The “Next Exit” in this Supernatural Road Trip Is To Fantasia 2022 & A Better Future

Next Exit offers ideas most paranormal investigators are keen on for years but ultimately it concerns two folks looking for the meaning of life.

Next Exit PosterTo be fair, anyone going to see Next Exit because of Karen Gillan will be disappointed. She only has a small part. Instead, it’s about Teddy (Rahul Kohli) and Rose (Katie Parker), who think that they have no reason to live anymore. It’s hard to tell that they are depressed and wish to end it all. But after getting a call from Stevenson’s Life Beyond institute, they’re on a road trip to be test subjects about the hereafter.

Apparently, Research Scientist Dr. Stevenson (Gillan) discovered a way to track the transition of a person’s soul as it moves from life to death. Sadly, that means anyone wanting to be a Ghostbuster may no longer be needed. And anyone who wants to “move on” isn’t lining up! Well, not yet. The concept is brilliant because of my interest in the paranormal, because I often wondered if we can observe terminal lucidity. Or rather, what does losing 21 grams mean?

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Channing Tatum’s Back or Should That Be Bad, in “Dog”?

This film is Tatum’s most personal work to date; not only did he contribute ideas to the screenplay by long time writing partner Reid Carolin (with additional credit to Brett Rodriguez), but also directed.

Dog (2022 film).jpgChanning Tatum hasn’t been forgotten after appearing in films like G.I. Joe and Kingsman: The Golden Circle. He did voice-over work and in recent interviews, he said the break was needed. He also talked about the life ahead, much like his character Briggs in Dog.

This ex Army Ranger with PTSD struggles to live day-by-day. He wants to return to duty, but after we learn he took too many hard blows to the head, getting another tour is difficult. After learning one of the team passed because of similar issues, the trauma isn’t over. But he has a second chance if he can bring Lulu, a dog, to Riley, her first owner’s funeral. Flying her over isn’t an option. Instead, it’s a trip from Washington State to Nogales, Arizona.

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It’s Time for Tea Pets, A Nearly Forgotten Joy

This movie’s been renamed Toys and Pets for International audiences and the translation isn’t the best.

Image gallery for Tea Pets - FilmAffinity

This movie review is sponsored by Umi Tea Sets. Please visit https://www.umiteasets.com/collections/tea-pets to see their latest tea pet offerings.

Light Chaser Animation Studios
Spoiler Alert

Tea Pets was a movie I had to watch during the last days of Chinese New Year and it’s one that’s not as well known. The animation house earned its cred with White Snake and its sequel, and it’s odd they would sell the rights of this early effort to a less than ideal international distributor.

These little clay figures trace back to 13th Century China and are used during tea ceremonies. These figurines bring good luck to those who affectionately play with them during tea time. All it takes is to pour some tasty liquid over them and they’ll come to life. The unkilned porous clay transforms the colours into another pigmentation, and it’s amazing to watch.

According to one online source, writer/director Gary Wang saw some for sale at in an antique store in Paris! It reminded him of home. Although I’ve never seen them at Murchie’s Tea & Coffee in Victoria, BC, or any Asian tea houses here in town, I had to wonder. I’d love to have a feline tea pet to keep me smiling on those grey days.

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When Hotel Transylvania: Transformania Invites Change…

I don’t expect more films to happen because it’d be copying from DreamWorks The Croods. Both share a similar DNA.

Hotel Transylvania Transformania.jpgSony Pictures
Available to Stream on Amazon Prime

Three movies and a television series mark how long Hotel Transylvania has been in business. Drac the vampire (now voiced by Brian Hull) is immortal, and he’s been this establishment’s custodian for ages.

In the fourth film, Transformania, this overseer knows it’s time to retire and hand over the family operation. But this patriarch still dislikes the man whom his daughter Mavis (Selena Gomez) fell in love with and thinks Johnny (Andy Samberg) will destroy everything he’s created. This lad feels down and thinks the only way that his father-in-law will accept him is to become a monster like them. He asks the wonderfully crazed Dr. Van Helsing (Jim Gaffigan) for help. He has a transmogrifying ray gun that’ll do the job, but its not perfect.

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Hotel Transylvania’s Johnny Monster Bus and Character Tour

The Johnny Monster Bus and Character Tour will be making its way through the States with stops at select cities and offer to fans plenty of product giveaways, character meet and greets, and more!

unnamedHotel Transylvania: Transformania, is headed to streams than screens, and Amazon Studios & Sony Pictures Animation are partnering up to give fans the ultimate Hotel Transylvania experience! They have made the plans to have The Johnny Monster Bus and Character Tour travel through the States with stops at select cities (guide offered below) so kids can enjoy character meet and greets, and a lot more!  Additionally oversized inflatable characters to take over for photo-ops perfect for social media sharing. If successful, it may venture into other countries next.

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The Mitchells vs. the Machines vs. Pleasing the Masses

Despite borrowing from the likes of past works I’ve enjoyed, this animated film shines with its kinetic production design.

MitchellsMachinesPoster.jpgBy Ed Sum
(The Vintage Tempest)

Available on Netflix 

The Mitchells vs. the Machines is certainly a very colourful and crazy mixed media movie about a not so normal family. Katie (voiced by Abbi Jacobson) is about to leave the nest. She’s an artist and a videographer. Her love for theatrics (aka storytelling) is something her dad doesn’t get. He refused to take challenges and was unadaptable. He’s hilariously sad since staying up to date is as foreign to him as kids of today are to punch card technology.

Even the younger brother Aaron (Mike Rianda) is odd. He loves dinosaurs, which is typical for any lad, and is obsessive as Hudson Harper from Lego Jurassic World: Legend of Isla Nublar. Linda (Maya Rudolph), her mom, is about the only voice of reason to keep the clan together. The family dynamics are at the heart of why this film is adorable. This oddball clan is just that, and honestly, it’s Munch the dog who steals the show. This exotropia and bug eyed pug is very familiar tho’, and when I’ve seen a whole ton of animated shows, it’s easy to see what series Phil Lord, Christopher Miller and the writing crew picked from when creating this film.

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