How to Transform Yourself in the Rite of the Shaman

The Rite of the Shaman will do more than help the hero here break free from those barriers of pain.

Rite of the Shaman PosterAvailable to watch on YouTube, Apple TV and other VOD platforms.

The Rite of the Shaman is a very inspiring family-friendly film by Alicia Oberle Farmer. Here, she expands the role of what this role means and shows how it’s not restricted to specific cultures. Some people tend to think of them as an aboriginal thing whereas it’s not. I couldn’t help but be reminded of Adrenalin’s song “The Road of the Gypsy” while watching, and that’s because the themes are very similar.

According to Shamism.com, the title bestowed to those individuals also grants them knowledge in how to heal more than just battle wounds, but also enact spiritual contact. These days, it’s considered to be an ancient healing tradition. And what the protagonist in this film experiences (wonderfully played by Tyrell Oberle) is an awakening as he navigates the trials and tribulations of teenage life.

Kai is being bullied and also seeing things. There’s a voice calling to him. One reason he’s not doing well is that he’s worried about his mother, Rebekah (Janice Spencer-Wise). She’s suffering from cancer, and with no one to turn to for help, he’s alone. He’s an only child. The orchestral score wonderfully carries this work and gives us that emotional resonance to understand this boy’s plight. Props go to Donovan Colton for a delightful soundtrack; it includes everything I adore which includes flights of fancy from the likes of Enya and Yanni.

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The Shadow in the Water, a Different Kind of Shark Tale

David Elendune talent for making characters we can empathize with is why I’m always there for his shows.

shadowVictoria Fringe Festival

Showtimes:
Sep 8, 2021 – Sep 12, 2021

Metro Studio Theatre
111 Quadra St.
Victoria, BC

Tickets can be bought in advance here.

Anyone who knows Peter Schilling’s music video of his hit single, “Major Tom,” may well get the shivers when learning about Mary’s life in David Elendune’s The Shadow in the Water. She’s coming home alright, but not in a way I would immediately suspect.

This story billed as a tale of love, loss and sharks is a deceptive tease. I’m thinking it’s about sailing into the mystic, Van Morrison style. This octogenarian is recounting moments about her life to Sharon. I assume this younger character is a caretaker sent to check in on this senior–who is listening to the broadcast of the Apollo 11 landing at the start of the play. Bits of this landmark moment in human history plays out throughout the show, and it’s highly suggestive that eventually, Mary’s time will come to “go home.” 

Instead, Mary is lost in her own memories. She wants someone to know everything she’s done since before the night fades away.

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Weathering with You Debuting in North America Today!

Fan Preview Screenings (full movie with exclusive Makoto Shinkai video) tonight and tomorrow.

Opens in theaters on January 17 (North America). In Canada please check Cineplex online for participating theatres.

Coming to North America today is the highly-anticipated new film from director Makoto Shinkai and producer Genki Kawamura, the creative team behind the critically-acclaimed, global smash hit Your Name.

The Weathering with You is too apt for a charged tale of life, love, and controlling the weather. The timing could not be any better as parts of Canada and the East coast being hit with snow. High winds and other dangers notwithstanding, for those able to make it, this film is worth getting out to! Thankfully it will stay in theaters longer as the wild and woolly weather can dissipate in a few hours.

Synopsis:

The summer of his high school freshman year, Hodaka runs away from his remote island home to Tokyo, and quickly finds himself pushed to his financial and personal limits. The weather is unusually gloomy and rainy every day, as if to suggest his future. He lives his days in isolation, but finally finds work as a writer for a mysterious occult magazine. Then one day, Hodaka meets Hina on a busy street corner. This bright and strong-willed girl possesses a strange and wonderful ability: the power to stop the rain and clear the sky…

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