Musical Archives | Otaku No Culture

Is It Spellbound or Excitement that Skydance’s Latest is on Netflix?

One dream from a young teen is never enough in Spellbound. What she wants, she may not get, and when she has a lot on her shoulder, what’s taught will have most parents nodding.

Spellbound 2024 Movie Poster Now Playing on Netflix

Skydance Animation must be taking lessons from Disney with their latest film Spellbound. That’s because the heroine is a princess, and after seeing her parents argue, the argument transformed them into giant furry beasts. Ellian (Rachel Zegler) has to break the curse. This task will be difficult and as much of this backstory is told in song, what comes next is her trying to maintain the kingdom while questing at the same time. This teen is as adventurous as Merida from Brave, but as for who is in the know, only Minister Bolinar (John Lithgow) and Nazara (Jenifer Lewis), do.

As for the rest of the kingdom, they are blissfully unaware. The young lady has managed everything, and I believe this film is great showing teens they should learn how to be responsible, and take charge when needed. The message is important to note, and although she’s close to getting her parents back, she has to understand what she’s become and also the new boundaries, as the film implies the king and queen are no longer in love.

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Tis Best Not To Go to Eldritch USA to Raise the Dead

When horror, music and comedy get meshed into Eldritch USA, the result is downright hilarious. It’s almost like The Reanimator; and it’s a must watch for the Halloween season!

Available to purchase on Amazon USA and coming to VOD Nov 5, 2024

Not everyone knows that the Rocky Horror Picture Show has a sequel, and although Shock Treatment never saw the same level of success as its predecessor, the updated music left an impression on me. I didn’t think I’d get that love for that until now, while watching Eldritch USA. This work written and directed by Ryan Smith (along with Tyler Foreman) in his debut feature film is just as satirical and well conducted.

Although there’s no song praising those who truly run Denton, that’s because what’s going on in this other city is much worse! Here, it’s more about mysterious cults who know how to raise the dead. When brothers Geoff (Graham Weldin) and Rich Brewer (Andy Phinney) constantly bicker and feud, I thought there might be a Cain and Abel moment.

Eldritch USA Musical Moment

The latter doesn’t like living under the other’s shadow, and although giving him the axe is accidental, the young man also realises he can’t live without the other; just what he does to bring him back to life is needed, but it seems life goes back to normal… or so it seems. What truly makes this musical work is that it genuinely touches on all those bottled up feelings.

When Lovecraft’s works inspired the screenplay, that’s enough to get my attention. And when the movie, Tucker and Dale, may have contributed to the backdrop elements, the fallout is just as crazy. Although there wasn’t a cult involved in that film, what happens here concerns just how badly people, fearing the worst behave, and the coven here seems much more inept than those teens thinking those bumpkins can’t do diddly-squat.

Even after successive watches, the melodies offered will stick, and over time, I sincerely hope Eldritch USA will transform into a full-on stage musical in the coming years.

4½ Stars out of 5

Eldritch USA Movie Trailer

12 Hot Films to See at Fantasia Film Festival 2024

Fans of Fantasia Film Festival will also say their shorts, like Anime no Bento 2024, are not worth missing! They offer a celebration of the arts in ways not every film will explore!

Fantasia Film Festival 2024 Montreal City’s Fantasia Film Festival is the destination for all things wild in the pop culture movie scene. Although I love it because of all the Asian style imports, there’s always something unique from another country that’ll catch my interest.

Whether that’s with Les yeux d’Olga or Chainsaws Were Singing (Mootorsaed laulsid) due to what this work promises to entertain with, they help round out this top twelve must see picks! The former is a short which may borrow concepts from Bubba Ho-tep and the latter is a horror musical, a genre which doesn’t receive enough attention, and I hope both succeed!

Presented in alphabetical order are my top picks on what to go see:

Brush of the God (Kaminofude)

Brush of the God (Kaminofude) Sun July 28, 2024
Salle J.A. De Sève

Once a movie earns the label of a kaiju film, I’ll simply watch it, and here, it’s about a young girl who wants to know more about her late grandfather. He’s a model maker who’s worked in many monster movies, and as for how she gets teleported into the worlds that her grandpa made, well, that’s the mystery. I doubt this work will be like the Last Action Hero, but I’m very curious!

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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! 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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You Can’t Push Willy Around in Wonka, Which Shows Who Has the Magic to Build an Empire!

Dancing, glancing, Willy (Wonka) will drive them rivals silly with his star shoe shimmy shuffle down.

Wonka Movie Poster Spoiler Alert

To be wild about Wonka depends on how many times an individual wants to see this musical. This prequel about the chocolatier (Timothée Chalamet) before he’s set up his empire is well done and offers a lot more music than its predecessors! While this latest is rooted in magical realism rather than being a social commentary, what’s key to all films (including Tim Burton’s remake) is that we’re dealing with how to deal with ill-mannered individuals.

Here, we see this wannabe magician cum chocolatier arrive at some borough in London. While we see him do a lot of daydreaming, hopefully those glimpses of that empire he wants won’t come crumbling down. That’s because he’s facing stiff competition. That cartel of other local chocolate makers he’s next door to believes he’s trouble. But instead of finding his operation infiltrated upon, what happens here is that they’re trying to prevent him from setting up shop!

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Two Shows in One Disc. Spirited Away: Live on Stage, A Blu-ray Review

Spirited Away: Live on Stage could’ve been made better by including the soundtrack like the box set anniversary releases, but that’s okay.

Spirited Away Live on Stage Blu-ray Case — **Available to purchase on Amazon USA**

GKIDS & Shout! Factory
Released Nov 14, 2023

Anyone who did not catch Spirited Away: Live on Stage can enjoy the best of both versions on home video! Although this release doesn’t contain any bonus features that look at behind the scenes, to have the two shows as played by Kanna Hashimoto and Mone Kamishiraishi in the title role, Chihiro, in one single release is a Ghibli fan’s dream release come true.

I wasn’t sure if this film would play in Canada, as locations and dates weren’t offered many weeks in advance. Thankfully, Cineplex eventually added more screenings which included my home town, but I was in Seattle that weekend. I didn’t plan to visit the States just to get my Ghibli fix–it was pure luck that I was at the right place and right time. What was presented at the Regal and where I sat made me feel like I had a front row seat to a live show rather than something broadcasted on a screen. My experience can be read here.

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