Tag: Musical

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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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 PosterSpoiler 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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When Trolls Band Together, What Can Musically or Chaotically Go Wrong?

Three films in, DreamWorks is out to milk Trolls Band Together for everything they can musically put out, and all I have to ask, when will they sing showtunes?

Trolls Band Together Movie PosterSpoiler Alert

New musical puns and even more tunes have been Troll-matized in DreamWorks latest. Unlike the last film where fans get to discover various subspecies exist, Trolls Band Together broadens the world so that fans can find just how diverse it is. That is, it’s not entirely populated by these tiny singing Muppets. There’s other species who also love breaking out into song.

Although the Mount Rageons are rather creepy looking, perhaps the character design was intentional. They are either modelled after Gumby or are related to a toy line I never played with. However, I can’t help but think that cackling doll from the movie Poltergeist was an influence! When two of them (conveniently a sibling pair named Velvet and Veneer, played by Amy Schumer and Andrew Rannells) have kidnapped Floyd, one of Branch’s brothers, just so they can steal his mojo, I thought this film is a retread of the original.

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The Final Word on Rise of the Pink Ladies is that the Story Can’t End on that Cliffhanger!

Although the music in Rise of the Pink Ladies doesn’t hit the same high notes as the cinematic musical, it’s still a fun look at the pressures one can find in high school life set in California.

Grease Rise of the Pink Ladies Season One
Available to stream or purchase on home video (Amazon link)

Spoiler Alert

There are many reasons I believe Rise of the Pink Ladies (RotPL) works as a prequel to the world known as Grease. Although the time takes place about two years before the cinematic musical, it’s easy to see how it ties all together. The two tweens who eventually become the supporting leads in the story that shaped the IP are recognizable, and yay for Rizzo! Although I didn’t catch the series when it was streaming, I’m thankful Paramount sent me the home video release to evaluate this series.

Because of internal shuffling of the company’s assets and perhaps also low ratings, the decision to cancel and remove the series was not out of malice. It’s now on Apple TV and Amazon, but as for whether there’s more story to tell, I’ll answer that at the end.

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Top Genre Picks at the 2023 Chicago Critics Film Festival!

There’s lots to see at this year’s Chicago Critics Film Festival, and we offer our list of what must be seen during this year’s event!

Chicago Critics Film Festival LogoMusic Box Theatre
Chicago, IL
May 5-11, 2023

The Chicago Critics Film Festival offers a selection of well-loved and upcoming works that will no doubt amaze. What’s offered to showcases the best of the best. Not only is this event recognizing the art of cinema and film criticism, but also they celebrate milestones too! For example, The Right Stuff is getting an anniversary screening!

What I present here are my top picks. Reviews will be posted in the coming days of some of these. And for more information, please follow the CFCA and the festival on Twitter at @chicagocritics or Facebook.

A DISTURBANCE IN THE FORCE movie poster

A DISTURBANCE IN THE FORCE

Anyone who has wondered why a certain Star Wars Holiday Special was made way back when it will get some answers in this documentary by Jeremy Coon and Steve Kozak. There’s no advance spoilers to mention here, as I’m just as curious as to who is truly responsible. It did set a tradition for the entire canon though, and Life Day is hugely celebrated in this galaxy far, far, away.

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