Three More Chinese Animated Films Hopefully Coming in Late 2024

Fans of Chinese animated films will want know if these works will gain international distribution or not.

Nezha from the Fengshen Cinematic Universe - Chinese Animated Film
Nezha from the Fengshen Cinematic Universe

There are not a lot of months left in 2024 for China to churn out more animated wonders for its citizens. Not everything is expected to get an international release, ‌but I’m hoping. That’s because of the works said to be coming out this year according to the website Xrender, one is more internationally known over others, and White Snake 3 has made its debut to only one part of the world fully aware and fans worldwide eager to see it!

But there’s more, and I offer my top three choices of films which has not been released yet, but deserve recognition. Not every work has their promotional material ready yet, but if that work is supposed to be coming out this year, the publicity team better start hyping these films up next month!

Ne Zha 2

At long last, a sequel to the 2019 film is coming! In the first instalment, this spunky demigod child had a lot to learn about whom to trust. It was an adventure I really loved (movie review) and wished a sequel would come sooner than later. After six long years, this continuation is finally getting made, but as for the plans of continuing the Fengshen Cinematic Universe, it may have been dropped when the pandemic changed the rules. Certain industries got hit hard, and Horgos Caitiaowu Picture, who helped produced this series of films, may have decided to change direction.

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White Snake 3: Afloat Needs To Surface in North America! Every Explosive Trailer Released.

The movie, White Snake 3, has made its debut in China, and hopefully the plan to bring this latest Light Chaser Animation to North America will be soon!


White Snake 3 Unofficial Poster
Release Date in China:
August 10th, 2024

Light Chaser Animation Studios continues to delight fans of the White Snake series with their latest entry, White Snake 3: Afloat (白蛇:浮生). While the literal translation of the title is “Floating Life,” “Afloat” or even “Rebirth” better captures the intended themes of renewal and emotional drift.

Whatever name you prefer, I can’t wait to see this next chapter! For those unfamiliar with the series, the first film is available online and on Amazon USA, while the second is streaming on Netflix. You can also check out my reviews of Part One and Part Two.

As for why these films feel disconnected, I suspect the North American distributor wasn’t aware this story was always intended as a trilogy.

This fantasy romance raises two big questions: Will the sisters reunite? And will Bianca (Xiao Bai, voiced by Zhe Zhang) see Xian (Tianxiang Yang) again? There’s a third thread too—according to the source material, the couple has a child! The ending of the first film teases this possibility, but in the sequel, Xian is sidelined when time travel complicates everything. During a climactic battle, Verta (Xiao Qing, played by Xiaoxi Tang) is hurled into a future that’s anything but welcoming.

In that timeline, the Baoqing Fox takes on a larger role in the chaos. While the trailers don’t reveal much about her involvement, what little we see is intriguing—and I’m eager to learn more.

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A Look Back at Discovery’s Shark Week and Wild Eye’s Space Sharks. Maybe It’s Better to Swim with the Selachii

There’ll soon be a lot of danger not only at sea but also on land when Shark Week Starts later this month with also a Space Sharks! We are sure this wasn’t planned, but fans will love it!

Discovery Channel Shark Week 2024When Discovery Channel declared that Shark Week is coming, I sometimes pay attention. It all depends on who’s hosting, and this year, they have John Cena! While he can help me feel safe near the ocean, I still have to wait and give my thoughts after watching everything that’s available to scream at! My favourites are Expedition Unknown: Sharks vs Nazis, Alien Sharks: Ghosts of Japan and Makozilla. That’s because what’s presented gets mixed up with some local legends and urban myth. And as a bonus, Wild Eye Releasing has Space Sharks, and that was enough for me to tune in!

This sci-fi action thriller shows off enough cheesy action to even make me think about swimming in the oceans again instead of staying on land to cool off. That’s because these bio-engineered versions have taken to attacking the surface world rather than return to the dark depths whence they came. It’s a man versus nature movie that works, especially when these natural predators are given tech to allow them to kill a group of campers with impunity!

This budget film feels more like an extended music video, with the soundtrack playing more often than not. This synth track plays loudly to fill the non-talking set pieces, and even in the moments of dialogue, it overpowers what’s going on. Despite this problem, what’s presented is campier than 60s Batman, and is still a joy to view. That’s because certain talents, namely Eric Roberts, Mel Novak, Scott Schwartz, Vida Ghaffari, and Brinke Stevens valiantly give their all for this work. Continue reading “A Look Back at Discovery’s Shark Week and Wild Eye’s Space Sharks. Maybe It’s Better to Swim with the Selachii”

Heads up! Indie Videogame, Kitsune Tails is Ready to Rumble!

Following its debut at OTK Games Expo, Kitsune Tails looks ready to impress!

Kitsune Tails LOGOThe first public hands-on demo of Kitsune Tails, the platformer styled after beloved classics and steeped in Japanese mythology, arrives ahead of Steam Next Fest, alongside a new gameplay trailer debuted at OTK Games Expo. Developer Kitsune Games and publisher MidBoss™ brings their platformer with queer relationships to PC, Linux and Steam Deck in Q3 2024.

From the Press Release:

Unfurl the ancient tellings of a tale revolving around human ideas of romance and love that come with the complicated relationships of mythological beings. Explore the intro world in the Steam Next Fest demo to see first-hand the fire of Yuzu’s determination to one day confront her former mentor turned antagonist and save her love interest from a sealed elemental prison.

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Transformers One Confusing Retcon Long Time Fans Will Reject

This animated prequel shows why Transformers One shouldn’t retcon what’s previously known as long time fans can find problems.

Transformers One Movie PosterBack when Transformers had a singular continuity, (known as G1), it easy to keep track of what went on. But as it gained in popularity, Hasbro crafted a series bible that future iterations of the franchise had to recognize, despite regular reboots. And all of that is forgotten in Transformers One.

What it doesn’t acknowledge concern how Cybertronians came to exist and why they were used as mostly slave labour by the Quintessons. This alien force conquered this planet and created/mutated the native species to what they are now. And as for how this latest entry to the cinematic universe can transition to The Great War between the Autobots and Decepticons, I’m already scratching my head.

This origin story delves into an era that’s been fully explored in the Prime universe (Amazon Link), featured in IDW’s comic books and detailed in full in Alex Irvine’s novel, Transformers: Exodus. I even reviewed the first two books of the trilogy since I loved it that much. But when considering none of that material matters, I’m rather disappointed the film can’t even acknowledge even an ounce of that past.

Instead, the best moment is seeing the Vehicons rule an untamed land that includes bio-type mechanoids. Everything else is unimportant, like seeing how Bumblebee gets named and that he’s always been there. As for the technology in how to transform, it’s attributed to some lost science Alpha Trion summons up and doesn’t even name. Aside from being like some wise old master and using an age-old Ninjago trope of “accessing your full potential,” I rolled my eyes.

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Chicken for Linda! is Coming to Select Theatres Beginning April 15

If you love slapstick, comedy, musican and family drama, then Chicken for Linda! is for you!

Chicken for Linda! Movie PosterChicken for Linda! the hand-painted animated drama-comedy comes to select theaters nationwide. The critically acclaimed and César and Lumières award-winning film opens in New York beginning April 5, in Los Angeles April 12, and expands to additional markets nationwide beginning April 15. The film will be released in its original French language.

This movie was additionally an official Cannes selection in the ACID program, and following a sold-out Work-in Progress session at the 2022 Annecy International Film Festival, it went on to win the Annecy Grand Cristal in 2023. The film was also awarded both the Grand Prize and Audience Award at last year’s Animation is Film Festival.

Synopsis

Paulette feels guilty after unjustly punishing her daughter Linda and would do anything to make it up to her. Linda immediately asks for a meal of chicken with peppers, which reminds her of the dish her father used to make. But with a general strike closing stores all across town and pushing people into this streets, this innocent request quickly leads to an outrageous series of events that spirals out of control, as Paulette does everything she can to keep her promise and find a chicken for Linda.

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