Biopics about musicians are often sanitised for the big screen. Bohemian Rhapsody (review link) was more about Freddie Mercury, more than the band from a third-person perspective. Conversely, Baz Luhrmann’s Elvis looks at this musician’s life through the eyes of The Colonel’s (Tom Hanks). It sometimes vilifies rather than objectifies his role in making this man a star.
Even this villain who managed this singer (Austin Butler) throughout the decades admits to his problem. We get little sympathy for the devil.
Anyone who followed Elvis’ career or was part of his inner circle knew Colonel Tom Parker was trouble. Even though he helped turn the teen from Tupelo, Mississippi into a superstar, the stuff he held back on (or didn’t allow him to partake) may have dimmed this superstar’s light by a little. The spotlight is back because of the award-winning performances between Hanks and Butler. The film is really about their relationship first and the music second. Any tidbits of actual history are marginalised. This performer was upset because he wasn’t given the respect he so deserved during his time in Hollywood.
Eleven Arts and Shout! Factory Coming to VOD and DVD: July 5, 2022
Game, Set, Match! This summer, get ready as the tennis prodigy Ryoma Echizen and his friends will grand slam your heart in a thrilling new adventure. This cinematic adaptation is based on the blockbuster Japanese sports manga series and its sequels created by renowned manga author Takeshi Konomi.
With 60 million copies sold over 22 years, Ryoma! The Prince of Tennis is the first CG anime movie from this popular franchise. Featuring an all-new storyline with music and lyrics by Konomi and directed by Hiroshi Koujina (City Hunter, The Vampire Dies in No Time), this highly anticipated movie finally makes its long-awaited North American home entertainment debut following its nationwide theatrical release.
Available for the first time in North America, the collectible Blu-ray + DVD combo pack boasts an exciting movie presentation (featuring English audio and Japanese audio with English subtitles) with special bonus content – Ryoma! The Prince of Tennis edition. This is the full-length alternative cut of the movie that includes different scenes featuring Hyotei team captain Keigo Atobe and Shitenhoji team captain Kuranosuke Shiraishi.
A definitive entertainment release that will score well with anime and pop culture enthusiasts and collectors, this title is available for pre-order now at ShoutFactory.com and will be available in stores and other fine retailers.
Not much has changed in Top Gun: Maverick. The best takeaway is that both the original and this latest has fantastic music that honours the past and future.
Even the copycat films of the time had its strong musical moments. It’s tough not to forget what Kenny Loggins “Danger Zone” and Berlin’s “Take My Breath Away” confirms as part of the presentation. The lyrics establish more than just the tone of the work, but also provide a capsule summary of each set piece.
The story picks up about thirty-five years later, with Captain Pete Mitchell (Tom Cruise) “stuck” in a rut. He’s like James T. Kirk from the early Star Trekmovies. Their career is going nowhere, and it took several films for both to find where they belong. Are either of the two an officer or a gentleman? No, they’re both free spirits; they are more than just another ghost rider in the sky. They don’t want to be confined to duty.
This film gets up close and personal. To get those goosebumps when riding that wild wind with a precision machine is what this film aimed for and I say the production team succeeded. There’s some effects shots which even I’m not sure if they are CGI or real.
Not every sound coming out of Japan is about J-pop and for music lovers, ego apartment is a welcome change of pace. This band quickly become a hot topic in the scene. They’ve been featured on numerous curated playlists both in Japan and overseas, and they are considered an act who are ahead of the times. Their track ‘FOG’ was included on Spotify’s ‘RADAR: Early Noise Japan 2022’ playlist, a selection of artists from Japan who are expected to turn heads in 2022. Their September release ‘Wrong with u’ has generated over 1 million plays on Spotify, cementing their reputation as a band with a bright future.
Following the success of the May 18 release of ‘FOG’, their self titled album ‘EGO APARTMENT’ was released June 1, 2022. The album contains 14 songs steeped in ego apartment’s unmistakable bedroom alternative sound, and it’s no exaggeration to say that each and every one of them is strong enough to be a lead track!
Comment from ego apartment
“We began writing these songs before deciding on a particular theme for the album, so in that sense, you could say that this is a sound that we could only express at this point in time. This is our first album, but it won’t be the last. See you on the next production.”
About the Band:
Made up of three members all born in 1998, ego apartment is a three-piece band based in Japan. They switch freely between two vocalists with different styles and lyrics in Japanese and English, producing an alternative sound that feels both analog and brand new. The group consists of Dyna (laptop, bass, band leader), who hails from Saipan Island; Peggy Doll (guitar and vocals), from Sakai City, Osaka; and Zen (guitar, vocals), from Sydney.
The band switch freely between two vocalists with different styles and lyrics in Japanese and English, producing an alternative sound that feels both analog and fresh. Over Dyna’s tracks that are simultaneously filled with both melancholy and a sense of fun, Zen sings with a beautiful and distinctive voice, while Peggy Doll has a remarkable voice and extraordinary melody sense, resulting in a sound that is unique to ego apartment.
The September 2021 release of their fourth track ‘Wrong with u’ caught the attention of listeners around the world, steadily surpassing 1 million plays on Spotify. The band’s inclusion on Spotify’s ‘RADAR: Early Noise 2022’ playlist placed ego apartment as one of 10 breakthrough artists expected to hit the big time in 2022.
Upcoming live dates in Japan
June 4: TOWER RECORD PARCO Nagoya Store
June 5: SAKAE SP-RING 2022 @ Live & Lounge Vio, Nagoya
June 12: TOWER RECORD Umeda NU Chaya Store
June 25: Chilli Beans. 2nd self-produced live event ‘Dancing Room 002’ @ Umeda Shangri-La, Osaka (sold out)
July 15: Fujifabric 3-act live event ‘Friend Park Attractions’ ＠ BIGCAT, Osaka
July 23: Flying Flags @ Sendai darwin with YONA YONA WEEKENDERS, Luby Sparks
WARPs expanding! They may well be called WARP-Syndicate at this rate, but for fans of their music wondering how the lineup will change, everything will be revealed on YouTube. WARPs DIG is a new show available on YouTube so people can follow their journey from regular life to stage.
From the Press Release:
WARP-Syndicate (commonly known as WARPs) stands for Wind Assemble Radical People-Syndicate, meaning a collective that harnesses the wind of innovation. By operating groups with fixed lineups and various projects across multiple artistic disciplines and regardless of age, gender and nationality, it is a collective that aims to create a new landscape where talent can shine beyond existing categories and frameworks. The Japanese-Chinese mixed boys’ group WARPs UP has been active as the first act under the WARPs umbrella.
Our goal is to follow the pop culture scene of the Pacific Northwest (Victoria, B.C. especially). This can range from the arts to books to cinema to television. Our content also includes peeks into what's coming out of Asia–but even more importantly, in what we love to populate our book and video shelves with!
All textual and watermark content produced on Otaku no Culture are copyrighted to their respective rights holders. Permission may be granted for republication elsewhere, in print or for promotional use. Please contact us at otakunoculture at gmail dot com for further information.
Spoiler Alert
WARPs expanding! They may well be called WARP-Syndicate at this rate, but for fans of their music wondering how the lineup will change, everything will be revealed on YouTube. WARPs DIG is a new show available on YouTube so people can follow their journey from regular life to stage.
