyone who was influenced by the Houton music scene can be found in this excellent documentary by Alan Swyer.

When Houston Had The BluesComing to Digital on Sept 24

Every city that’s been considered the birthplace of the Blues has a distinct sound, and When Houston Had The Blues, what’s unique to this locale is the sax. As for why that is so, everything a student of this genre would want to know is excellently answered here. This documentary curated by Alan Swyer, who also serves as director, dives deep into looking at the legends who shaped the sound.

Not only does Lightning Sam (Hopkins) get the spotlight, but also we see why a lot of prominent female artists rose to fame here. Back in the early part of the 20th century, not everyone got treated fairly–the music was often restricted to juke joints, and it wasn’t until Elvis that helped introduce the music from African-Americans and later transform it to something known as rock and roll.

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Seeking Mavis Beacon, Because Her Face is Well-Known All Around The World

When not everyone can touch type, is Seeking Mavis Beacon important? What this documentary is effective at examining is in why a certain look was needed, and how that would later influence a generation of not only black women in the corporate world, but also shape the state of an AI industry, especially chatbots.

Seeking Mavis Beacon Movie Poster
Test your typing speed with the online version here.

To find if this documentary is playing at a theatre near you, please visit the official website.

When the people Seeking Mavis Beacon think of the software designed to teach typing as a videogame, I’m sure this telling documentary can ask Where in the World is Mavis Becon instead of Carmen Sandiego. At least, when comparing Broderbund/The Learning Company’s product to The Software Toolworks‘ deception, the lines of reality is not as blurry. Back when both games were released, everyone thought these characters were real!

However, for a generation who grew up learning how to touch type and improving their typing speed with this “person,” she’s an iconic role model many people will not dispute. Until the information was made public, not everyone knew she was a made up figure. A real person was involved in selling the product, but that was only for a day. Renee L’esperance was already a well established fashion model who was mostly better known in Haiti than other parts of the world. And when Les Crane, Walt Bilofsky, and Mike Duffy knew she was the one to become the face of their learning app, their plan can be scorned now instead of back then.

They only offered her $500 to pose for a simple photo shoot, and never offered her a contract for residuals. Had she known just how influential this program would become, she’d be as rich as Bill Gates! The last software release occurred in 2020, a detail this film journal did not take a deep dive into.

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Exhuma. Lest We Forget, or Forgive. Can The Spirit of Korea Recover?

Before Korea was divided into two nations, there was a time when everyone fought for the same thing and what Exhuma examines is a mix of horror and history.

Exhuma Movie Poster (Korean)Well GO USA
Now playing at theatres new you

Exhuma (파묘) is one of those rare gems which mixes in folk horror with history, and what’s exhumed for audiences to worry about concerns a terror that must be put back in its place, lest more innocent souls get destroyed. In this film’s case, there’s also a sense of unearthing tensions its citizens had when concerning their relation with the Japanese.

Some ancient spirit hates the Ji-young family, and Park (Kim Jae-cheol) hopes to end the curse once and for all. He hires a locally renowned occultist Hwa-rim (Kim Go-eun) and Bong-gil (Lee Do-hyun) to basically do some ghostbusting. Unlike other works which are steeped in made up lore, this one is steeped in animism and folklore. It gives this film an air of credibility where even I felt at ease. Although the later act gets fanciful, the nuances still make me think twice when disturbing a grave a night!

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Just How Dazzling can Alienoid 2: Return to the Future (외계+인 2부) Get? It’s Not Just About Saving the World.

All anyone needs to know about Alienoid 2 is that whoever possesses the Divine Blade can control all the time and space.

Alienoid 2- Return to the FutureComing to theatres, Jan 26

The sequel to Alienoid is coming to North America, and I don’t think what’s presented will end here. In Alienoid 2: Return to the Future (외계+인 2부), what’s produced feels like an MCU film directed by Michael Bay. Thankfully, those moments are limited to the CGI heavy moments rather than the story at hand.

To expose the aliens masquerading around as humans is tough, no matter what the century, but to make sure they don’t get their hands on the Divine Blade makes for an amusing watch. In order to figure out who is working for whom, it’s best to pay attention.

Honestly, I had to revisit the first film (review can be read here) just to remind myself about what’s important. That way, I wouldn’t feel as lost. Ultimately, the story is really about how Lee Ahn (or Ean) (Kim Tae-ri) will save Korea from an alien threat which pretty much exist throughout much of this country’s history. Her quest to locate this weapon and keep it away from the wrong hands defines this work.

And along the way, she’s not sure if she can fully trust the friends she has made. When they include those who kept her safe when she was young, namely Guard and Thunder (voiced by Kim Woo-bin)–where one of these two robots need repair–life is not easy. And now there’s Heug-seol (Yum Jung-ah) and Cheong-woon (Jo Woo-jin), two magic users who spend their screen time offering up comedic relief. As a result, it’s easy to lose interest with maybe a character or two.

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