Tag: Spirituality

The Zen of “Demigod The Legend Begins” at Fantasia 2022

Demigod, The Legend Begins may well be a prequel to Legend of the Sacred Stone, because Su Huan-jen is part of the cast.

Demigod The Legend BeginsPlayed at Fantasia 2022 July 23, 2022

Demigod The Legend Begins, is a visual treat. Not only do we get to watch Taiwanese glove puppet theatre on the big screen, but also the story is epic! Through the magic of editing, these characters come alive.

However, I must wonder if Bunraku is the appropriate term to use to describe this style of puppetry. The motions of these medium-sized dolls are achieved via hiding the puppeteers with simple tricks of the camera. Instead of watching a stage show, we are watching it though the eyes of the cinemtographer–where we have medium shots and closeups of the characters instead of wide shots to show these action figures in motion. In truth, this technique is the centuries-old tradition of budaixi—Chinese opera using glove puppetry. This movie updates the music with modern day electric guitars, and I’m fairly sure one song is taking cues from Fleetwood Mac’s “The Chain.”

When a robe needs to look like it’s rustling, good ol’ fashioned fans are used. When the background needs to come alive, we have CGI replacing those green screen moments. Also, we have some well placed smoke effects and cups of blood to splash around when needed! The presentation is as good as those classic wuxia Hong Kong films from the 80s. But I can’t help but chuckle when they move off camera like a Muppet. That’s okay; Demigod The Legend Begins is not meant to be as perfect as other films using marionation.

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A Closer Look at LAAPFF’s Spirited Away Program

This unique set of eclectic works do more than define humanity’s relationship with Nature. There’s spirits, wisdom and counter-culture to be found in each.

Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival - FilmFreewayBy Ed Sum
(The Vintage Tempest)

Regal L.A. LIVE:
A Barco Innovation Center
1000 W Olympic Boulevard Los Angeles, CA 90015

Sept 29, 2021
9:00 pm

Thematically, the Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival’s Spirited Away shorts program is an apt title to describe a set of works that deals with spirituality. It’s a topic few understand when they are about philosophies from smaller regional areas.

Udval Altangerel is a Mongolian filmmaker whose works explore anthropological subjects, and to introduce this group of films, she wrote for the program guide, “Guided by shamans and ancestral spirits, we traverse the line between the living and the dead, tradition and transformation, fiction and nonfiction.”

This unique set of eclectic works do more than define humanity’s relationship with Nature. There’s spirits, wisdom and counter-culture to be found in each. Fans of slam poetry will like Hinga. This piece argues for change. Unlike the fight to keep Fairy Creek pristine in my neck of the woods, this performance theatre is captured onto film and explores the complexity of what the Filipinx people in the Bay Area are passionate about. They want a utopia that transcends political and geographical barriers. Their message isn’t hard to follow, but it’s the rhythm which sets an unusual pace.

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[Fantasia 2021] The Sensory Experience that is Phil Tippett’s Mad God

This mystery nightmare tour found in Mad God focuses on the descent through Hell–the ruins of Earth presumedly–with a nameless figure in search of something.

Phil Tippett's 'Mad God' Finally Arrives | Animation World NetworkBy Ed Sum
(The Vintage Tempest)

Fantasia Film Festival 2021
Available to Stream On Demand

Encore performance Aug 24th 9:00 AM (EST)
Tickets can be purchased here

Also playing at other regional Film Festivals, please check listings.

At a cursory glance, Phil Tippett’s Mad God looks like a product spat out of many creative minds. There that genre fans can recognize from the movies he’s worked on, namely Dragonslayer. Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom and Robocop, but as for who produced this wild trip, the concept is 100% Phil.

The story came from a cumulation of experiences from this special effects maker’s life ever since he thought of it 30 years ago, and it took many more to realize. On this list includes the advice he was given from fellow filmmakers and also him reading a lot of Milton and Dante. The visuals are comparable to that of splicing all that’s creative from Tim Burton, Clive Barker, H.P. Lovecraft, Jan Švankmajer, Guillermo del Toro and Guy Maddin’s into a huge melting pot, and it works. This master of stop-motion animation crafted a movie that would’ve been shelved for good had it not been for his fans and colleagues who said, you gotta finish it.

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TheNFB on National Indigenous Peoples Day

TheNFB and National Indigenous People\'s Day(Image by Eruoma Awashish provided by the NFB)

Available at www.nfb.ca/indigenous-cinema

In recognition of National Indigenous Peoples Day (June 21), Kevin Settee’s four-part series of short films, The Lake Winnipeg Project, is premiering online at Indigenous Cinema, the NFB’s rich online collection of Indigenous-made films. Lake Winnipeg’s shores are home to many vibrant Indigenous communities, including the Anishinaabe, Cree and Métis.

The Lake Winnipeg Project is an Indigenous-led community-engagement project that explores the communities’ deep connection to the land and water at a time when many external forces are imposing change.

The Indigenous Cinema page offers free streaming of more than 400 new and classic titles from the NFB’s collection of films by Indigenous directors.

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VisionTV’s Ageless Gardens & Timeless Passion

VisionTV’s Ageless Gardens has grown up since its debut two years ago. The stories look at how to be green. That is, we see how others grow their own foods, develop their well being and give back to the land. In turn, the ground returns its beauty in bounty to please our senses. This show is not about the food, but how we remain forever young.

AG303 Karen York 4.jpgBy Ed Sum
(The Vintage Tempest)

Programming Note: Encores of Season 2 episodes follows after each new Season 3 episode. Mondays at 9pm and 9:30pm ET. Please check online listing for local schedule.

VisionTV’s Ageless Gardens has grown up since its debut two years ago. The stories look at how to be green. That is, we see how others grow their own foods, develop their well being and give back to the land. In turn, the ground returns its beauty in bounty to please our senses. This show is not about the food, but how we remain forever young.

The coverage I offered when this program debuted is on twohungryblokes.com. Series two offered similar shorts mostly from the perspective of folks local to British Columbia and there were a few segments from beyond. They all showed us how important staying true to valued ideals are best and also revealed new ideas in how to harvest from the land without harming ecosystems.

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