TheNFB’s May Release Schedule Celebrates More Than Asian Heritage Month.

And we offer a recap on titles we reviewed some months ago, and include a look at what’s coming, our top picks and trailers of a few TheNFB works too (where available).

TheNFB National Film Board of Canada LOGOSpring is in the air, and there’s lots happening over at the National Film Board of Canada. Not only are they also celebrating Asian Heritage Month, but also recognising new talents in the medium of animation and storytelling. It’s great to see that there’s some Asian talent being recognised in this TheNFB’s Hothouse program.

Here’s a list of what’s here and coming soon:

Starting May 1
Asian Heritage Month AT THENFB

  • Following a multi-award-winning festival run, Toronto creators Thao Lam and Kjell Boersma’s animated short doc Boat People uses a striking metaphor to trace one Vietnamese family’s flight across the turbulent waters of history. Our review can be read here, and it’s a strong piece to bring awareness about those grandparents who gave up a lot to give their children, and their kids a brand new life. (disclaimer: some of the video attachments are geolocked to Canada)

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When Ghost Month is in Full Swing in 2023, How Can We Identify the Types of Spirits Said to be Visiting?

Sometimes, the best known spirits that linger around during Ghost Month are those from folklore and time honoured tradtions! Are you ready to face them?

Singapore Orchard Grave Veneration during Ghost MonthGhosts from South Asia come in different shapes and forms, and some are feared whereas others are revered. And it’s terrific they get loved in entertainment. In the past, I’ve explored the best of what cinema and literature have offered. However, when new releases are few and far between every year to recognise Ghost Month, I’ll have to look elsewhere to get my scares in.

As a result, the only book I’ve come across to bring various tales together, ranging from folklore to original works, is Asian Ghost Short Stories! This covers areas east of India. Although it’s not the perfect collection due to glaring errors with the folklore, and being mostly stories rather than recounting alleged encounters, it’s still a good primer to introduce paranormal enthusiasts to the lore from this region.

To honour this occasion, which started two days ago (Aug 16 to Sept 14), I’m going in a different direction this time. Through my research, I’ve learned nine types of spirits can roam the land! The book, Śūraṅgama Sūtra (PDF link) gives a great outline, and furthermore, the Hungry Ghost type (which gets its own festival Aug 30th) are sub-categorized! On the list are:

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Krut The Mythic Wings and The Himmaphan Warriors. On What’s Wrong and Where to Find it

The 3D illusion in Krut The Mythic Wings is a pleasant touch. The only shame is that you can not run and fight in all four directions like some modern fighters.

Krut The Mythic WingsPlayers must master dodging and be skilled at slaying enemies in Krut The Mythic Wings without getting hit if they are to survive this multi platform video game. It’s available on many systems. If that isn’t hard enough, collecting the soul orbs is even worse. Thus, only the worthy need to apply. Here, you play an eagle-headed warrior of the Garuda race and have to overcome all the obstacles in six levels to master the elements. Having that skill is required before being allowed to get mystical armour before taking on the rock ogres again.

If you have seen the Indonesian movie, Krut: The Himmaphan Warriors, which this game is inspired by, then it’s almost worth comparing. The trailer (see below) shows off a PS3 level graphics akin the very first God of War PS3 videogame. The version we get to play is crisper and much more colourful. And by the mid-way point, we see how this version of Krut gains his Mythic Wings. To note, despite what Google says, it is not available on either Disney Plus or Netflix (Canada). I had no luck finding it from online sources. The cost to import the DVD from YesAsia is crazy when you don’t take advantage of the free international shipping offer (i.e. order a lot), or you can search eBay for it.

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On What Raya and the Last Dragon Lacks…

Without the proper cultural milieu made front and center, Raya and the Last Dragon feels like another atypical Disney Princess origin story.

Raya and the Last Dragon Movie PosterDisney‘s Raya and the Last Dragon is a very paint-by-numbers animated film which lacks originality. We are introduced to another princess with her pet, and we get to visit a distinct part of Asia! If I had to say which movie knows its mythology, Moana wins hands down!

The world of Laos, Malaysia and Indonesia is the spotlight and sadly, the missed opportunities I noticed are plentiful. The distinguishing features of each region aren’t really played up. The details don’t show how the people are unique. Each nation has lost their focus ever since a magical crystal that can keep the Druun–rejected shadowy entities from Studio Ghibli’s Mononoke Hime–shattered.

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