Tag: Slice of Life

All These (Lost) Buffalo Kids Need is a Home….

If you’re a fan of the trilogy of films that make up Tad the Explorer, then you’ll love Buffalo Kids too!

Buffalo Kids Movie PosterAvailable on HBO Max

Movie directors Juan Galocha and Pedro Solís García must enjoy developing action comedies. After becoming a fan with the Tad the Explorer films, I had to check out their latest, Buffalo Kids. I reviewed the third of that archaeological comedy and can spot the similarity. Instead of getting crazy with the silly antics from a certain comic relief character, this latest is mature. Here, the tale is concerned about a trio of kids attempting to survive the wild west!

Mary (Mia Pérez Ullod and Alisha Weir in the dub) is quite the spunky youth, and I suspect what’s not told is that she and older brother Tom (Jaume Solà / Conor MacNeill) lost their parents. They are the latest Irish immigrants set to arrive in New York, and when their uncle doesn’t show up, the young girl thinks it’s best to go find him! It’s tough to not like this film. The performance by Weir is great! She sells the exuberance needed to make me adore this child. And as for her big brother, Tom, he’s supposed to be the voice of reason. MacNeill does an equally commendable job to say they’re quite natural in these roles.

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Everything You Want to Know About Ghost Cat Anzu’s Release But Were Afraid To Ask Get Answered Here!

Just when fans of anime thought Ghost Cat Anzu is difficult to catch, a plan has been hatched to deliver it to streaming rather than home video release right away. But we got the deets for both, including the limited edition that will soon be available in Japan.

Ghost Cat Anzu Movie PosterGhost Kat Anzu is one of those movies I really want to see, and sadly, it had a very quick and limited run. If there’s any more screenings to come, that’s because the theatre has specifically made a request for it. I do not blame GKIDS, the North American rights holder, for making it tough to see.

The issue lays with the people who make the call on what to program for movie theatre chains like Cineplex, Alamo Draft house and the like. They do have to abide by a minimal length of time it can get played, and sometimes they err on the side of fewer than more because they are unfamiliar with the product. There’s other factors in play too, and that’s a can of worms I won’t get into.

As I make my monthly investigation on where this cat has disappeared to, I found good news! He’s going to manifest online for subscribers to Apple TV or Prime Video. People can place a “pre-order.”

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After Sasquatch Sunset, Perhaps It’s Best Not To Go Camping After All

Some people may prefer to stay indoors and avoid going camping in the Pacific Northwest after watching Sasquatch Sunset lest they want a Bigfoot Encounter!

Sasquatch Sunset Movie PosterI’m sure primatologists and cryptozoologists will say Sasquatch Sunset has the facts wrong. And when there’s no conclusive study, to guess at how they survived for this long is anybody’s game. But if you ask writer/directors Nathan and David Zellner about how their society works, what they offer is a movie designed to gross out rather than provide a proper look at.

The type of movie they made is a comedy of errors. Unlike those looks at Bigfoot culture you see on YouTube or History Channel, where it often feels like a Blair Witch film, what’s presented is very South Park. And the fact that Jesse Eisenberg, Riley Keough, and Christophe Zajac-Denek are convincing enough as hairy apes says something. There’s some humanity to be seen through the eyes, the only thing visible behind all that fur. But as for anything else, to understand this film requires a willingness to put up with these performers being very crude for the camera.

One positive thing I can mention is that it doesn’t intentionally try to scare. Had indigenous lore inspired this work and played more about the role between man and this culture, I’d enjoy this film more. After watching Kryptic (movie review), I’d put my money on this film than this one.

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Chicken for Linda! The Crazy Quest for Who’ll Count Coup for Poulet.

I’m surprised that the young girl in Chicken For Linda! isn’t asking for other poulet flavoured meals, since a lot more can be done with the leftovers.

Chicken for Linda! movie posterGKIDS
Release Date: April 19, 2024
Please check local listings for screenings near you.

After a successful limited theatre run in New York and Los Angeles, the French animated masterpiece, Chicken for Linda! Is getting ready to be dressed for success! This hilarious slice of life film looks at everything a parent will do just to please a child. The hen is intended for slaughter, and there were times I wished it would survive. But sadly, it’s destined to be on the dinner plate for Paulette (Clotilde Hesme) and her daughter (Mélinée Leclerc). As for whether they can locate one during a labour strike, that’s going to be a challenge!

As a single mother, life is never easy. The father died when Linda was a baby. Now that she’s much older these days, she’s quite the handful! Although mom makes the mistake of blaming her kid for losing the wedding ring she still holds dear, thankfully it gets found! It turns out the family cat was the culprit!

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A Cat’s Life Isn’t For Everyone, But You’ll Purr at This One

This charming coming of age tale looks at not only A Cat’s Life but also that of a young girl whose parents are about to divorce. It’s all about how to adapt.

A Cat's Life Movie PosterAvailable to view on Apple TV

A Cat’s Life is a German made film finally making its way to screenings in other countries. It’s an adaptation of the novel “Rrou” by Maurice Genevoix and is nothing like Illumination’s The Secret Life of Pets (movie review). That’s because this story looks at what defines those relationships between animal and humankind. In this case, it’s about how Lou (as named by Clémence, played by Capucine Sainson-Fabresse) manages to win the hearts of viewers as she provides comfort to this young girl.

It’s sad to see that this kitty loses sight of his mother in the opening moments. Something happened, and he just left, to wander into the city streets and be found by a young girl. I hate to think there’s a sadder element as there’s no dialogue to explain what happened to his siblings and mother. What’s implied is very sad, and I hope the family survives. Continue reading “A Cat’s Life Isn’t For Everyone, But You’ll Purr at This One”

TheNFB and Janet Perlman’s The Girl with the Red Beret is Slice of Life at its Best

When The Girl with the Red Beret takes a ride on the Montreal metro, it becomes the unlikely venue for a strange and wonderful musical journey.

The Girl with the Red Beret PosterOut of all the animated works The National Film Board of Canada has produced over the years, The Girl with the Red Beret (La fille au béret rouge) ups the ante on what “slice of life” means. Here, what gets presented is about an experience and how one little girl sees a an entire world can unfold in Montreal as she rides the Metro.

It’s possible to experience a lot when riding public transit. And what’s presented is not just about whom she encounters, but also in how time marches on. There’s no big story here. Although I was paying attention to the pickpocket’s attempt to steal from this young lady, that narrative disappears midway. Afterwards, another plot popped in and I had to ask why attempt to transport a large couch on this ride? I’m sure others have tried in real life, and failed.

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