Tag Archives: Shout! Factory

Elmo’s World is Set for DVD Release Oct 2nd

11 Sep

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Explore the everyday world with everybody’s favorite furry red monster, Elmo, in the new DVD release of Sesame Street – Elmo’s World: Elmo Explores!, on October 2, 2018, from Shout! Factory and Sesame Workshop. Fans can now pre-order their copies on Amazon.com.

This home video release is a two-hour collection of Elmo’s World episodes, appearing for the first time on DVD. Using the power of his imagination, Sesame Street’s little red monster explores kid-friendly topics such as painting, cooking, and habitats from a child’s point of view. Joined by the hilarious Mr. Noodle, Smartie the Smartphone, and his pet goldfish Dorothy, Elmo asks questions that lead to fun discoveries. An age-appropriate launch pad for imagination and learning, Elmo’s World: Elmo Explores! indulges children’s natural sense of curiosity about the world around them.

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Transformers: The Movie (G1) Gets Special Engagements & Preview Starting Sept 27th!

9 Sep

Transformers-movieposter-westFans of the original Transformers cartoon (affectionally called G1) living in Canada should mark their calendars. The animated film where [spoiler tape censored] will screen at select Cineplex cinemas beginning Sunday, September 30 at 3:45 p.m. (local time). In the States, it will begin on September 27th. For showtimes, please check local listings or online here. This beloved classic has been meticulously remastered, restored from the original film elements, and transferred in HD.

I will be present quite simply because I still remember Starscream giving the finger in an early cut when I first saw this film long ago. It has since burned into my memory, and whether a print still survives with these scenes put back in, my hope is that this screening shall offer it. Either way, I just need this affirmation that what I saw in my youth was not a figment of my imagination.

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Breaking Down Satellite Girl and Milk Cow

20 Jun

Available to order on Amazon

By Ed Sum
(The Vintage Tempest)

Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers could not have expressed “Breakdown” any better and South Korean animator/director/storyteller Chang Hyung-yun illustrated it when he created Satellite Girl and Milk Cow. This work debuted in 2014, and its home video release by Shout! Factory / GKIDS for international audiences this month is long overdue. Not a lot of bonus material is included, and both the original and English dub was viewed. The latter presentation is decent, and it captures some nuances from the original work to make this work accessible for younger audiences to follow.

For animation aficionados, the technical quality is on par with many a cinematic product. It ranks right up there with many a Disney movie. For folklore enthusiasts, this work is puzzling at times and is not too hard to figure out. It draws on ancient shamanism to explain why witches and warlocks are prevalent in Korea. Less is said about those mortals who suddenly get transformed into anthropomorphic creatures. When they suffer heartache, a black fog descends upon them and they become shape-shifters. When Kyeong-cheon sees Eun-jin (his girlfriend) take an interest in another boy, he’s ready to call it quits than to ask her about it. As a result, whenever he is stressed and wallows in self-pity, he transforms into a milk cow. Alternative forms include zebras and donkeys.

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High Chinese Fantasy is Alive in Big Fish & Begonia

31 May

By Ed Sum
(The Vintage Tempest)

Big Fish & Begonia (大鱼海棠) is a beautifully animated film which takes its afterlife seriously. The people living in a mystical Chinese Middle Earth type realm live harmoniously with the elements but when an individual upsets the natural order, the world will retaliate and the cosmic order will need rebalancing.

This movie debuted in 2016 and it got limited play at select film festivals. After two years, it has finally gotten notice by Shout! Factory and FUNimation. Hopefully, another work, I Am Nezha (我是哪吒) will see release. While one is traditionally animated (2D), the other is 3D. Big Fish is a dramatic product whereas Nezha has more comedy action. To catch either work on the big screen is tough; the release from last month only had a handful of theatres doing short runs.

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