Mystery Archives | Otaku No Culture

Getting into Dem Bones Which Make Up Why Dead Boy Detectives is Recommended Viewing Fun!

Fans of anime and TheCW style programming will find a lot to like with this take of the comic book Dead boy Detectives.

Spoiler Alert

Although some elements in the live action adaptation of Dead Boy Detectives are different from the comic books, not everyone is going to notice. What I like about this pair of undead sleuths is the fact they talk about how life in the thereafter works. I know all of it is made-up, but there’s an ounce of truth regarding a few things, especially concerning what defines the soul and why whoever holds dominion over it can control the individual. When not all ghosts are willing to possess a human, then there’s something worth considering.

What’s offered is not like other young adult supernatural adventure series about best mates solving occult crime. It’s nothing like The CW series and although Locke & Key exist in the same Vertigo universe, I have to wonder if other agencies will get identified, should more episodes get made.

I suspect the reason why this series is so heavy on LGBTQ is because of the comic books. It may have begun with Jill Thompson‘s take, and when she published her graphic novel with a yaoi style cover, I had to wonder. In the latest 2023 miniseries, Edwin opens up to those feelings, and I’m honestly not surprised showrunners Steve Yockey and Beth Schwartz are going hard on having an almost all queer series. Unfortunately there’s just no impact, other than to make this series stand out from others. It should really be about a pair of ghosts helping other spooks find peace than to explore the difficulties of coming out. Those episodes don’t really stand out. Continue reading “Getting into Dem Bones Which Make Up Why Dead Boy Detectives is Recommended Viewing Fun!”

The Ghost Writer Redefines What Plagiarizing Means in this Murder Mystery

There’s more than family dysfunction going on here that makes The Ghost Writer more than just another murder mystery.

The Ghost Writer Movie Poster The Ghost Writer felt awfully familiar at times, and that’s because Paul Wilkins film is more about dealing with a very authorative father who may well be figuratively lurking in the shadows. He’s passed on some years ago, and although Gilliger (Luke Mably) thinks he can deal with those imagined spirits, there’s more going on in this film which may have some viewers curious.

Here, this once successful author can’t even come up with an original idea. He was once on the list of top selling mysteries, but lately, this individual can’t even get recognition on the streets. He thinks moving back to the old family home can fix things, but when there are many skeletons lurking in those closets, it’ll be rough! But when he finds his pops discarded a story that he thinks he can fix up, something gets stirred up in the homestead and that’s when the fun begins!

Continue reading “The Ghost Writer Redefines What Plagiarizing Means in this Murder Mystery”

[Fantasia 2023] Who’s The Devil in Raging Grace?

There’s a lot of disturbing layers to find at Raging Grace. This multilayered film deals with a lot of topics, and how it unfolds will leave many second-guessing!

Encore Performance
Aug 01, 4:35 PM Salle J.A. De Sève
For tickets, please visit this link.

It’s tough to decide which movie title is better. Both Raging Grace or Raising Grace works in a this Filipino movie about Joy (Max Eigenmann) and her eponymous daughter (Jaeden Paige Boadilla), which this work focuses on. This work written and directed by Paris Zarcilla, transcends what we know as a mixed genre movie. I wasn’t sure where the story was going until in the middle of the second act.

Here, this woman from the Philippines is simply struggling to make ends meet. She doesn’t have her green card and her child can’t assist unless her employers look the other way. In her latest job, she’s hired by Katherine (Leanne Best) to be a caregiver. And while she claims she’s the niece of the homeowner, Mr. Garrett (nicely played by David Hayman), and what she’s not telling is cause for suspicion for the employee.

Continue reading “[Fantasia 2023] Who’s The Devil in Raging Grace?”

Are The Three Investigators Trapped in Descent of the Dragon? They Need Help From Elsewhere….

Based on the trailer, The Three Investigators: Descent of the Dragon makes the team even younger, as tweens, and remains faithful to the core foundations of what made this series great.

The Three Investigators are back and in this reboot subtitled, Descent of the Dragon, the cast has changed. From American to German talents, the reasoning is because this popular book franchise didn’t wane by much over the decades in other countries, whereas in America, it’s been largely forgotten. It’s sad, as I grew up on these books over Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew.

The last two feature films were released back in 2007 (Secret of Skeleton Island) and 2009 (Secret of Haunted Castle). These adaptations of the novels aren’t hugely successful, and perhaps that’s because Terror Castle was the book title rather than film, which may have led some to not realise a sequel was made. Although much time has passed since then, 2023 marks the possible return of the series at least in Germany. In that country, this film is titled Die Drei ??? – Erbe des Drachen.

With Sony Pictures local division involved, I’m hopeful it won’t remain a regional release for long. Fans can reach out to this studio through social media to ask for a wider release. I didn’t notice until information about this film was brought up recently on Reddit, and I feel they deserve a new life back in the country where the story was first penned.

Continue reading “Are The Three Investigators Trapped in Descent of the Dragon? They Need Help From Elsewhere….”

Door Mouse. Is She Squeaky Clean in this Whodunit?

When this Door Mouse (Hayley Law) is a comic book illustrator whose second job is that of a burlesque performer, she better learn another occupation fast!

Available in select theatres and
digitally starting on January 13th

Elevation Pictures

Door Mouse has plenty of Quinten Tarantino and punk rock vibes in its story about Mouse (Hayley Law), a comic book illustrator whose only real paying job is that of a burlesque performer. But when her colleagues get kidnapped, she becomes a gumshoe with a mission–to protect her sisters from the hood. They either wind up dead or much worse. As a result, the cops dismiss the problem as not worth investigating. Instead of waiting to be a victim, she’d rather be a victor in this quirky indie film smartly written and well directed by Avan Jogia.

This movie’s greatest strength lies in how perfect the neo-noir atmosphere is realised. Not only is it coloured in pastel lights, but also we get an appropriate sound design to make the world feel grungy. Additionally, the illustrations are animated to recognize how this lead looks at the world. This approach works to explain why she’s drawing from her life experience to create her comic book. The grittiness that’s visualised makes me wonder if we’ll ever see a sampler as a booklet when the home video release is ready. The sketches I see makes me think this artist is inspired by Robert Crumb.

Continue reading “Door Mouse. Is She Squeaky Clean in this Whodunit?”

Who is The Girl From the Other Side, and Should We Be Scared?

The author Nagabe created a wonderful world and the animated adaptation of e The Girl from the Other Side is leaving me begging for more.

Playing at the Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival at the Aratani Theatre @ JACCC May 13, 2022 7:00 pm (BUY TICKETS) and coming to Fantasia 2022

The Girl from the Other Side: Siúil, a Rún (とつくにの少女) is a tale that deals with several themes. One is about a battle between man versus himself. Another is concerning redemption. There’s a curse affecting nearly everyone and a blight destroying a kingdom.

Anyone infected turns into a shadow of their former selves and when a lone individual (later named Teacher) finds a young girl (named Shiva) abandoned in the woods, he can’t leave her alone. Strangely, she doesn’t succumb to the darkness as others have. This tale takes on a tone which deserves more films to fully explore, explain and resolve–or I can read the finished manga.

My preferences is with the former since the artistic design is rapturous and Rie Takahashi, the voice of the young child is so cute! Even if I was to look at the printed version, I’ll have her voice stuck in my head.

Continue reading “Who is The Girl From the Other Side, and Should We Be Scared?”